Syntomid Moth id.

Richard Worth rworth at oda.state.or.us
Thu Oct 4 12:25:10 EDT 2001


Hi Gary,
According to Field, (actually 1975), the Antichloris can be divided 
into three species groups; the Quadricolor group with 2 species only 
from Jamaica and Cuba; the Caca species group with 2 very wide 
ranging species including A. caca Hubner, and A. viridis Druce; and 
the Eriphia group with most of the species (23) which also includes 2 
wide ranging species, A. eriphia, of course, and A. chloroplegia. 
Both eriphia and viridis can be found in Ecuador.  Apparently there 
are male genitalic characteristics that help separate the groups as 
well as the species. Here is a short key based on Field to get 
through the groups and the species:

            Basal abdominal sterna with pairs of white spots near the 
spiracular line; male genitalia with valva having a broad 
triangular-shaped lobe at lower 
angle.....................................Eriphia grp.

   Basal abdominal sterna (1+2,3,4) mostly to entirely white, or at 
least white spots in the center of the sternites (if entirely white, 
pattern may be rounded off on sternite 4); male genitalia with valva 
broadly and evenly rounded, lacking triangular 
lobe.....................................................Caca grp.

            For Caca group..............................Males, with 
lower half of each tympanic hood white and with a white spot on the 
base of each tegula; female, with segment in front of ostium fuscous 
to blue black, dark metallic blue or green or bronze green(careful 
with this character, Field had small sample, n=1), male genitalia 
with ventral margin of valva rounded and ending in triangular 
projection near apical 
process............................................................... 
...................................................................... 
.................A. viridis

Males, with each tympanic hood entirely fuscous and without white 
spot on the base of each tegula; female, with segment in front of 
ostium light tan in color, male genitalia with ventral margin of 
valva entirely rounded lacking triangular projection as 
above.......................................A. caca


I had a cocoon from bananas brought to my attention here and was 
hoping to get a nice moth and instead got a nice chalcid wasp, which 
I keyed to Brachymeria sp.

Hope this helps.  Cheers,  Rich


>Dear Gary (and anyone else interested)
>
>We get three different species of 'banana moth' imported into the UK. The
>'usual' one at the moment being Antichloris eriphia (Fabricius, 1777) but
>many early determinations cite A. viridis (Druce) [there are published
>records of A. viridis from the Faroe Islands (1997, Entomologist's Gazette
>48: 84) and Sweden (1996, Ent. Tidskr. 117: 123-4)]. There may also be a
>geographic factor in determining which species one gets (mainland or
>w'indies, respectively) but I can't prove that as we often never get to
>find out the country of origin.
>
>Although all three species look alike (and there are others), there are
>characters (especially on the underside of the abdomen and tympanal hoods)
>to help distinguish them (see a paper by Field, 1978, Smithsonian
>Contributions to Zoology 198:).
>
>If you go to <http://www.atroposuk.co.uk> and click on the blue Atropos you
>will go to  a page with a copy of a plate from the journal on which is a
>picture of a 'British' specimen of A. eriphia.
>
>Hope this helps
>
>Martin
>***********************************************************
>Martin R. Honey CBiol MIBiol, Lead Curator (Moths)
>Department of Entomology, The Natural History Museum,
>Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD, Great Britain
>EMAIL:     M.Honey at nhm.ac.uk
>Museum web page <http://www.nhm.ac.uk>
>

>>Can anyone provide a name for the small metalic green and black Syntomid
>>moth that makes it up here into the wilds of Canada from time to time as
>>pupae on bananas?  Genus would be good, species wonderful.  The origin of
>>this one was Ecuador (????)
>>
>>Thanks
>>
>>Gary
>>
>>--
>>Gary Anweiler, Edmonton  Alberta Canada

Richard A. Worth
Oregon Department of Agriculture
Plant Division
rworth at oda.state.or.us
(503) 986-6461

 
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