| | Insects of Britain and Ireland: the genera of Lepidoptera-Geometridae |
Tephrosia, including Paradarisa and Parectropis.
Adults. Crepuscular and nocturnal. Antennae of males with short, paired processes on either side of each joint, emitting fascicles of cilia; fasciculate-ciliate (with two short, acute, fasciculately ciliated processes on each side of each joint).
Wingspan 33–44 mm. The outer margin of the forewing convexly curved. Forewings whitish or whitish-fuscous, with numerous dark strigulae; with a clear discal mark, or without a clear discal mark. Forewings of the male with a fovea. The outer margin of the hindwings scalloped to smooth. Hindwings conspicuously patterned; coloured as forewings, with fewer and fainter transverse lines; with a clear discal mark to without a clear discal mark; transversely lined.
Hindwings lacking a tubular vein 5. Vein 8 of the hindwings approximated to or anastomosed with the upper margin of the cell to the middle or beyond. Hindwing veins 6 and 7 separate.
Posterior tibiae of males 4-spurred.
Early stages. Larvae feeding on diverse deciduous trees, also Pinus.
British representation. 4 species; South-east England, Central-southern England, South-west England, English Midlands, Northern England, Southern Scotland, Northern Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. Living adults found March to June. E. crepuscularia (Small Engrailed, including E. bistortata (The Engrailed), E. consonaria (= Paradarisa, Square-spot), E. similaria (Brindled White-spot, = Parectropis).
Subfamily. Ennominae.
General comments. Parectropis (E. similaria) is distinguished by forewings with a white median subterminal spot, and Paradarisa (E. consonaria) has forewings with a distinct discal mark which is lacking in E. crepuscularia.
Illustrations. • Aethalura, Boarmia, Bupalus, Ectropis, Ematurga, Paradarisa, Serraca, Tephronia: Newman. 1, Boarmia roboraria (Great Oak Beauty); 2, Serraca punctinalis (Pale Oak Beauty); 3, Tephronia sepiaria (Dusky Carpet); 4, Ectropis crepuscularia (Small Engrailed); 5, Ectropis bistortata (The Engrailed); 6, Ectropis (Paradarisa) consonaria (The Square-spot); 7, Ectropis similaria (Brindled White-spot); 8, Aethalura punctulata (Grey Birch); 9, Ematurga atomaria (Common Heath); 10a-c, Bupalus piniaria (Bordered White, male upper- and under-side and female). From Newman, 1869. • Ectropis crepuscularia (Small Engrailed: light and melanic, photos). Ectropis crepuscularia (Small Engrailed). The melanic form of this common species of deciduous woodland exemplifies spectacular drift from relatively infrequent “rural” melanism in unpolluted habitats to “industrial melanism”. In the decade 1948–1958, melanic individuals (below) predominated in the Leek district, in ostensibly rural habitats located 10 and 30 miles from industrial Stoke-on-Trent and Manchester, respectively. The upper photo portrays one of only two specimens of the light (“normal”) form that were encountered there during that time.
From Watson's collection. • Larentiinae: Paradarisa consonaria: Brindled Square-spot, Square-spot: B. Ent. 280). • Paradarisa consonaria: B. Ent. 280, legend+text. • Paradarisa consonaria: B. Ent. 280, text, cont.. • Ennominae: Kirby 48. ENNOMINAE. 1, Cleora cinctaria (Ringed Carpet); 2, Peribatodes rhomboidaria (Willow Beauty); 3, Peribatodes secundaria (Feathered Beauty); 4, Deileptenia ribeata (Satin Carpet); 5, Alcis repandata (Mottled Beauty); 6, Boarmia roboraria (Great Oak Beauty); 7, Serraca punctinalis (Pale Oak Beauty); 8, Fagivorina arenaria (Speckled Beauty); 9, Cleorodes lichenaria (Brussels Lace); 10, Ectropis crepuscularia (Small Engrailed); 11, Ectropis (Paradarisa) consonaria (Square-spot); 12, Ectropis similaria (Brindled White-spot); 13, Aethalura punctulata (Grey Birch Moth); 14, Gnophos furvata; 15, Gnophos obscuratus (Dark Annulet); 16, cf. Charissa (Rhopalognophos) glaucinaria; 17, Gnophos (Charissa) obscuratus (Annulet); 18, Gnophos obfuscatus (Scotch Annulet); 19, Psodos quadrifaria; 20, Macaria fusca; 21, "Fidonia fasciolaria", = Isturgia?; 22, Istugia famula; 23, Isturgia roraria; 24, "Fidonia plumistraria", = ?; 25, Ematurga atomaria (Common Heath); 26, Bupalus piniaria (Bordered White); 27, Selidosema brunnearia (Bordered Grey); 28, Itame vincularia; 29, Semiothisa (Macaria) wauaria (V-Moth); 30, Semiothisa (Itame) brunneata (Rannoch Looper); 31, Macaria artesiaria; 32, Petrophora chlorosata (Brown Silver Line); 33, Semiothisa (Macaria) clathrata (Latticed Heath). From Kirby 48, with updated names.
We advise against extracting comparative information from the descriptions. This is much more easily achieved using the DELTA data files or the interactive key, which allows access to the character list, illustrations, full and partial descriptions, diagnostic descriptions, differences and similarities between taxa, lists of taxa exhibiting or lacking specified attributes, and distributions of character states within any set of taxa. See also Guidelines for using data taken from Web publications.
Cite this publication as: ‘Watson, L., and Dallwitz, M.J. 2003 onwards. Insects of Britain and Ireland: the genera of Lepidoptera-Geometridae. Version: 14th February 2021. delta-intkey.com’.
