Moth Photographers Group – Ponometia elegantula

Digital Guide to Moth Identification

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Noctuidae

931334 – 9109 Ponometia elegantula (Harvey, 1876)

Arizona Bird-dropping Moth

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Distribution Data for Ponometia elegantula

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Taxonomic: Notes	Ponometia elegantula: Formerly placed in the genus Conochares. Includes as synonyms Ponometia rectangula [9106] and Ponometia arizonae [9110].
Synonymy:	elegantula (Harvey, 1876) (Thalpochares) - MONA 1983: 9109 arizonae (Edwards, 1878) (Thalpochares) - MONA 1983: [9110] interruptus (Smith, 1905) (Conochares) rectangula (McDunnough, 1943) (Conochares) - MONA 1983: [9106]; TL: Del Rio, TX. seminivealis (Hulst, 1886) (Orobena) semiopaca (Grote, 1878) (Tarache)
Description:	There are two basic forms with typical elegantula having an almost straight inner edge to the broad, black medial line, often with a notch at the reniform spot, and white areas beyond this, to form arizonae in which the medial line is thin with fuscous reddish-gray shading beyond it. In all forms the line is less acutely angled at the reniform spot and the dark shading in the fringe is confined to the upper half of the fringe and often broken into two areas (apex and 1/3). ~ D.L.
Similar : Species	931332 Ponometia acutus: The black shading of the median area starts off the hind margin of the forewing at a more oblique angle than in P. elegantula and the part above the reniform spot extends up to the costa at a more oblique angle too, giving the line an acute angle overall, centered at the reniform spot. The fringe varies with the form and may be all white, with a white patch at 1/3 from apex, or with black areas at apex, 1/3 and at the bottom, or occasionally all over the fringe. Pinned specimens of related species. (Hint: select View by Region on the related species page.)

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.
McDunnough, J.H., 1943. Phalaenid notes and descriptions (Lepidoptera). The Canadian Entomologist, 75(4): 59-62.
Species Page at BugGuide.Net
Species Page at E. H. Strickland Museum
Species Page at Pacific Northwest Moths
Species Page at The Noctuidae of North America by Robert W. Poole (Nearctica.com) - archived page access (go to a year prior to 2020 and select a blue circled date from the calendar).
Species Page at iNaturalist
Species page at Moths of North Dakota.

Moth Photographers Group at the Mississippi Entomological Museum at the Mississippi State University

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