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Noctuidae - Acontiinae
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Male
Female
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Ponometia parvula (Walker)
Diagnosis: The male forewing of parvula is a dirty yellow with little maculation. There is a small, black spot representing the orbicular and a small black mark on the inner margin at the base of postmedial line region. The outer margin is dark gray accented on the inside with a series of brownish dots. An indistinct, vague, dirty brown triangle exists with its base at the outer margin and tapering toward the orbicular mark. The hindwing is dirty white with its outer third heavily suffused with gray-brown. The female is similar to the male but shaded with yellow-brown. The orbicular and reniform are both present, but both small and indistinct. The hindwing is uniform, dirty brown. Distribution: (Based only on specimens in the USNM). This species appears to be restricted to the southeastern United States, particularly along the southeastern coast. Identification Quality: Good. Larva: Unknown Foodplants: Unknown
Distribution map based on specimens in the USNM |
Ponometia parvula
Ponometia parvula is most similar to P. tortricina. However the two species appear to be allopatric, parvula occuring in the southeastern United States and tortricina in the midwestern and western North America. Ponometia parvula lacks the greenish tint usually found in tortricina. In addition the vague, triangular patch in the forewing of parvula is absent in tortricina. The male genitalia of the two species are very similar. However there are significant differences in the female genitalia. In particular the sclerotization of the bursa is much more extensive in tortricina than in parvula. |
Similar Species
Ponometia tortricina
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