Acontia areli, Strecker, 1898

Ferris, Clifford & Lafontaine, Donald, 2009, Review of the Acontia areli group with descriptions of three new species (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Acontiinae), ZooKeys 9 (9), pp. 27-46 : 29

Key to species of Acontia areli group

1 Forewing with dark shading on outer half of wing extending basally to cover all or part of orbicular spot; subapical white patch elongated, trapezoidal, about 2 × as long on costa as wide.............................................................. 2

– Forewing with orbicular spot surrounded by pale shading on basal half of wing; subapical white spot triangular or square, about as long on costa as wide ...... 3

2 Hindwing white without fuscous band around margin; central Mexico....... .......................................................................................... A. areletta Dyar

– Hindwing with fuscous band around margin; Arizona, New Mexico ........... ...................................................... A. areloides (Barnes & McDunnough)

3 Forewing with pale shading on basal half of wing diffusing into outer half of wing below reniform spot and usually partially surrounding it; Arizona ....... ....................................................... A. albifusa Ferris & Lafontaine , sp. n.

– Forewing with pale shading in basal half of wing and dark shading on outer half separated by sharp line basal to reniform spot (usually on outer edge of remnant of orbicular spot) ......................................................................... 4

4 Forewing with large mainly blue reniform spot with black patch on inner side of spot; a similar spot on medial line below reniform spot and resembling it, except black patch on outer edge of spot; Arizona, Mexico, Texas ................ .................................................. A. geminocula Ferris & Lafontaine , sp. n.

– Forewing with dark shading in reniform spot forming central “pupil,” or of scattered dark scales; medial line below reniform spot with irregular black area usually with some scattered blue scales; widely distributed in western North America... 5

5 Forewing with pale basal area buff or yellowish white, contrasting with white subapical spot on costa; dark patch in lower part of medial line prominent and usually with many scattered blue scales; reniform spot with black central “pupil” ............................................................................... A. areli Strecker

– Forewing with pale basal area white, similar in color to subapical spot on costa; dark patch in lower part of medial line small, with few scattered blue scales; reniform spot filled with blue and gray scales..................................... ........................................................... A. toddi Ferris & Lafontaine , sp. n.