Unk. Arctiidae @ Falcon SP, Starr Co., RGV, Texas

[Chris Schmidt]

Hi all - 
I've compared the image of the TX specimen in question to specimens here at the CNC (from Chiapas, Mex) and to the plates in Druce, Seitz and Hampson, and I agree with Becky Simmons that the best match seems to be P. thera (TL - Tabasco, Mex). The colour figure with the OD (attached) does not have the paired orange spots on the A4 and A5 segments, but this may be due to sexual variation, as shown by Rodríguez-Loeches L, Barro A. 2008. (Life cycle and immature stages of the arctiid moth, Phoenicoprocta capistrata. 13pp. Journal of Insect Science 8:05, available online: insectscience.org/8.05).
Was the specimen collected?
Cheers,
Chris



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Christian Schmidt, Ph.D.
(613) 715 - 5429 / schmidtcb at inspection.gc.ca
Entomologist, Canadian Food Inspection Agency
Entomologiste, Agence canadienne d'inspection des aliments
Canadian National Collection of Insects, Arachnids & Nematodes/
Collection nationale canadienne d'insectes, arachnides et nématodes
K.W. Neatby Bldg. / l'édif. K.W. Neatby
960 Carling Ave / 960, avenue Carling
Ottawa CANADA K1A 0C6
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

>>> Vincent Lucas <vplucas at comcast.net> 10/06/08 11:17 am >>>
Mike and Others:

I asked the question to Dr. Rebecca Simmons, Assistant Professor,  
University of North Dakota, Dept. of Biology and here's what she had  
to say:

> Hello Vince,
>
> Based on my observations of plates, the locality, and the  
> description, my bet is that this is Phoenicoprocta thera (Druce).  
> The locality given in the original description is Mexico, but I  
> wouldn't be surprised to find this in Southern Texas.
>
> I hope this helps.
>
> Best wishes,
> Becky S.
>
> Dr. Rebecca Simmons
> Assistant Professor
> University of North Dakota
> Dept. of Biology
> Box 9019
> Grand Forks, ND 58202-9019
> phone: 701-777-3439
> fax: 701-777-2623
> e-mail: rebecca.simmons at und.nodak.edu 

Cheers.

Vince

Vincent Lucas
Naples, FL
vplucas at comcast.net 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/leppyone/ 
http://www.caloosabirdclub.org 


On Oct 5, 2008, at 8:48 AM, Mike Quinn wrote:

> Any help much appreciated. Thanks, Mike Quinn, Austin, TX
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: Frances Bartle
> Date: Sat, Oct 4, 2008 at 8:13 PM
> Subject: Marius Hairstreak, Malachite, Rounded Metalmark at Falcon SP
> To: TX-BUTTERFLY at listserv.uh.edu 
>
> Hi TxButterfliers,
> Our buttterfly garden lived up to its name again today.  <snips>
>
> The beautiful moth, member of the Arctiidae family, that I found  
> yesterday still has the experts stumped.  You can see this colorful  
> bug on my Flickr site, below.  Maybe one of you has an idea what it  
> might be.
>
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/franzabirder/2910976670/ 
>
> Get out and enjoy the butterflies!
>
> Fran Bartle
> Volunteer Naturalist, Falcon SP
>
> ======================================
> TX-BUTTERFLY archives: <http://listserv.uh.edu/archives/tx- 
> butterfly.html>
>
>


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