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Digital Guide to Moth Identification

Notodontidae 930100 – 8007   Coelodasys unicornis (Smith, 1797)              Unicorn Caterpillar

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Distribution: Canada: NL to BC; USA: Throughout eastern states west to WA, OR, UT and eastern TX in forested habitat - Miller et al. (2021) Larva and Host Plants: Host familiy: Aquifoliaceae Betulaceae Adoxaceae[Caprifoliaceae] Clethraceae Cornaceae Ebenaceae Ericaceae[Pyrolaceae] Fagaceae Hamamelidaceae Juglandaceae Fabaceae Malvaceae[Tiliaceae] Nyssaceae[Cornaceae] Rhamnac..  Host genera: Acer Alnus Amelanchier Betula Carya Ceanothus Chimaphila Chiococca Clethra Cornus Corylus Cotoneaster Crataegus Diospyros Fagus Gleditsia Hamamelis Ilex Juglans Larix Malus Nyssa Ostrya Physocarpus Po...  Notes: wide variety of trees & large shrubs (Powell & Opler 2009); generalist on many kinds of hardwood trees & shrubs (Crabo et al 2014); foliage (Ree & Knutson 1997).  (Shropshire & Douglas 2025) Similar Species: Pinned specimens of related species. (Hint: select View by Region on the related species page.) Synonymy: unicornis (Smith, 1797) (Phalaena) - MONA 1983: 8007; TL: Georgia. deserta (Barnes, 1929) (Schizura) edmandsii Packard, 1864 (Coelodasys); TL: Cambridge, MA. humilis (Walker, 1865) (Edema); TL: North America. semirufescens (Walker, 1865) (Edema); TL: United States. Taxonomic Notes: Coelodasys unicornis (Smith, 1797), n. comb. in Becker (2014), was formerly placed in the genus Schizura.

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. Becker, V.O., 2014. Checklist of New World Notodontidae (Noctuoidea). Lepidoptera Novae, 7(1): 1-40. Miller, J.S., D.L. Wagner, P.A. Opler & J.D. Lafontaine, 2021. Noctuoidea, Notodontidae (Part 2, Conclusion): Heterocampinae, Nystaleinae, Dioptinae, Dicranurinae. The Moths of America north of Mexico, Fascicle 22.1B: 133; pl. A-17, figs. 5-13; pl. 57, fig. 6 (♂ gen.); pl. 72, figs. 6, 7 (♂ sternum 8); pl. 85, fig. 7 (♀ gen.); pl. L-17, fig. 5 (larva). - order Powell, J. A. & P. A. Opler, 2009. Moths of Western North America, Pl. 42.21m; p. 251. Book Review and ordering 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 Block Island Moths Species Page at BugGuide.Net Species Page at E. H. Strickland Museum Species Page at Mass Moths Species Page at Pacific Northwest Moths Species Page at iNaturalist

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