Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

  Sighting 1290059

Behr's Metalmark
Apodemia virgulti

Observation date: May 06, 2021
Submitted by: butterflies4us
Specimen type: Photograph
Observation notes: It was on a lotus plant (Acmispon sp.)
Status: Resident
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 07, 2021
Coordinator notes: The bright orange tells me this is virgulti virgulti. Peninsularis is a paler metalmark. Recent genomic work on it shows no appreciable differences between the two, both belong to the same species so peninsularis will probably be viewed as either a form or a synonym of virgulti. Such work also verified mormo and virgulti are different species, but the status of deserti needs to be worked out. It apparently is not a mejicanus subspecies and it occurs sympatrically with subspecies davenporti so virgulti and deserti must be different species from each other-Ken Davenport
Checklist region(s): United States, California, San Diego County