Moth family identification - microscopic characters
Workbook
This post illustrates the use of microscopic characters to distinguish a number of moth families. The criteria are shown in the following table, copied from a draft version of a section of a field guide provided by Glenn Cocking in April 2019.
Geometridae
Moth #1 Chlenias banksiaria group. https://atlasoflife.naturemapr.org/Community/Sightings/Details/4230207
smooth proboscis
labial palps short and forward pointing
chaetosema present
ocelli absent
Moth #2
smooth proboscis
labial palps short and forward pointing
chaetosema present
ocelli absent
Moth #3
https://atlasoflife.naturemapr.org/Community/Sightings/Details/4230259
smooth proboscis
labial palps short and forward pointing
chaetosema present
ocelli absent
Geometridae
Moth #4
https://atlasoflife.naturemapr.org/Community/Sightings/Details/4232107
labial palps short and pointing downwards
chaetosema present
ocelli absent
Oecophoridae
Moth #5
https://atlasoflife.naturemapr.org/Community/Sightings/Details/4232103
proboscis scaled
no chaetosoma
no ocellus
palpi long and sickle shaped
Moth #6
https://atlasoflife.naturemapr.org/Community/Sightings/Details/4232102
proboscis scaled
no chaetosoma
no ocellus
palpi long and sickle shaped
Moth #7
https://atlasoflife.naturemapr.org/Community/Sightings/Details/4232104
proboscis scaled
no chaetosoma
no ocellus
palpi long and sickle shaped
Cosmopterigidae?
Moth #8
https://atlasoflife.naturemapr.org/Community/Sightings/Details/4232105
Plutella xylostella
Family Plutellidae
Moth #22-7-1 forewing length 6mm
https://atlasoflife.naturemapr.org/Community/Sightings/Details/4230880
Culama suffusca
Family Cossidae
https://atlasoflife.naturemapr.org/Community/Sightings/Details/4230617
Lepidoscia sp.
Family Psychidae
https://atlasoflife.naturemapr.org/Community/Sightings/Details/4230620
Geometridae
https://atlasoflife.naturemapr.org/Community/Sightings/Details/4232097
20-8-1
https://atlasoflife.naturemapr.org/Community/Sightings/Details/4232858
seen flying around outside, caught with a net
imaged head - has ocellus and very long forward pointing palps, with distal segment pointing upwards
proboscis unscaled
This is a workbook page … a part of our website where we record the observations and references used in making species identifications. The notes will not necessarily be complete. They are a record for our own use.