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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Owlet Moths and kin (Noctuoidea) » Owlet Moths (Noctuidae) » Cutworm or Dart Moths (Noctuinae) » Apameini » Selicanis

Genus Selicanis

Classification · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Numbers · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Season · Life Cycle · Remarks · See Also · Print References · Internet References

Selicanis cinereola Smith, 1900 - Hodges' # 9430 - Selicanis cinereola - female

Selicanis cinereola - Hodges #9430 - Selicanis cinereola

Selicanis Moth - Hodges#9430 - Selicanis cinereola

Noctuidae: Selicanis cinereola - Selicanis cinereola

Show images of: caterpillars · adults · both

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)

Superfamily Noctuoidea (Owlet Moths and kin)

Family Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)

Subfamily Noctuinae (Cutworm or Dart Moths)

Tribe Apameini

Genus Selicanis

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

Although the genus Selicanis is placed in tribe Apameini at All-Leps, Jan Metlevski points out that S. cinereola (the only species in this genus) lacks two of the most prominent characters of the tribe Apameini, namely:

1. heavily sclerotised ovipositor lobes in female's genitalia

2. presence of two narrow, heavily sclerotised, rod-like structures between ovipositor lobes

Additionally, male genitalia of Selicanis cinereola share several characters with species in the tribe Xylenini, the most prominent being:

1. very large digitus which is often partially or completely fused to the apical part of the valve

2. short ampulla on the clasper, usually not extending over the costal margin of the valve

These characters are described in the recent publication listed under Print Reference below. Therefore, BugGuide places Selicanis in the tribe Xylenini, rather than Apameini.

Numbers

1 species in North America listed at All-Leps

Size

wingspan 30-41 mm

Identification

Adult: forewing medium brown dusted with pale gray scales; median area dark brown, bordered by thin grayish-white lines; slightly paler color outside PM line, shading to dark brown in terminal area; subterminal line indistinct; hindwing grayish-brown

Range

central United States: Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Wisconsin

Habitat

pine barrens and oak savannah

Season

adults fly in September and October

Life Cycle

one generation per year

Remarks

The higher classification of the superfamily Noctuoidea is currently undergoing study and will no doubt change further in the near future.

See Also

adults of some Papaipema species have a similar-looking forewing but lack one or both pale lines bordering the median area

Print References

Fibiger, M. and Lafontaine, D. 2005. A review of the higher classification of the Noctuoidea (Lepidoptera) with special reference to the Holarctic fauna. Esperiana, Vol. 11: 7-92.

Internet References

pinned adult image by Les Ferge, plus description, similar species, and links to other info (Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources)

Contributed by Robin McLeod on 11 May, 2006 - 11:47pm
Last updated 13 May, 2006 - 12:00am

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