Undescribed Alheitini, Rio Ñambi, Colombia

- No description given -

comments (15)

Christine Young

Lion

Hygrochroma sp.? Or, Thyrididae? Posted 6 years ago, modified 6 years ago
1. Ferdy Christant
  
  Lion
  
  Both look possible, thank so much! I'm trying to find an example that matches the wavy wing edges, tricky. Posted 6 years ago
2. 1. Christine Young
    
    Lion
    
    Yep. Maybe Mimallonidae? Posted 6 years ago
  2. 1. Ferdy Christant
      
      Lion
      
      I came across that too!
      https://www.learnaboutbutterflies.com/Andes%20-%20Cicinnus%20corallina.htm
      Posted 6 years ago
    2. 1. Christine Young
        
        Lion
        
        Oh, Cicinnus looks like a really good possibility! Posted 6 years ago
      2. Ferdy Christant
        
        Lion
        
        Agreed. Cicinnus melsheimeri comes somewhat close, but not may be a match. It does have the wavy wings, fat abdomen, hairy thorax and horizontal dark line across the wings. Posted 6 years ago
        
        Christine Young
        
        Lion
        
        Yep. I'm still not feeling a match on any of them though. Posted 6 years ago

rstlaurent

Green Fly

This is an undescribed Alheitini (I have never seen it before), very close to and possibly belonging to the genus Thaelia. Remarkable! Posted 6 years ago
1. Ferdy Christant
  
  Lion
  
  You seem to have some unique knowledge, it comes in short supply, so it intrigues me. If you want, I'd be interested in learning your background? Posted 6 years ago
2. 1. rstlaurent
    
    Green Fly
    
    I specialize in the family Mimallonidae and have been working on reclassifying them in their entirety for my PhD work, and so I have personally examined specimens of all 298 (as of now) described Mimallonidae species. I am always happy to see when something like this (more or less completely new to me) pops up, it's rather exciting! Posted 6 years ago
  2. 1. Ferdy Christant
      
      Lion
      
      Thanks so much, looks like you're hyper focused on that family! May I ask why? Posted 6 years ago
    2. 1. rstlaurent
        
        Green Fly
        
        Primarily because very few have bothered to study these moths since the 1920s, so there is a lot to learn, and a great deal of potential for interesting and rewarding research endeavors focused on Mimallonidae. Posted 6 years ago
3. Ferdy Christant
  
  Lion
  
  And for the record, we've seen only a single individual in a single location. The majority of the moths in the list we saw multiple individuals and/or at multiple locations. Posted 6 years ago
4. 1. rstlaurent
    
    Green Fly
    
    Good to know. This appears to be a female, which in and of itself is quite rare for Mimallonidae. Interestingly, very few have collected this family of moths from the lowlands on the western side of the Andes, so I imagine there is still a great deal there that we do not know. Posted 6 years ago
  2. 1. Ferdy Christant
      
      Lion
      
      Wish we had discovered the joys of moth photography earlier because we visited Colombia three years in a row yet only in this last year did we start :) Posted 6 years ago

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By Ferdy Christant

Uploaded May 5, 2019. Captured Oct 30, 2018 20:23.

Explore Colombia 8,334 2,805 0

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f/13.0
1/60s
ISO64
105mm

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