Moths of North Carolina

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View PDF	Gelechiidae Members:	Pseudotelphusa Members:	4 NC Records

Pseudotelphusa fuscopunctella (Clemens, 1863) - No Common Name

Taxonomy

Family:
Gelechiidae

P3 Number:
59a0782

MONA Number:
1871.00

Comments: Pseudotelphusa species in eastern North America constitute a taxonomically challenging group, with several described species that have similar patterning, along with one or more species that are likely undescribed. Little effort has been put forth to correlate DNA barcoding with external morphology and genitalia, so there is still much uncertainty in this regard. Many of our assignments of specimens to species are provisional and will remain so until additional information becomes available that will clarify the taxonomic status of populations in North Carolina.

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions:

Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD

Adult Markings: Pseudotelphusa fuscopunctella is a small, brownish to grayish-brown moth with three incomplete, darker bands on the forewing and a boldly banded labial palp. The following description is based in part on that of Clemens (1863). The second segment of the labial palp is dark fuscous, while the terminal segment is gray, with a prominent black ring near the middle and a second just below the tip. The antenna is dark fuscous, and the head and thorax gray with scattered darker scales. The forewing ground color varies from gray to light brown and is speckled with darker scales. The ground is overlain with three black marks that include, 1) a broad, outwardly-oblique, sub-basal band that extends from the costa and terminates just before reaching the inner margin, 2) a black spot or blotch on the costa near the middle, and 3) a similar spot on the costa at around three-fourths the wing length. All of the marks have irregular, diffuse margins. One or two smaller, diffuse, black spots with pale scales along the margin are often found inward from the second and third costal marks to produce two fragmented bands that parallel each other and the more prominent sub-basal band. The fringe is a shade lighter than the forewing ground color and has three or four faint, darker blotches at the base. The hindwing is light brown or grayish-brown with a concave outer margin and a prominent, elongated, concolorous fringe. The pattern on individals can vary substantially, particularly with regards to the degree to which the three dark bands on the forewing are expressed.

Pseudotelphusa fuscopunctella can be confused with several other Pseudotelphusa that have similar patterning and we recommend examining genitalia for accurate determinations. This species has an overall brown color, while most of our others have a grayer or whiter ground color.

Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable only by close inspection of structural features or by DNA analysis.

Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable only through rearing to adulthood.

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: Pseudotelphusa fuscopunctella is found throughout much of the eastern US, from Maine southward to southern Florida, and westward to Louisiana, Arkansas, Indiana and Illinois. As of 2025, we have only a few records, with one from the Sandhills and the others from the eastern Piedmont.

County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.


Flight Dates: High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft. Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft. Piedmont (Pd) Coastal Plain (CP) Click on graph to enlarge

Habitats and Life History

Habitats:

Larval Host Plants: Host plants are poorly documented. In North Carolina, Tracy Feldman has reared a larva from Post Oak (Quercus stellata). - View

Wikipedia

Status in North Carolina

Natural Heritage Program Status:

Natural Heritage Program Ranks:

State Protection:

Comments:

Photo Gallery for Pseudotelphusa fuscopunctella - None

Photos: 6

	Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-08-18 Caswell Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-06-10 Durham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-06-10 Durham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Tracy S Feldman on 2018-06-14 Wake Co. Comment: Identified by Sangmi Lee.
	Recorded by: Tracy S Feldman on 2018-06-14 Wake Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Tracy S Feldman on 2018-06-14 Wake Co. Comment: reared from Quercus stellata, bycatch collected with another specimen. It fed on the surface, tying leaves together, then pupated in the leaves.