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Nemoria lixaria (Guenée,
1857). [7033]
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Nemoria lixaria in its warm weather
form closely resembles N. bistriaria in wing markings, abdominal
spots. Like N. bistriaria, N. lixaria also displays an
oblique white band on the foretibia. Male genitalia exhibit the most
reliable characteristics to distinguish these two species.
Nemoria lixaria has been shown to express varying degrees of
melanic pigment overlaying the green wing color when adults develop and
eclose at cool temperatures. The black pigmentation is most evident
inside of the am and pm lines, on the abdomen surrounding the white
spots on anterior abdominal segments, and on the fringes. In the most
extreme cases, the dark pigment may cover a majority of the green wing
surface in black shading. Cool weather specimens may also exhibit
variations in the ground color of the green wings, with some spring
specimens exhibiting a pale, frosty or mint green color and others,
especially those with some degree of melanization, varying towards an
ochre yellow green. The series of specimens pictured above were
experimentally obtained by subjecting late instar larvae and pupae to
varying conditions of light and temperature to investigate the effects
of seasonal conditions on adult moth wing pigmentation.
The uncus of Nemoria lixaria is substantially different from that
of Nemoria bistriaria, and the spatulate tip of the uncus can
often be observed in male specimens with a good microscope even without
performing any dissection.
Click the hypertext link here for images and discussion of
Nemoria
lixaria larvae.
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