I think it belongs to Hypeninae (Erebidae:Noctuoidea). I found the larvae feeding on leaves of coffee in Colombia. Please look at the photos of the adults (male and female in dorsal and lateral view), the larva and pupa.
It's not a species that I know from Trinidad, but to me it looks like a Chrysauginae. Nice pictures! Regards, Matthew
Thank you Matthew for the information. I also thought it was Chrysauginae due to the long palps, but to me the larva does not look like Pyralidae. I sent samples to Alma Solis, specialist in Pyralidae, but told me that It was not Pyralidae.
Regards, Luis Miguel
Well Alma would know, so that rules out Chrysauginae.
To me the wing shape and resting position do not suggest Hypeninae. What about Hypocalinae (Erebidae) - Goniapteryx servia (Stoll) has similar palpi and resting position, but is much larger and has a different wing shape with a notched F dorsum.
Whatever it is, the pupa just stuck on the leaf surface is both distinctive and unusual.
Regards, Matthew
As regards adults, in my opinion forewing shape, resting posture of the antennae and long palpi also recall some genera of tortricid moths. Which are the dimensions of adult specimens?
Regards,
Rinaldo Nicoli
Hello Rinaldo:
The adult has a forewingspan of 1 cm. Is small, the resting posture and forewing shape as you said looks like a Tortricid moth, similar to Platynota sp., however the larva and pupa does not look like a tortricid moth. Another unique character of this specimen that resembles a noctuid moth is the crest of scales on the pronotum.
Regards,
Luis Miguel
How many feet does the larva have? The picture does not show this. Extraordinary is the free pupa. Is it fixed only on the cremaster? The pupa may limit the scope, this form of pupa I have never seen neither in Noctuidae nor in Tortricidae. Free pupae are known in Geometridae, so: how many feet does the caterpillar have?
Rudolf Ritt
Hello Rudolf:
The larva is small, 0.7 inches. I think that we are facing something new. In the Neotropics everything is possible.
Regards,
Luis Miguel
...and the legs? (With "feet" I did not think of the length, I thougt of the legs! Sorry, I don't speak native English!)
Maybe this is a new species, ok. But not a new family! Look at this Geometrid Pupa from the european species Apeira syringaria (picture © www.lepiforum.de) - quite similar shape to your pupa?
You think it belongs to Hypeninae. The caterpillar must have three pairs of prolegs and the pair of anal prolegs.
At all, only a specialist for this family of lepidoptera and for your area in Colombia is able to decide which species this is or that it is a new one. You tried it with Pyralidae, you will try it with Erebidae and Tortricidae.
I wish you good luck, I believe it is a great moment discovering a new species!
Regards,
Rudolf
Thank you Rudolf:
I am going to check the number of legs but I need to collect new larva. I can´t see the legs on the photographs..
Regards,
Luis
Hello Luis Miguel,
I suggest you to contact an entomological forum for posting your photos in a network more specialized in insects (I don't know if one forum (or more) of entomologists exists for South America, but I suppose so). It could be a good way for try to obtain a qualified answer to your interesting question. Another way, to contact directly other specialists in Neotropical moth families. Regards,
Rinaldo
Hola luis te envie un mensaje que incluía material bibliográfico de morphos me gustaría saber si lo recibiste. saludos joel vasquez
I found another species in the same genus posted by Lauren Zarate from Chiapas, Mexico. Check out. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/340936634265467682/
Now that image strikes a chord. Either it's Gonionota melobathes Walsingham (Oecophoridae, Depressariinae) or something very close to that. With that clue, I see that Dan Janzen and his group have reared some Gonionota that look like yours: http://janzen.sas.upenn.edu/Wadults/resultsexpressNAME.lasso?-SkipRecords=60&output=337&herbivore%20species=gonionota
Regards, Matthew
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