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Digital Guide to Moth Identification

Geometridae
91a1330 – 6949   Pherne placeraria (Guenée, [1858])

cf. placeraria © D. L. Blumfield
Distribution: Type locality (placeraria): : California.
Type locality (mellitularia):
Description/
Field Marks:
Ventral side of hind wing with well defined, outwardly bent transverse line (see illustration of holotype below).
In describing mellitularia, Hulst (1886) referenced the 2nd of two illustrations of parallelia by Packard (1873), fig. 43 (see below.
Similar Species:
  • Caution: As of 9/22/2022, due to the historic confusion within the genus Pherne, there appears to be no way to confidently identify specimens to species based on phenotype, DNA or genitalia. Cliff Ferris has shown that genitalic differences exist but it is not clear as to which species those differences refer.
  • Pinned specimens of related species. (Hint: select View by Region on the related species page.)
Synonymy: Ellopia placeraria Guenée, [1858]
Tetracis mellitularia Hulst, 1886
References
  • Barcode of Life (BOLD) - Caution: Some specimens shown may not be sequenced. DNA barcode provides evidence of relatedness not proof of identification.
  • Barnes, W.M. & J.H. McDunnough, 1916. Synonymic notes on North American Heterocera. Contributions to the natural history of the Lepidoptera of North America, 3(3): 188-189; pl. 15, fig. 13 (placeraria (=mellitularia)).
  • Guenée, M.A., 1887. Uranides et Phalenites. Histoire Naturelle des Insectes. Species Général des Lépidoptères, 9: 132.
  • Hulst, G.D., 1886. New species and varieties of Geometridae. Entomologica Americana, 1(11): 202.
  • Oberthür, C., 1912. Etudes de Lépidoptérologie Comparée, 6: 353; pl. 156, fig. 1510 (type of placeraria).
  • Packard, A.S., 1876. A monograph of the geometrid moths or Phalaenidae of the United States. Report (Geological and Geographical Survey of the Territories (U.S.)), 10: 551; pl 12, fig. 42 (parallelia), 43 (mellitularia per Hulst (1886:202)).
  • Species Page at BugGuide.Net
Pherne placeraria
- (see notes above) – © A. S. Packard
Pherne placeraria
- LG – © Barnes & McDunnough
Pherne placeraria
- holotype - LG – © Charles Oberthür
Pherne placeraria
32mm, NV, det. C.Ferris - LG – © Jim Vargo
Pherne placeraria
35mm – © McGuire Center Collection

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