I recently added what I ID'd as another Hypenodes fractilinea here in Boone Co, MO It looks like Moths with this appearance are being ID'd and posted there. Can you tell me what distinguishes this as n. sp.? And what do you think about the other one I just added: http://bugguide.net/node/view/1193222 ?

Thanks!

You can leave it here if you want. I really don't know what species they are in and that is why I prefer leaving them at the genus level. Same for you other image. I don't know what that one is and I don't know if it is even the same species as the one above.

Smith's original description can be found here. If you read that description and apply it to BOLD Sample ID: 1718-COI-07, I think you'll find it's a reasonable match. The am. line is not reduced to 3 dots; the pm. line is darkly shaded toward the base and followed by pale scales which is different from you example above. The shape of the pm. line is very different. There are examples shown at BOLD under fractilinea which do look more like your example but it does not look like they were barcoded. If I had to guess, I say they are not that species but that's just speculations.

Many people are placing there look-a-likes here so a couple more won't hurt though again, I think genus would be better.

for your information. I also searched FB Moths of Eastern U.S. and there is some mention of undescribed species. So I'm not clear either. It does look like many are being called fractilinea, or at least placed there, until we have further good info.

Why the move? Hypenodes n. sp. 1 still looks just as good to me.

The name of the species is a place holder by BOLD. It does represent a potentially undescribed species. The DNA test is indicating that the distance to its nearest neighbor, Hypenodes n. sp. 4, is ~4.5% which in turn is ~2.5% from Hypenodes fractilinea.

I saw this n sp one other time and I think, but am not sure that it means it is identifiable to species, but is not named yet (or have an agreed-upon species name).