PTEROPHORIDAE | Pterophorinae
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45.028 Capperia britanniodactylus (Wood-sage Plume)
ws: 18-21mm; Jun-Jul; wood sage (Teucrium scorodonia); NS-B - dry, south-facing stony habitats in S.England (and S.Wales?)
ID: Forewing with 2 lobes, hindwing with 3 lobes; 3rd lobe of hindwing with a scale-tooth in the fringe; 2nd forewing lobe angled at apex, 1st and 2nd hindwing lobes only slightly wider than 3rd; forewing dark brown > Crombrugghia, Oxyptilus and Capperia. In Capperia the scale tooth on the hindwing 3rd lobe is large, involves both costa and dorsum and extends to the apex. In Crombrugghia it is small at ⅔ on the dorsum. In Oxyptilus it is fairly large and extends to the apex but is predominantly dorsal. O.parvidactylus (ws 13-18mm) is smaller than C.britanniodactylus; O. pilosellae is similarly sized to C.britanniodactylus but is listed as extinct in GB (though it probably isn't).
Gielis keys Capperia as being without a hair-brush along S3 of the labial palps - this being present in Crombrugghia and Oxyptilus. This should be a reliable means of identifying Capperia.
Hart keys Capperia as being significantly darker brown ("almost black") than Crombrugghia and Oxyptilus; and on some details of the wing markings - as far as I can see, neither of these features is reliable - or even helpful!
Doubtful cases can be resolved readily by genital dissection.
Gielis keys Capperia as being without a hair-brush along S3 of the labial palps - this being present in Crombrugghia and Oxyptilus. This should be a reliable means of identifying Capperia.
Hart keys Capperia as being significantly darker brown ("almost black") than Crombrugghia and Oxyptilus; and on some details of the wing markings - as far as I can see, neither of these features is reliable - or even helpful!
Doubtful cases can be resolved readily by genital dissection.
§1 Stour Wood, Essex; 08/07/2021; male; fw 9.5mm; to light
§2 Stour Wood, Essex; 08/07/2021; female; fw 8.8mm; to light
All images © Chris Lewis
§2 Stour Wood, Essex; 08/07/2021; female; fw 8.8mm; to light
All images © Chris Lewis
Page published 10/07/2021 (§1&2)