Nearcha curtaria

Nearcha curtaria at Cotter River, ACT

Nearcha curtaria at Cotter River, ACT - 11 Dec 2017
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Identification history

Nearcha (genus) 25 Mar 2021 donhe
Nearcha curtaria 21 Dec 2017 GlennCocking
Unidentified 13 Dec 2017 HarveyPerkins

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4 comments

GlennCocking wrote:
   19 Dec 2017
The antennae are bipectinate, indicating Nearcha, and Nearcha aridaria has a good match to the forewing pattern. But the labial palpi are wrong, longer and lighter than the short black palpi of aridaria. N. curtaria and N. nullata apparently have matching palpi, but neither forewing pattern seems right. The best identification that can be made now is Nearcha sp.
HarveyPerkins wrote:
   19 Dec 2017
Glenn - my recollection is that this was larger than most of the other small moths that were about - more the size of an Epidesmia hypenaria - to the extent that I specifically chased after it to try to get a photo. Does that fit with Nearcha? I find the size guestimate options provided with CNM submissions rather inadequate, as they cover too broad a range and it's not clear if it relates to body length or wing span. On the other hand wing span is difficult to estimate for moths that hold their wings closed or partially closed.
GlennCocking wrote:
   19 Dec 2017
Nearcha spp are generally in between the size of Taxeotis spp and Epidesmia spp, and Epidesmia have unipectinate antennae.
GlennCocking wrote:
   14 Sep 2018
Looking at this afresh, I'm less confident that I can see bipectinate antennae, which brings Epidesmia females and Taxeotis back into consideration. But it doesn't come close to any of the ANIC Epidesmia, and although the wing pattern might be an outlying form of T. intextata or stereospila, the palpi aren't right and Taxeotis are much smaller than Harvey suggests for this specimen. I still can't do better that Nearcha sp.

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Sighting information

  • 1 Abundance
  • 11 Dec 2017 01:21 PM Recorded on
  • HarveyPerkins Recorded by

Additional information

  • 12mm to 25mm Animal size

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