Carmenta wellerae
Duckworth & Eichlin, 1976
Carmenta wellerae is a clearwing moth in the Sesiidae, described in 1976 from specimens collected in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. It belongs to a of seed-feeding characterized by -mimicking appearance and activity. The is associated with mountainous terrain and has a restricted known distribution.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Carmenta wellerae: //kɑːrˈmɛntə ˈwɛlɚaɪ//
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Habitat
Mountains and foothills, based on documented collection localities in southern Arizona and northern Mexico. The specific vegetation associations or plants have not been published.
Distribution
Southern Arizona, United States, and northern Mexico. GBIF records indicate distribution in the Nearctic and Neotropical regions.
Seasonality
are on wing from July to September, based on collection records.
Similar Taxa
- Carmenta brachycladosBoth are clearwing moths in the same , but C. brachyclados is native to Guyana and was described in 2024 based on specimens that emerged in Wales; C. wellerae is known only from the southwestern United States and northern Mexico with no published morphological comparison.
- Carmenta wildishorumAnother recently described clearwing moth (2017) from New Mexico and Colorado; C. wellerae was described earlier (1976) from more southerly localities, but no diagnostic features distinguishing these have been published.
More Details
Taxonomic history
Described by W. Donald Duckworth and Thomas Drake Eichlin in 1976. The specific epithet wellerae honors an individual, though the original description does not specify further details in the provided sources.
Research status
Very few observations exist for this ; iNaturalist records only 10 observations as of the data cutoff. No published studies on its , plants, or stages were found in the provided sources.