Alcathoe carolinensis
Engelhardt, 1925
Alcathoe carolinensis is a clearwing moth in the Sesiidae, first described from the Carolinas region of the southeastern United States. Like other members of its , it exhibits mimicry with reduced wing scaling that creates transparent areas. The is part of a small genus of New World tropical clearwing moths that extends into the southern United States. Males possess distinctive morphological features including specialized abdominal appendages.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Alcathoe carolinensis: /ˌælkəˈθoʊ ˌkærəlɪˈnɛnsɪs/
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Identification
The Alcathoe can be distinguished from other North American clearwing moths by the presence in males of a single tail-like appendage trailing from the abdominal tip, which approximates the dangling legs of a . The five Alcathoe found north of Mexico are difficult to distinguish from one another without microscopic examination. Alcathoe carolinensis specifically requires examination of genitalia or other subtle morphological features for definitive identification from .
Distribution
Southeastern United States; specifically documented from the Carolinas region based on the epithet and original description. The Alcathoe occurs in the New World tropics north into the southern United States.
Similar Taxa
- Alcathoe pepsioidesCongeneric clearwing moth with similar -mimicking appearance and male abdominal tail appendage; both occur in southern United States and require microscopic examination for separation
- Synanthedon spp.Clearwing moths in the same but lacking the male abdominal tail appendage characteristic of Alcathoe; Synanthedon generally lack this distinctive -leg mimicry structure
- Melittia spp.Larger, more spectacular clearwing moths in the same ; Melittia are generally bigger and have different wing patterns and body proportions