Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Pelochrista similiana (Clemens, 1860)
(1)
Eucosma similiana (Clemens, 1860)
Poecilochroma similiana Clemens, 1860
Paedisca similana Fernald 1882:42 [misspelling]
(2)
Eucosma similana Fernald [1903]
Eucosma dorsisignatana similana Heinrich 1923
Eucosma similiana Miller, W.A., 1985
Eucosma dorsisignatana confluana Kearfott 1905
Eucosma engelana Kearfott 1908
Eucosma dorsisignatana engelana Heinrich 1923
Explanation of Names
Specific epithet from Latin meaning "resembling." Clemens noted that "this insect may be the female of the previous species (P. dorsisignatana)."
Size
Wright (2011) reported the forewing length.
(2)
♂ 8.1–11.0 mm (mean = 9.2, n = 32), AR = 2.88
♀ 8.2–10.3 (mean = 9.1, n = 21), AR = 2.75
Identification
Adult: forewing brown with dark brown L-shaped marking with curved edges, beginning at inner margin in AM area and becoming paler toward center of wing; large faint "tooth" (sometimes broken) in subterminal area pointing toward anal angle; hindwing dirty white, shading to pale brown toward outer margin
Range
Northeastern United States and southeastern Canada.
(3)
Beadle & Leckie (2012) included the species on the checklist.
(4)Habitat
fields and waste places where goldenrod grows; adults are nocturnal and come to light
Season
adults fly from July to September
Food
larvae feed in rootstalks of goldenrod (Solidago spp.)
Remarks
Misspelling of the specific epithet as "similana" may have resulted from confusion with the Palearctic species
Eucosma similana (Schiff.), which is now considered a synonym of
Epinotia trigonella (Linnaeus 1758), according to these two United Kingdom websites (
1,
2). The Palearctic
Epinotia trigonella (=
Eucosma similana) [
photo 1,
photo 2] is obviously a different species than the Nearctic
Eucosma similiana
As of 2015, the page at BOLD for
similiana is composed of two BIN clusters. One of them
here is all
similiana. The other
here has both
similiana and
dorsisignatana. The specimens identified as
dorsisignatana may be misidentified as they are poorly marked. However, the nearest BIN
here is composed of only
dorsisignatana. The BOLD page for
dorsisignatana is also composed of two BIN clusters, the one previously mentioned and another
here which mostly contains example which look like the recently described
oraria.
See Also
Pelochrista dorsisignatana - dark mark in median area of forewing is separated from dark subbasal facia and dark subapical mark
Pelochrista oraria - dark mark in median area of forewing is separated from dark subbasal facia but reaches apex
(Paraphrased from Wright, 2011
(2))
Print References
Gilligan, Wright & Gibson, 2008. Olethreutine Moths of the Midwestern United States: p. 111.157.
(5)
Wright, D.J., 2011. A new species of
Eucosma Hübner (Tortricidae) related to
E. dorsisignatana (Clemens) and
E. similana (Clemens).
Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society. 65 (3). p. 175; figs. 8-12, 20-22, 26, 27.
(2)
Clemens, 1860. Contributions to American Lepidopterology. No. 6.
Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia.. 12:
353
