Moths of North Carolina

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View PDF	Erebidae Members:	Hemeroplanis Members:	59 NC Records

Hemeroplanis new species 1 nr. obliqualis None - No Common Name

Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Noctuoidea

Family:
Erebidae

Subfamily:
Boletobiinae

Tribe:
Phytometrini

P3 Number:
0.00

MONA Number:
8477.01

Species Status: Hemeroplanis obliqualis was originally described by Edwards (1886) from specimens collected in Arizona (see Smith, 1907). Smith however, considered it a synonym of immaculalis, a species described by Harvey (1875) and whose type locality is Texas. Specimens of both of these species -- all from Oklahoma and Texas (specimens from Costa Rica are also shown on BOLD but are different genetically), but none of them look like a good match to our species. However, Pogue (2012) identified a specimen on the Tennessee side of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park as H. obliqualis that much more strongly resembles those from North Carolina. Unfortunately, neither Pogue's specimens nor any from North Carolina have been submitted for bar-coding. Given the wide gap in range separating the western and eastern specimens, and the lack of a clear correspondence in external appearance, we currently treat the form that occurs in North Carolina (and presumably Tennessee) as an undescribed species near obliqualis. Dissection and/or bar-coding will be needed to resolve this question.

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions:

Online Resources:

Adult Markings: Edwards and Harvey (as repeated by Smith, 1907) describe the ground color of obliqualis/immaculalis as pale fawn or yellowish tan. Our specimens, however, are primarily gray without a yellowish tint, although sometimes slightly tinged with brown. The undersides, however, are reddish or crimson, as described for obliqualis/immaculalis, as are the legs. A more conspicuous difference concerns the two transverse lines: these are described as relatively inconspicuous in obliqualis/immaculalis, with the antemedian in particular weakly developed and fading out above the median area. Edwards also describes the lines as "bright chestnut-brown", which differs from the combination of dark brown bordered by reddish-brown lines that characterize our specimens. These lines are conspicuous in our species, with their straight courses and colors appearing to match the pine leaf-litter that is prevalent in their habitats (the gray ground color also blends in with their frequently burned substrates). Other characters, such as a linear, upright reniform and a subterminal series of dark dots are consistent with obliqualis/immaculalis but are not prominently developed or obsolete in some specimens. Hindwings are gray with an obscure median line.

Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: Most of our records come from the Fall-line Sandhills, but it has also been found in monadnocks in the western Piedmont, along the top of the Blue Ridge Escarpment, and apparently also in Tennessee along the western edge of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

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: Our record come primarily from the Fall-line Sandhills from relatively mesic sites underlain by a clay layer -- Post Oaks, Blackjack Oaks, and the dwarf locusts are all common at these sites, with seeps often located close by.

Larval Host Plants: Reared on dwarf locust (Robinia hispida or R. nana) by J.B. Sullivan.

Observation Methods: Easily observed during the day and it also appears to come well to blacklights

Wikipedia

See also Habitat Account for General Dry-Xeric Hardwood Forests

Status in North Carolina

Natural Heritage Program Status: SR

Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR S1 [S2S3]

State Protection:

Comments: Currently known only from a few scattered locations, each of which may support a single isolated population

Photo Gallery for Hemeroplanis new species 1 nr. obliqualis - No common name

Photos: 12

	Recorded by: Allison Garton on 2025-09-08 Moore Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Allison Garton on 2025-08-04 Moore Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Allison Garton on 2025-07-02 Moore Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Brian Bockhahn, Jim Petranka, John Petranka, Becky Elkin on 2025-05-09 Cumberland Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2025-05-09 Cumberland Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Stefanie Hedrick on 2024-06-25 Moore Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Lenny Lampel on 2024-06-25 Moore Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2000-05-04 Moore Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2000-05-04 Moore Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2000-05-04 Moore Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2000-04-22 Moore Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 1996-05-04 Scotland Co. Comment: Left: dorsal surface. Right: ventral surface, showing crimson shading on the wings and legs