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Digital Guide to Moth Identification

Gelechiidae 59a0629.1 – 1687   Monochroa plutella (Chambers, 1874)

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DNA (BOLD:ABW6361) - AZ © C. Melton Large Map & Chart Report Errors About Maps

Distribution: Syntype: Texas, probably Waco (USNM). Description/ Field Marks: There are 4 BIN groups at BOLD (BOLD:AAM8607, BOLD:AAG5281, BOLD:AAG5281, BOLD:ADR2638) relating to this species, all in the same branch of the barcode tree. DNA barcode separates all by over 2.5% inferring the possibility of at least four good species. Those in BOLD:ABW6361 (Arizona) seem to match Megacraspedus exilis Walsingham, 1909 (TL: Guerrero, Mexico). Pending further clarification, all are treated here as plutella. Similar Species: Pinned specimens of related species. (Hint: select View by Region on the related species page.) Synonymy: plutella (Chambers, 1874) (Neda) n. comb. - MONA 1983: 1687; Syntype: Texas, probably Waco (USNM). Taxonomic Notes: Monochroa plutella (Chambers, 1874), n. comb., was formerly in the genus Megacraspedus (Lee & Landry in Pohl & Nanz (eds.) 2023). USNM specimens of plutella have been misplaced and the true identity cannot at present be verified (Sangmi Lee, pers. comm., 2024). Based on what is known, it reasonably certain that plutella is represented by cluster of BIN groups at BOLD which refer to the genus Monochroa.

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) Barcode of Life (BOLD) - BIN: BOLD:AAM8607 (TX) Barcode of Life (BOLD) - BIN: BOLD:ABW6361 (exilis? - AZ) Chambers, V.T., 1874. Tineina from Texas. The Canadian Entomologist, 6: 244. Pohl, G.R. & 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 iNaturalist Walsingham, L.T.d.G., 1909-1915. Insecta, Lepidoptera-Heterocera, Vol. IV, Tineina, Pterophorina, Orneodina, Pyralidina and Hepialina (part). Biologia Centrali-Americana, 4: 21; pl. 1, fig. 20.

(BOLD:ABW6361) AZ © C. Melton

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