73.200 Lithophane (Lithophane) semibrunnea (Tawny Pinion)
fw: 16-20mm; Oct-May; ash (Fraxinus excelsior); fairly common in S.England and East Anglia, more local further north in England and in Wales.
ID: Similar to L.socia (Pale Pinion). Both have a dorsal thoracic crest and protruding anterior thoracic lateral margins. L.socia is generally paler, but, according to Waring, the diagnostic feature is a black line that runs subdorsally in the distal half of the forewing of L.semibrunnea and which is lacking in L.socia. In Lsemibrunnea the thoracic crest is dark and somewhat iridescent, while in L.socia it is pale and not iridescent - I think this is a much more obvious feature for separating the species.
Dissection
Male genitalia
Female genitalia
§1 St Agnes, Isles of Scilly; 14/10/2018 - specimen provided for photography by Dave Grundy
All images © Chris Lewis
All images © Chris Lewis
Page published 18/10/2018