Oxycanus dirempta

Variable Oxycanus at O'Connor, ACT

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Identification history

Oxycanus dirempta	31 May 2019	GlennCocking
Oxycanus antipoda	26 May 2019	donhe
Oxycanus dirempta	26 May 2019	ibaird

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User's notes

Attracted to front porch light at night. Light rain falling , approx 5 degrees C.

3 comments

ibaird wrote:

27 May 2019

I've suggested O. dirempta based on a close look at the antennae under magnification in Photoshop which seem to match those for the females of O. dirempta as shown in the identicfication guide for Oxycanus spp. given on the supporting CD for Part 7 of Moths of Victoria.

donhe wrote:

27 May 2019

Not happy with the wing pattern for O. dirempta.
Magnified using IPhoto, I think I see pale pectinations, which O. dirempta does not have.

ibaird wrote:

27 May 2019

Given the variability I see on line I have been assuming wing pattern is not a reliable guide to Oxycanus spp. Comparing what I see when I magnify the image and compare the antenna with what I see on the Moths of Victoria ''Oxycanus- Identification ' PDF file sheets (pp.1-9) which give antennae of all the Oxycanus spp. they recognise, I ruled out both the male and female O. antipoda as having pectinations too pronounced to match - and also ruled out the male O. dirempta example I thought. This antenna has a reddssh colouration which seems to match and blowing up the O. dirempta example given by MoV to 400X shows the O. dirempta female also has very fine hairs which in my mind seemed to match what i saw. I think we will need a 3rd opinion on this one!

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