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Digital Guide to Moth Identification

Pterophoridae 63a0016 – 6122   Stenoptilodes brevipennis (Zeller, 1874)              Sweet Broom Plume Moth

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© Mark Dreiling - DNA Large Map & Chart Report Errors About Maps

Distribution: Suggested by Heppner as a species straying into, but not breeding in, Florida. Larva and Host Plants: Host familiy: Plantaginaceae[Scrophulariaceae].  Host genera: Bacopa Mecardonia Scoparia Russelia.  (Kimberley & Douglas 2025) Similar Species: 63a0018 Stenoptilodes taprobanes: cannot reliably be separated by photographs. It requires dissection and examination of genitalia (or DNA analysis) for positive identifiction. Pinned specimens of related species. (Hint: select View by Region on the related species page.) Synonymy: brevipennis (Zeller, 1874) (Platyptilia) - MONA 1983: 6122 amrishi Makhan, 1994 (Stenoptilodes) crenulata (Barnes & McDunnough, 1913) (Platyptilia) - MONA 1983: [6121]

References (Caution: DNA barcoding at BOLD provides evidence of relatedness, not proof of identification; some BOLD specimens shown may not be sequenced.)

Barcode of Life (BOLD) - Caution: Identifications often erroneous; DNA barcode provides evidence of relatedness, not proof of identification; many specimens not sequenced. Gielis, C., 2006. Review of the Neotropical species of the family Pterophoridae, part I: Ochyroticinae, Deuterocopinae, Pterophorinae (Platyptiliini, Exelastini, Oxyptilini) (Lepidoptera). Zoologische Mededelingen, 80-2 (1): 1-290. Matthews, D.L. & C.V. Covell, 2021. Common Names Of North American Plume Moths (Lepidoptera: Pterophoridae). Southern Lepidopterists' News, 43(2): 123-148. Shropshire, K.J. & D.W. Tallamy, 2025. Lepidoptera of North America, north of Mexico: an annotated list containing geographic ranges and host-plant records. ZooKeys, 1261: 101-113; Suppl. 1. (PDF or read online) Species Page at BugGuide.Net Species Page at Mass Moths Species Page at iNaturalist Zeller, P.C., 1874. Lepidoptera der Westküste Amerika’s. Verhandlungen der Kaiserlich-Königlichen Zoologisch-Botanischen Gesellschaft in Wien, 24: 442.

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