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Genus Synchlora

Wavy-Lined Emerald Larva - Synchlora aerata Caterpillar to Moth - Synchlora frondaria Green Moth - Synchlora frondaria - male Southern Emerald Moth ? - Synchlora frondaria - female Synchlora frondaria  - Synchlora frondaria Unknown small Caterpillar with spikes - Synchlora Wavy-lined Emerald Caterpillar? - Synchlora Nemoria ? - Synchlora aerata - male
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 Geometroidea (Geometrid and Swallowtail Moths)
Family Geometridae (Geometrid Moths)
Subfamily Geometrinae (Emeralds)
Tribe Synchlorini
Genus Synchlora
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Synchlora Fabricius, 1798. Taxonomic notes:
Callisteuma, Cheteoscelis, Eunemoria, and Merochlora were listed as junior synonyms of Synchlora by Parsons et al in Malcolm Scoble's Geometrid Moths of the World (1999) - see Butterflies and Moths of the World
Explanation of Names
From Greek syn meaning with, together; plus chlor meaning green (1).
Numbers
All-Leps lists 12 species in North America
Size
wingspan 14-26 mm, based on several Internet photos
Range
all of United States and southern Canada
Food
Most caterpillars feed on Compositae. They also feed on other plant families such as Rosaceae, Lamiaceae (e. g. mountain mint) and Polygonaceae and some are polyphagous.
Remarks
Larvae of some members of this genus have the remarkable habit of adorning themselves with bits of flowers for camouflage (2). Synchlora aerata is the only northern species to do so, but according to Wagner "Synchlora frondaria begins to replace S. aerata from Maryland southward, especially along the Coastal Plain. Five other Synchlora occur in Florida and parts of Texas. South of the Mason-Dixon line identifications should be based on reared adults." (3)
Print References
Borror, entries for syn, chlor (1)
Scoble, Malcolm et al. 1999. Geometrid Moths of the World. A Catalog.
Internet References
pinned adult images of 5 species plus photos of related genera by Jim Vargo (Moth Photographers Group)
pinned adult images of the 2 species in Canada (CBIF)
synonyms and type species (Brian Pitkin et al, Butterflies and Moths of the World)
distribution in Canada of 2 species; list of provinces (CBIF)
Works Cited
1.Dictionary of Word Roots and Combining Forms
Donald J. Borror. 1960. Mayfield Publishing Company.
2.For Love of Insects
Thomas Eisner. 2003. Belknap Press.
3.Caterpillars of Eastern North America
David L. Wagner. 2005. Princeton University Press.