Chalciope, Parachalciope, Fodina, Parafodina, Trigonodes etc. - moths I get confused by (B)

Photo credits:
Top: Chalciope delta: @katebraunsd | Fodina cf embolophora: @magdastlucia | Parafodina pentagonalis: @dhfischer | Pseudomaenas leucograpta: @karoopixie |
Middle: Parachalciope mahura: @andrewdeacon | Trigonodes exportata: @woodowlwildlife | Pseudomaenas directa: @karoopixie |
Bottom: Chalciope pusilla @spidermandan | Cuneisigna cumamita: @bernadine2 | Cuneisigna obstans: @henrydelange | Cuneisigna rivulata: @remco

Most of these triangles are in the Erebidae except for the Pseudomaenas which are geometrids.

I have not been able to find any images of Fodina arctioides which has been described from KZN. When browsing the Fodina obs, it does seem to me that there are perhaps 2 species there, but I can't tell you if this is so, or which are which.

• Fodina hypercompoides may also occur here, don't know what it looks like.
• Parafodina ectrogia is listed as occuring in sA on Afromoths, but since the type and only other records are from West Africa, I doubt this.
• Parachalciope euclidicola also occurs in sA, but I have no images of it (looks a bit like Chalciope delta according to Afromoths images).
• Parachalciope benitensis may occur in sA - don't have any images.
• Trigonodes exportata is the only Trig in sA. T. hypassia is from Burma. The most commonly incorrectly ID'd of these moths on iNat are Trigonodes and Parachalciope.
• There are other Pseudomaenas species which superficially resemble Chalciope or Cuneisigna which I have not included because I personally don't get confused by them ;-)

Posted on March 26, 2024 11:18 AM by karoopixie