Moths of North Carolina
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Cenopis Members:
12 NC Records

Cenopis croatanensis Brown and Sullivan, 2018 - No Common Name

Cenopis croatanensis
Taxonomy
Superfamily: Tortricoidea Family: TortricidaeSubfamily: TortricinaeTribe: SparganothiniP3 Number: 51a0423.1 MONA Number: 3716.10
Comments: The genus Cenopis has 19 described species. Seventeen of these are restricted to North America, and all 17 occur in the eastern United States (Brown and Sullivan, 2018). Males of Cenopis are easily distinguished from those of Sparganothis by the presence of complex scaling on the frons of the head that forms an unusual “hood” of scales. The males also have a deeply invaginated or folded anal area of the hindwing that bears a distinctive hair pencil.
Species Status: The type locality for this recently described species is the Croatan National Forest in North Carolina and is the basis for the specific epithet (Brown and Sullivan, 2018)
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Brown and Sullivan (2018)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: The following is based on the original description by Brown and Sullivan (2018). The vertex is rough scaled and pale buff, while the upper frons has a well-developed, horseshoe-shaped “hood” of brown scales. The palps are brown, and the thorax pale ocherous and darker on the prothorax and base of the tegula. The forewing ground color varies from pale ocherous orange to pale ocherous buff, and the costal fold is brown. The ground is overlain by a posteriorly oblique fascia that begins on the costa at around one-third and arches outward to the middle of the inner margin. The fascia is dark brown and usually either narrows or is interrupted near the middle of the discal cell. A similarly colored subapical fascia is present that originates from a well-developed, rectangular, costa blotch at around four-fifths and fades towards the tornus. The last mark is a fine brown, subterminal line that parallels the termen. The fringe is mostly pale ocherous, and the hindwing is mostly pale ocherous with a similar colored fringe. The female markings are similar to those of the males but are less conspicuous due to their darker ocherous buff ground color.
Forewing Length: 8.0–8.5 mm for males and 11.0 mm for females (Brown and Sullivan, 2018)
Adult Structural Features: Brown and Sullivan (2018) provide detailed descriptions and illustrations of the male and female genitalia (also see below). They note that males of this species can be distinguished from all congeners by the sacculus, which is short and broadly rounded with a free, triangular, subapical process. In contrast, all congeners have a narrower and wedge-shaped sacculus that lacks a free process. Also, the cornuti of C. croatanensis are fewer (n = ca. 6) and straighter throughout rather than slightly undulate subdistally as seen in other congeners.
Structural photos
Immatures and Development: The host are unknown and the larval life history is undocumented.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: This recently described species is known from Carteret, Craven, and Jones counties in eastern North Carolina, from St. Martin and St. Tammany Parish in southern Louisiana, and from Liberty County in southeastern Texas.
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: Cenopis croatanensis appears to be univoltine. As of 2023 specimens have been collected from early May through mid-July, with the majority from mid-May to early June (Brown and Sullivan, 2018).
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Specimens have been collected in North Carolina from habitats that range from dry oak to swamp hardwood forests.
Larval Host Plants: The host plants are undocumented. This species is probably polyphagous given that this is typical of other Cenopis species. - View
Wikipedia
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR [S1S3]
State Protection:
Comments: This species is currently known from coastal North Carolina and as a major disjunct group in Louisiana and southeastern Texas. Additional information is needed on its host use, distribution, and abundance before we can accurately assess its conservation status.