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Noctuidae - Acontiinae
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Ponometia virginalis (Grote)
Diagnosis: The basal half of the forewing is white, but slightly tinged with yellow, and not pure white. A vague yellow-green triangle reaches from the costa to the position of the reniform. The dark markings of the outer half of the forewing is olive green. The reniform is gray, with a small, central spot, and surrounded by white. The subterminal line is gray-white, narrow, and weak. The terminal line is a series of weak gray dashes with a larger gray spot at the upper end of the line. The fringe is white without dark patches. The hindwing is white, but with a gray-brown suffusion along the outer margin. The vales of the male genitalia are narrow and constricted. Wing length from base to apex in one selected individual 10 mm. Distribution: (Based only on USNM specimens). Ponometia virginalis is primarily a denizen of the central United States stretching from eastern Texas in the south to Nebraska in the north. Westward it reaches eastern Arizona in the south to Utah, Colorado, and Wyoming in the west. The identify of specimens identified as virginalis from the eastern coast of Florida need to be verified. Identification Quality: Good for the central and western specimens. The identify of the specimens identified as this species from Florida needs to be checked. They may be pale specimens of candefacta. Larva: Unknown Foodplants: Unknown
Distribution map based on specimens in the USNM
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Ponometia virginalis
Ponometia virginalis is easily separated from Ponometia binocula, huita, and candefacta. The base half of the forewing is white in virginalis, but tinged with yellow. In contrast these other three species have a pure white basal forewing half. The overall effect is a species that is duller and not as brightly marked as these other three species. |
Similar Species
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