49.143 Eudemis porphyrana (Apple Marble)
ws: 17-21mm (BTM), fw: 8-10mm (Sterling & Parsons); Jul-Aug; apple (Malus spp); NS-A woodlands in S.England
Eudemis porphyrana §1 male
ID: Similar to E.profundana but distinguished by the presence of a strong dorsal portion of the subbasal fascia in E.profundana; this being obsolescent in E.porphyrana.
Male genitalia: Probably the best distinguishing feature is the comb of saccular hairs. In E.profundana the hairs are long and have a relatively short origin (hair length ~2x width of valva; breadth of origin clearly shorter than the hair length); in E.porphyrana the hairs are shorter and have a relatively broad origin (hair length ~1x width of valva; breadth of origin longer than hair length). The valva as a whole is narrower and straighter in E.profundana (valva length:width at lateral end of basal cavity ~6 in E.profundana <5 in E.porphyrana; costal margin minimally humped at lateral extremity of basal cavity and shallowly curved distal to this point in E.profundana, costal margin distinctly humped at lateral extremity of basal cavity and distinctly curved distal to this point in E.porphyrana. (MBGBI5.2 also indicates a difference in the uncus, but is unclear about what this difference is)
Female genitalia:
Male genitalia: Probably the best distinguishing feature is the comb of saccular hairs. In E.profundana the hairs are long and have a relatively short origin (hair length ~2x width of valva; breadth of origin clearly shorter than the hair length); in E.porphyrana the hairs are shorter and have a relatively broad origin (hair length ~1x width of valva; breadth of origin longer than hair length). The valva as a whole is narrower and straighter in E.profundana (valva length:width at lateral end of basal cavity ~6 in E.profundana <5 in E.porphyrana; costal margin minimally humped at lateral extremity of basal cavity and shallowly curved distal to this point in E.profundana, costal margin distinctly humped at lateral extremity of basal cavity and distinctly curved distal to this point in E.porphyrana. (MBGBI5.2 also indicates a difference in the uncus, but is unclear about what this difference is)
Female genitalia:
§1 Westcliff-on-sea, Essex; 23/06/2026; male; fw 8.6mm
All images © Chris Lewis
All images © Chris Lewis
Page published 30/06/2026 (§1)
