Acronicta parallela

Grote, 1879

Parallel Dagger, parallel dagger moth

Acronicta parallela, commonly known as the parallel dagger , is a of in the . It was originally described by Grote in 1879 and was treated as a synonym of Acronicta falcula for many years before being reinstated as a valid species in 2011 based on morphological and genetic evidence. The species occurs in North America, with confirmed records from Colorado and Oklahoma.

Acronicta parallela by (c) Laura Gaudette, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Laura Gaudette. Used under a CC-BY license.CATALOGUE-BM-PLATE CXXIV by Sir GEORGE F. HAMPSON, Bart.. Used under a Public domain license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Acronicta parallela: /æˈkroʊnɪktə pəˈrælɪlə/

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Identification

Reinstated as a valid in 2011 separate from Acronicta falcula; specific diagnostic characters distinguishing it from similar dagger in the Acronicta have not been detailed in available sources.

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Distribution

North America, with confirmed records from Colorado and Oklahoma.

Similar Taxa

  • Acronicta falculaFormerly considered ; A. parallela was synonymized under this name before being reinstated as a valid in 2011.

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Taxonomic History

Acronicta parallela was originally described as Apatela parallela by Grote in 1879. It was later synonymized with Acronicta falcula, but molecular and morphological studies led to its reinstatement as a distinct in 2011.

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Sources and further reading