Cacotherapia unipuncta

Dyar, 1913

one-spotted snout moth

Cacotherapia unipuncta is a of snout moth ( Pyralidae, Galleriinae) described by Harrison Gray Dyar Jr. in 1913. The species is known from limited localities in eastern North America, with records from Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and North Carolina. Like other members of its , it belongs to a group of relatively obscure pyralid moths whose remains poorly documented.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Cacotherapia unipuncta: //ˌkækəʊˈθɛriə ˌjuːnɪˈpʌŋktə//

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Identification

Distinguished from congeneric by the single dark spot (unipuncta = "one-spotted") on the forewing, a character reflected in both the scientific and proposed . The Cacotherapia contains multiple similar species; precise identification requires examination of genitalia and comparison with .

Distribution

Eastern North America: documented from Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and North Carolina. The full extent of its range is likely underestimated due to the cryptic habits of pyralid moths and limited targeted survey effort.

Similar Taxa

Cacotherapia leucocopeCongeneric with potentially overlapping range; distinguished by wing pattern and genitalia
Cacotherapia nigrocinereaAnother eastern North American requiring genitalic dissection for reliable separation

More Details

Taxonomic Note

The authorship date is sometimes cited as 1914 in secondary sources (e.g., Catalogue of Life), though the original description by Dyar was published in 1913.

Nomenclatural Clarification

The specific epithet 'unipuncta' refers to the single spot marking, distinguishing it from multi-spotted relatives. The name Cacotherapia is derived from Greek roots, though its precise etymology is obscure.