Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFGeometridae Members:
Psamatodes Members:
7 NC Records

Psamatodes abydata (Guenée, [1858]) - Dot-lined Angle

Taxonomy
Superfamily: Geometroidea Family: GeometridaeSubfamily: EnnominaeTribe: MacariiniP3 Number: 910697.00 MONA Number: 6332.00 MONA Synonym: Macaria punctolineata
Comments: One of six species in this genus that have been recorded in North America (Ferguson, 2008), most of which are Neotropical with only one that strays as far north as North Carolina
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Forbes (1948); Ferguson (2008)Technical Description, Immature Stages: Ferguson (2008)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: A medium-sized Geometrid similar in size, wing shape, and pattern to Macaria species, with which it was previously combined under the genus Semiothisa. The ground color of abydata is pale, yellowish-brown, usually shaded with dark brown in the postmedial area. The forewings are crossed by three dark brown, fairly diffuse or obscure transverse lines; the postmedian is typically marked with a distinctive chain of dark points. Dark discal dots are also usually present on all four wings, distinguishing this species from Macaria and Digrammia species, but the dark costal and subterminal dark spots characteristic of Macaria are absent. Trigrammia quadrinotaria, which also possesses dark spots on all four wings, is much paler gray and lacks the dark shading found in the subterminal area of P. abydata (see Ferguson, 2008, for details).
Adult Structural Features: Antennae of males are somewhat serrate (Forbes, 1948). Foveae are absent and the hind tibiae are swollen (Ferguson, 2008).
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: Described and illustrated in Ferguson (2008)
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Potentially strays throughout the state
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: Scattered records exist for most of the growing season
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: This species has not been recorded in any tree-legume-rich habitats in North Carolina and may not have any suitable residential habitat in the state.
Larval Host Plants: Oligophagous, feeding on members of the Fabaceae. Ferguson (2008) lists Soybean, Mimosa, Acacia, and several tropical species. The Moth Photographers Group (acc. 2022-04-17) shows a larvae photographed by George Smiley feeding on Gleditsia triacanthos. - View
Observation Methods: Comes to blacklights to some extent, but our records are too few to determine how effectively
Wikipedia
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status: [W6]
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR SU
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments: This species is probably present in North Carolina only as an occasional stray. It does not appear to have any significant conservation needs.

 Photo Gallery for Psamatodes abydata - Dot-lined Angle

Photos: 1

Recorded by: D.L. Wray on 1940-07-22
Macon Co.
Comment: NCSU Insect Museum specimen from NCDA Collection. Determined by Capps Pkd. Wingspan = 2.7 cm, forewing length = 1.4 cm.