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Phibalapteryx Stephens.
Adults. Antennae of males simple.
The outer margin of the forewing slightly sigmoid-curved, or convexly curved. Forewings pale ochreous or whitish, with curved brown stiae, base of costa dark fuscous, aquata and vitalbata with a median band brown or dark fuscous in the lower half and towards the termen; predominantly whitish, or pale ochreous; with a clear discal mark (this blackish); with a distinct median band (the band darker, fading or incomplete towards the costa), or without a median band (H. tersata). Hindwings conspicuously patterned (similarly marked to the forewings); whitish or whitish-ochreous, with fuscous striae; with a clear discal mark (H. tersata), or without a clear discal mark; transversely lined (with several fuscous lines, those of the median band darker).
Vein 10 of the forewings arising independently of 9. Hindwings exhibiting a tubular vein 5. Vein 5 of the hindwings arising from about the middle of the transverse vein, or arising from below the middle of the transverse vein (?). 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 stalked.
British representation. 3 species (one adventive); South-east England, Central-southern England, South-west England, English Midlands, and Wales. Living adults found May and June, or August (double brooded). H. aquata (Cumbrian Umber, adventive), H. tersata (The Fern), H. vitalbata (Small Waved Umber).
Subfamily. Larentiinae.
Illustrations. • Horisme (Phibalapteryx) virgata (Oblique Striped): B. Ent. 623. • Horisme (Phibalapteryx) virgata: B. Ent. 623, legend+text. • Horisme (Phibalapteryx) virgata: B. Ent. 623, text cont.. • H. tersata (The Fern) and H. vitalbata (Small Waved Umber), with Coenocalpe, Colostygia, Electrophaes, Eustroma, Hydriomena, Melanthia: Newman 1869. 1, Eustroma reticulatum (Netted Carpet); 2a, Electrophaes corylata (Broken-barred Carpet, typical form); 2b, Electrophaes corylata (Broken-barred Carpet, var.); 3, Colostygia olivata (Beech-green Carpet); 4, Colostygia multistrigaria (The Mottled Grey); 5, Colostygia pectinataria (Green Carpet); 6a-e, Hydriomena furcata (July Highflier); 7, Hydriomena impluviata (May Highflier); 8a-b, Hydriomena ruberata (Ruddy Highflier); 9, Horisme vitalbata (Small Waved Umber); 10, Horisme tersata (The Fern); 11, Coenocalpe lapidata (Slender-striped Rufous); 12, Melanthia procellata (Chalk Carpet). From Newman (1869). • H. vitalbata, with other Larentiinae (‘Carpets’, ‘Pugs’, etc.): Kirby 51. LARENTIINAE. 1, Mesoleuca albicillata (Beautiful Carpet); 2 and 5, Spargania luctuata (White-banded Carpet); 3, Rheumaptera hastata (Argent and Sable); 4, Epirrhoe tristata (Small Argent and Sable); 5, Spargania luctuata (White-banded Carpet); 6, Epirrhoe molluginata; 7, Perizoma alchemillata (Small Rivulet); 8, Perizoma blandiata (Pretty Pinion); 9, Perizoma albulata (Grass Rivulet); 10, Asthena albulata (Small White Wave); 11, Hydrelia sylvata (Waved Carpet); 12, Hydrelia flammeolaria (Small Yellow Wave); 13, Camptogramma bilineata (Yellow Shell); 14, Hydriomena furcata; 15, Hydriomena impluviata (May High-flier); 16, "Larentia capitata", cf. Ecliptopera capitata; 17, Electrophaes corylata (Broken-barred Carpet); 18, Pareulype berberata (Barberry Carpet); 19, Anticlea derivata (The Streamer); 20, Catarhoe rubidata (The Flame); 21, Perizoma sagittata (Marsh Carpet); 22, Pelurga comitata (Dark Spinach); 23, Horisme vitalbata (Small Waved Umber); 24, Anticollix sparsata (Dentated Pug); 25, Eupithecia centaureata (Lime-speck Pug); 26, Eupithecia venosata (Netted Pug); 27, Eupithecia linariata (Toadflax Pug); 28, Eupithecia abietaria(?); 29, Pasiphila rectangulata (Green Pug); 30, Eupithecia nanata (Narrow-winged Pug); 31, Eupithecia innonata (Angle-barred Pug); 32, Eupithecia satyrata (Beech Pug); 33, Eupithecia lanceata. From Kirby 51, 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’.
