Agonopterix

Generic features: Head with scales forward-projecting anteriorly, tufted posteriorly and at sides; Antenna 3/4 length of fw, shortly setose in male, simple in female; scape with pecten; Labial palp long, curved dorsally; S2 longer than S3; S2 with dense ventral furrowed brush of scales
Forewing elongate-ovate; apex defined, rounded or squared (or subfalcate in A.nervosa), termen usually straight in costal half; V8&7 long stalk, V2&3 stalked; Hindwing ovate, anal angle dilated; V3&4 connate or on a short stalk
Male genitalia: socii well-developed, uncus usually represented by a small prominence between socii; gnathos single, spined, oblong, borne on 2 slender arms from tegumen; valva triangular, cucullus pointed or rounded, sacculus with terminal free process; aedeagus short and stumpy, usually curved, with bunch of numerous fine cornuti
Female genitalia: OB on S8; DB & CB membranous; signum dentate the teeth arranged in rows.

Key to species of Agonopterix
Keys are presented in 5 groups

A. Forewing dark purplish or crimson brown
B. Forewing with at least one white/whitish dot in disc
C. Upper aspect of foretibia and tarsus uniformly dark fuscous or black
D. Labial palp S3 without dark markings
E. Labial palp S3 with dark markings

Proceed to a group when all preceding conditions are not met and proceed within each key when preceding conditions are not met.
Some species key in more than one place

A. Forewing dark purplish or crimson brown
ws: 11-15mm fw: 6-7mm		*A.purpurea*
ws: 17-20mm, fw: 8-10mm	Tegulae dark purplish contrasting with thorax	*A.liturosa*
	Tegulae and thorax concolorous	*A.conterminella*

Agonopteryx purpurea

Agonpteryx liturosa

Agonopteryx conterminella

B. Forewing with at least one white/whitish dot in disc
Dark line from white discal dot to tornus			A.astrantae
Terminal cilia pinkish from apex, buff around tornus			*A.nervosa*
Discrete red mark in disc	Head, thorax and base of forewing white, contrasting strongly with rest of forewing		*A.alstromeriana*
	Head, thorax and base of forewing buff, concolorous with rest of forewing		*A.ocellana*
Forewing veins dark-lined	Labial palp S3 buff		A.putridella
	Labial palp S3 with dark fuscous bands and tip		*A.yeatiana*
Labial palp S3 entirely buff			A.atomella
Forewing with only one white/whitish dot in disc	Forewing dark brownish fuscous, S3 of labial palp with one dark band and pale tip		*A.conterminella*
	Forewing buff, S3 of labial palp with two dark bands and dark tip	ws16-17mm; fw ~8mm	A.curvipunctosa
		ws 18-22mm; fw 9-11mm	*A.yeatiana*
Forewing with more than one white/whitish dots in disc*	Forewing base heavily irrorate with white scales		*A.cnicella*
	Hindwing dark grey	Abdominal dorsum blackish medially, buff laterally	A.capreolella
	Apex squared		*A.scopariella*
	Hindwing cilia with 5 fuscous lines		*A.ciliella*
	Hindwing cilia with 2-3 fuscous lines		*A.heracliana*

* Specimens keying here may need genital dissection for confirmation of species

Agonopteryx nervosa - Terminal cilia pinkish from apex, buff around tornus

Agonopterix alstromeriana - Red mark in disc; head and thorax contrastingly white

Agonopterix ocellana - Red mark in disc; head and thorax concolorous with forewing

Agonopterix conterminella - S3 of labial palp with one dark band and pale tip (also see Key A.)

Agonopterix cnicella - Forewing base irrorate with white scales

Agonopterix yeatiana - S3 of labial palp with 2 dark bands and dark tip (extreme apex)

Agonopterix scopariella - Apex squared

Agonopterix ciliella - Hindwing cilia with 5 fuscous lines

Agonopterix heracliana - Hindwing cilia with 2-3 fuscous lines

Comment: the separation of A.heracliana / A.ciliella seems particularly difficult, partly because it is not always easy to determine the number of ciliary lines with certainty and partly because genital differences are minor and I am not sure I have mastered them yet - more work needed.

C. Upper aspect of foretibia and tarsus uniformly dark fuscous or black
Forewing with some orange or ferruginous markings	*A.kaekeritziana*
Base of costa edged black	A.bipunctosa
Base of costa unmarked	A.pallorella

Agonopterix kaekeritziana - Forewing with orange or ferruginous markings

D. Labial palp S3 without dark markings
Forewing veins dark-lined	*A.umbellana*
Forewing with dark fuscous blotch at 3/5 usually extending towards tornus	A.angelicella
Terminal cilia buff	A.kuznetzovi
Terminal cilia pinkish	A.atomella

Agonopterix umbellana - Forewing veins dark-lined

Agonopterix angelicella - Forewing with fuscous blotch extending towards tornus

E. Labial palp S3 with dark markings
Terminal cilia pinkish from apex, buff around tornus			*A.nervosa*
Forewing with black/cloudy fuscous blotch in disc	Blotch at 3/5 somewhat extended towards tornus		A.assimilella
	Blotch at or proximal to 1/2 not extended towards tornus	Forewing underside buff, disc hardly darker than border	A.carduella
		Forewing underside fuscous, disc darker than buff border	> Key E1
Forewing with veins dark-lined			A.umbellana
ws 20-22mm			A.subpropinquella
ws 14-19mm	Forewing with basal fuscous line	Forewing with black terminal dots	A.propinquella
		Forewing without terminal dots	A.curvipunctosa
	Forewing without basal fuscous line, but sometimes with basal dot	Forewing with blackish terminal dots	*A.rotundella*
		Forewing without terminal dots	A.nanatella

Agonopteryx nervosa - Terminal cilia pinkish from apex, buff around tornus

Agonopterix rotundella

Agonopterix umbellana - Forewing veins dark-lined

E1
Labial palp S3 with buff tip			A.nanatella
Labial palp S3 with dark tip	Forewing with basal fuscous line	Forewing buff, irregularly suffused brown, short streak on V6 near termen	A.arenella
		Forewing evenly suffused brown, no streak on V6	A.propinquella
	Forewing without basal fuscous line		*A.subpropinquella*

Group E1: Forewing underside fuscous, disc darker than buff border

Labial palp S3 with dark tip

Comment: The dark tip of S3 of the labial palp may be only a few dark scales; the basal fuscous line may be somewhat obscure and the short streak on V6 of A.arenella is never very well-marked in my experience.

Agonopterix arenella - Forewing with fuscous costal blotch proximal to 1/2, irregular brown suffusion, basal fuscous line (arrowed) and short streak on V6 (arrowed)

Agonopterix subpropinquella - Forewing with costal blotch proximal to 1/2, without fuscous basal line