Moths of North Carolina
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212 NC Records

Phigalia denticulata Hulst, 1900 - Toothed Phigalia

Phigalia denticulataPhigalia denticulataPhigalia denticulataPhigalia denticulata
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Geometroidea		 Family:
Geometridae		Subfamily:
Ennominae		Tribe:
Bistonini		P3 Number:
91a1077		 MONA Number:
6659.00
Comments: One of four members of this genus that occur in North America, three of which are found in North Carolina
Species Status: Genetic bar-coding,including North Carolina specimens, indicates that this species is homogeneous throughout its range, with no cryptic siblings.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Forbes (1948; Rindge (1975)Technical Description, Immature Stages: Wagner et al.(2001); Wagner (2005)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: Phigalia are among the very few geometrids that fly during mid-winter to early spring. They can be distinguished from Alsophila and Paleacrita, which also fly during this period and are similarly pale gray, by their blackish antemedian, median, and postmedian lines. In Phigalia denticulata, the ground color of the wings is grayer or browner than in the other two species, particularly in the median area. The postmedian line is strongly toothed and the portion towards the inner margin usually has a strong inward bulge coming close to or touching the median line (Rindge, 1975; Covell, 1984). Denticulata is generally more mottled than Phigalia strigataria, which also has a toothed postmedian; the lower part of the postmedian in strigataria is also usually straighter or less strongly bulging than in denticulata. Females of all three species of Phigalia have stubby, non-functional wings (which are virtually absent in female Alsophila and Paleacrita). Rindge (1975) describes the females as dark gray with two poorly defined spots on the thorax and a faint, black, geminate dorsal line.
Adult Structural Features: Both male and female denticulata possess large spines on the dorsal surface of the abdomen, unlike titea but similar to strigataria (Forbes, 1948; Rindge, 1975). Males can be distinguished genitalically based on the spine of the aedeagus: in denticulata it is short and curved, whereas is is strongly coiled in titea and much larger in strigataria (see Ringe, 1975, for a key and illustrations). The wings of the females are inconspicuous, from 2.0 to 2.6 in length (Rindge).
Structural photos
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: Larvae of denticulata are apparently not well known but Wagner describes one suspected to be this species as smokey gray and less strongly marked but otherwise similar to strigataria (Wagner et al., 2001; Wagner, 2005); the orange patches typical of titea are absent in denticulata (Sullivan, pers. obs). Pupation occurs in the soil or litter.
Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from close inspection of specimens or by DNA analysis.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Probably occurs across the entire state, including both the Barrier Islands and High Mountains.
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Phigalia denticulata