49.081 Acleris permutana (Burnet Rose Tortrix)
ws: 15-20mm (BTM), fw: 6-9mm (Sterling & Parsons); Aug-Sep; burnet rose (Rosa pimpinellifolia), blackthorn (Prunus spinosa); pRDB - in coastal dunes and limestone downs in S.England
Acleris permutana §2 male
ID: Proximal half of forewing yellow-ochreous, distal half reddish-ochreous, with a row of semi-erect scales at the junction of the two colours; subbasal fascia represented by a greyish dorsal blotch with black striae and a prominent scale tuft; pre-apical spot darker reddish with black scales and produced towards dorsal portion of termen. Somewhat similar markings to the common form variegana of A.variegana - in which the ground colour in the proximal half of the wing is whiter and in the distal half is a deeper, duller red and is more variegated in both halves. The less common form brunneana of A.variegana is even more similar, but it shows a dark reddish triangular medial costal blotch, not seen in A.permutana.
BTM separates the species on the basis that the row of scales across the middle of the wing is semi-recumbent in A.permutana and erect in A.variegana - but this row of scales quickly becomes worn, so this distinction is probably only useful in very fresh specimens.
Sterling & Parsons mentions, as a point of distinction, that in A.permutana the forewing costa is shallowly concave towards the apex - but it is also shallowly concave towards the apex in A.variegana.
BTM separates the species on the basis that the row of scales across the middle of the wing is semi-recumbent in A.permutana and erect in A.variegana - but this row of scales quickly becomes worn, so this distinction is probably only useful in very fresh specimens.
Sterling & Parsons mentions, as a point of distinction, that in A.permutana the forewing costa is shallowly concave towards the apex - but it is also shallowly concave towards the apex in A.variegana.
Dissection
Male genitalia
Female genitalia
§1 Dungeness, Kent; 12/07/2018; male; fw 7.9mm; to light
§2 Dungeness, Kent; 12/07/2018; male; fw 8.1mm; to light
§3 Dungeness, Kent; 12/07/2018; male; to light
All images © Chris Lewis
§2 Dungeness, Kent; 12/07/2018; male; fw 8.1mm; to light
§3 Dungeness, Kent; 12/07/2018; male; to light
All images © Chris Lewis
Page published 22/07/2018 (§1-3)
