Cochisea
Barnes & McDunnough, 1916
Cochisea is a of in the Geometridae, Ennominae, described by William Barnes and James Halliday McDunnough in 1916. The genus contains nine described , all named between 1916 and 1975. Species are distributed in western North America, with several described from California and the southwestern United States. The genus name honors Cochise County, Arizona.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Cochisea: //koʊˈtʃiːziə//
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Identification
Cochisea are distinguished from related Ennominae by genitalic characters, particularly male valvae structure and female signum . External wing patterns feature wavy or undulating transverse lines, with some species showing reduced pattern elements. Species-level identification requires dissection and examination of genitalia; wing pattern alone is unreliable for distinguishing closely related species such as C. sinuaria and C. rigidaria.
Distribution
Western North America. Documented from Arizona (type locality), California, and adjacent regions of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. Specific state records include California (C. sonomensis, C. undulata), Arizona (C. rigidaria, C. sinuaria), and New Mexico (C. barnesi).
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Etymology
The name Cochisea is derived from Cochise County, Arizona, where the type C. rigidaria was collected
Taxonomic history
Eight of nine were described by John B. Rindge in 1975 based on revision of the ; original descriptions by Barnes & McDunnough (1916) and Cassino & Swett (1922) included only three species