Moths of North Carolina
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3 NC Records

Glyphipterix saurodonta (Meyrick, 1913) - No Common Name

Glyphipterix saurodontaGlyphipterix saurodontaGlyphipterix saurodonta
Taxonomy
Family: GlyphipterigidaeP3 Number: 36a0208 MONA Number: 2343.00
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Heppner (1985).                                                                                 
Adult Markings: The following description is based on the descriptions by Meyrick (1913) and Heppner (1985). The head and thorax are bronzy-fuscous, with a white line above the eye. The palp has three alternating bands of fuscous and white, and the apical portion of the terminal joint is fuscous with white lateral lines. The antenna is fuscous dorsally. The forewing ground color is dark bronzy-gray to fuscous and there is a very narrow white line along the anal margin. The costa had six silvery-white streaks that are edged with dark fuscous. The first two are slightly oblique and reach nearly half way across the wing, with the first at one-third the length from the wing base to the apex, and the second at the middle. The remaining four are shorter, with a pair immediately behind the second streak, and another pair just before the apex. The inner margin has a posteriorly oblique silvery-white streak that begins at around three-fourths and extends to where it almost reaching the apex of the second costal streak. This is followed by a shorter, silvery-white, dark-edged streak just before the tornus that runs more perpendicular to the inner margin. The space between this and the preceding dorsal streak is whitish-tinged. There are three silvery-metallic dots on the lower half of the termen (last two sometimes confluent), and two others obliquely placed in the disc above these. There is also a silvery-metallic dot on the termen beneath the apex, which is suffused with blackish coloration. The fringe is gray, with the basal half rather dark fuscous. It is indented with white on the subapical dot and has a blackish hook at the apex. The hindwing is dark gray with gray cilia.

Glyphipterix chambersi is similar but has the white line above the eye reduced and normally has five (rarely six) white costal streaks rather than six as seen in G. saurodonta. It is also found at more northern latitudes (northern Kentucky and southern Canada), with flight records all from August. Heppner (1985) noted that when a sixth streak is present on G. chambersi that one is minute and lacks the fuscous border. Rob Van Epps, John Petranka and Chuck Smith discovered specimens from North Carolina that we assigned to G. saurodonta rather than G. chambersi based on a well-developed eye stripe, the presence of six well-developed white costal streaks, the date of collection (mid to late-October) and the geographic location.
Forewing Length: 3.8-4.3 mm (Heppner, 1985)
Adult Structural Features: Heppner (1985) has an illustration and description of the female genitalia. The males have never been reported.
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: The life cycle is undocumented.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Glyphipterix saurodonta is rare in collections and is only known from Toronto, Vermont, New York, West Virginia, eastern Tennessee and North Carolina as of 2024 (Heppner, 1985; Moth Photographers Group). As of 2024, we have two records from Mecklenburg and Davidson counties in the 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
Flight Comments: The known flight records extend from mid-August through October (Heppner, 1985; iNaturalist). As of 2024, our three records are from mid to late-October.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: The preferred habitats are poorly documented. One of our three specimens as of 2024 was collected by sweeping in a field near some deciduous trees. The other two were from a residential neighborhood with nearby hardwood forest.
Larval Host Plants: The host plants are unknown. - View
Wikipedia
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR [S1S2]
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments: This species appears to be rare throughout its range. As of 2024, we have only two records for the state.

 Photo Gallery for Glyphipterix saurodonta - No common name

Photos: 6

Recorded by: Chuck Smith on 2024-10-13
Davidson Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-10-13
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-10-13
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Rob Van Epps on 2022-10-27
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Rob Van Epps on 2022-10-27
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Rob Van Epps on 2022-10-27
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: