Moth Photographers Group – Tortricidia flexuosa

Digital Guide to Moth Identification

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Limacodidae

57a0063 – 4654 Tortricidia flexuosa (Grote, 1880)

Abbreviated Button Slug Moth

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Distribution Data for Tortricidia flexuosa

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Similar Species:	4653 Tortricidia pallida - Marc Epstein (pers. comm., 2018) advises that we are currently unable to separate many of what we call Tortricidia pallida and Tortricidia flexuosa based on the larva, adult (including genitalia), and DNA. Furthermore, illustrations of the type of pallida, which is no longer extant, appears to be what we often refer to as flexuosa. At present, flexuosa represent all the 'morphs' (those that are heavily marked on the FW down to very little, but more on the yellowish side of things) and pallida represent the more pale, almost pinkish tan ones that have either a faint band or nothing on the FW. Pinned specimens of related species. (Hint: select View by Region on the related species page.)
Synonymy:	flexuosa (Grote, 1880) (Limacodes) MISAPPL. Type locality: Florida. caesonia (Grote, 1880) (Limacodes) Type locality: New York.
Taxonomic Notes:	Tortricidia flexuosa (Grote, 1880) and Tortricidia pallida (Herrich-Schäffer, 1854), another name with higher priority which may refer to the same taxonomic entity, were appended as "T. flexuosa of authors" and "T. pallida of authors" respectively in Pohl & Nanz (eds.) (2023) to reflect the uncertainty in the application of those names. Both names refer to entities described from NA yet neither were additionally listed separately as originally proposed, effectively delisting those original combinations. Also, both were listed with valid synonyms, but ICZN Article 23 seems to suggest that the name with priority should be the valid name. Pending further clarification, we revert to the previous usage.

References

Barcode of Life (BOLD) - Caution: DNA barcode provides evidence of relatedness, not proof of identification, and some BOLD specimens shown may not be sequenced.
Grote, A.R., 1879. Three new Cochliopods. The North American Entomologist, 1(8): 60.
Hall et al., 2021. The Moths of North Carolina - website (identification, habitats and life history)
Pohl, G. R. and S. R. Nanz (eds.), 2023. Annotated Taxonomic Checklist of the Lepidoptera of North America, North of Mexico. Wedge Entomological Research Foundation, Bakersfield, California, xiv + 580 pp. (order).
Species Page at BugGuide.Net
Species Page at Mass Moths
Wagner, D.L., 2005. Caterpillars of Eastern North America. Princeton University Press, 1-512.

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