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Field Guide Descriptions: Not in either field guide | Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD | Technical Description, Adults: Schweitzer (1979) | Technical Description, Immature Stages: Schweitzer (1979); Wagner et al. (2011) | |
| Adult Markings: A medium-sized, brown Noctuid. Similar in pattern to several other species of Metaxaglaea, particularly viatica, with the ground color of the thorax and wings being usually a plain or leather brown. Externally, this species is distinguished by its smaller size: forewing length is usually less than 22mm (0.9") in both sexes whereas it is usually over 22mm in other species of Metaxaglaea and often over 25mm (Schweitzer, 1979). The forewings also tend to be somewhat broader than in the other species and the terminal line on the hindwing is usually more strongly dentate (Schweitzer, 1979). |
| Adult Structural Features: Male genitalia are very similar to semitaria but differ from viatica and violacea in possessing a short rather than long spine at the terminus of the valve (see illustration and description in Schweitzer, 1979). |
| Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens. |
| Immatures and Development: Larvae are dull grayish-brown, similar to those of other Metaxaglaea, especially semitaria; see a key to the last instar larvae given by Schweitzer (1979) for details concerning their differences. |
| Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from close inspection of specimens or by DNA analysis. |