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Digital Guide to Moth Identification

Lasiocampidae
870018 – 7702   Malacosoma californica (Packard, 1864)
             Western Tent Caterpillar

© Randy Hardy
Distribution: Caution: A single range map dot for a Canadian province may represent records without specific location data.
Type locality (californica): California.
Type locality (pseudoneustria): California.
Type locality (thoracica): Congress Springs, "San Mateo Co." [read Santa Clara Co.], CA.
Type locality (ambisimile): Santa Cruz Co., California.
Type locality (pluvialis): Pacific Northwest (Seattle, Washington).
Type locality (recenseo): mountains of California (Truckee and Siskiyou).
Type locality (lutescens): Miles City, Montana.
Type locality (fragilis): Virginia City, Nevada.
Type locality (mus): "southwest Utah... and Arizona (Prescott...)"
Similar Species:
  • Pinned specimens of related species. (Hint: select View by Region on the related species page.)
Synonymy: Clisiocampa californica Packard, 1864
Clisiocampa calificornica Packard, 1864
Clisiocampa californica Walker, 1865
Clisiocampa perlutea Neumögen & Dyar, 1893
Bombyx pseudoneustria Boisduval, 1868
Clisiocampa thoracica Stretch, 1881
Clisiocampa ambisimile Dyar, 1893
Malacosoma recenseo Dyar, 1928
Clisiocampa pluvialis Dyar, 1893
Clisiocampa lutescens Neumögen & Dyar, 1893
Clisiocampa fragilis Stretch, 1881
Clisiocampa mus Neumögen, 1893
References
  • Barcode of Life (BOLD) - Caution: Some specimens shown may not be sequenced. DNA barcode provides evidence of relatedness not proof of identification.
  • Franclemont, J. G., 1973. Moths of America North of Mexico, Fascicle 20.1: p. 78; pl. 10.1-32. order or free PDF
  • Powell, J. A. & P. A. Opler, 2009. Moths of Western North America, Pl. 37.9m; p. 235. Book Review and ordering
  • Species Page at BugGuide.Net
  • Species Page at Pacific Northwest Moths
Malacosoma californica
© Joyce Gross
Malacosoma californica
© Dick Wilson
Malacosoma californica
© Marius V. Aurelian
Malacosoma californica
© Phil Huntley-Franck
Malacosoma californica
28mm – © Jim Vargo
Malacosoma californica
28mm – © Jim Vargo
Malacosoma californica
- lutescens - Lectotype - LG – (cc) U.S.N.M.
Malacosoma californica
- mus - Lectotype - LG – (cc) U.S.N.M.
Malacosoma californica
- perlutea - Holotype - LG – (cc) U.S.N.M.
Malacosoma californica
- pluvialis - Lectotype - LG – (cc) U.S.N.M.
Malacosoma californica
- pseudoneustria - Lectotype - LG – (cc) U.S.N.M.
Malacosoma californica
- recenseo - Lectotype - LG – (cc) U.S.N.M.
Malacosoma californica
© Canadian National Collection LG

Malacosoma californica
© Canadian National Collection LG

Malacosoma californica
© John Ashley LG

Malacosoma californica
© Mike Mclvor

Malacosoma californica
© Marius V. Aurelian

Malacosoma californica
© John G. Franclemont CUIC LG

Malacosoma californica
© John G. Franclemont CUIC LG

Malacosoma californica
© Bob Webster LG


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