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Digital Guide to Moth Identification

Erebidae
930860 – 8878.1   Catocala lineella Grote, 1872
             Little Lined Underwing

© Steve Scott
Synonymy:
  • lineella Grote, 1872 (Catocala) - MONA 1983: [NEW]
    Note: formerly treated as a subspecies of amica.
  • aurantiaca Reiff, 1916 (Catocala)
  • melanotica Reiff, 1916 (Catocala)
    Note: originally described as a form of amica.
  • nerissa Edwards, 1880 (Catocala)
    Note: originally described as a variety of amica.
  • novangliae Reiff, 1916 (Catocala)
  • Distribution: See Gall & Borth (2025).
    Host Plants: See Gall & Borth (2025).
    Host familiy: Fagaceae.  Host genera: Quercus.  Notes: foliage (Wagner 2005).  (Shropshire & Tallamy 2025 [accessed 6xii2025])
    Description: Member of the Catocala amica complex in which species lack a black medial hindwing band; see Gall & Schweitzer (2026) for full description.  Caution: In Gall & Schweitzer (2026) figure 2, the specimen labeled A is a lineella and not a pinicola (error in digital assembly of images for the plate; the catalog number and locality data are correct) (L. Gall, pers. comm., 28iv2026).
    Similar  : Species
    References (Caution: DNA barcoding at BOLD provides evidence of relatedness, not proof of identification; some BOLD specimens shown may not be sequenced.)
    • Barcode of Life (BOLD) - Caution: Identifications often erroneous; DNA barcode provides evidence of relatedness, not proof of identification; many specimens not sequenced.
    • Gall, L. & R. Borth, 2025. Underwing Moths (Catocala) & Larvae: A companion guide for iNaturalists, Website. [accessed on 7 October 2025]
    • Gall, L.F. & D.F. Schweitzer, 2026. A review of the Catocala amica complex (Lepidoptera: Erebidae), with a neotype designation and description of a new species. Bulletin of the Peabody Museum of Natural History, 67(1): 3-21. (PDF)
    • Hall et al., 2021. The Moths of North Carolina - website (identification, habitats and life history)
    • Shropshire, K.J. & D.W. Tallamy, 2025. Lepidoptera of North America, north of Mexico: an annotated list containing geographic ranges and host-plant records. ZooKeys, 1261: 101-113; Suppl. 1. (PDF or read online)
    • Species Page at Bill Oehlke's moth website - Catocala lineella
    • Species Page at Block Island Moths
    • Species Page at BugGuide.Net
    • Species Page at Mass Moths
    • Species Page at iNaturalist
    Catocala lineella
    © Ken Childs
    Catocala lineella
    © Bob Patterson
    Catocala lineella
    © David Reed
    Catocala lineella
    LG(cc) YPM (L.F.Gall)
    Catocala lineella
    LG(cc) YPM (L.F. Gall)
    Catocala lineella
    LG(cc) YPM (L.F. Gall)

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