Spotting

Description:

A Metalmark Moth in the family of Choreutidae.

Species ID Suggestions

15 Comments

pamsai 9 years ago

thank you both Scott and bayucca for your very detailed answers to my question. Very interesting. I will leave it unidentified and see if anyone stops by that can ID it further.

bayucca 9 years ago

There are 2 possibilities: Leave it like this and add Metalmark Moth and Choreutidae (no sp.!) in the description section, so leave it "unknown" and somebody would pass by to get a ID of genus or species. Or you might add Metalmark Moth in the common name field and add Choreutidae in the scientific field. But with this option it is marked as "IDed" and the risk is that it would not be found in the "unknown" thread anymore. I think we could deal it with Choreutidae in the scientific field, since there is probably very difficult to find an appropriate ID. We should not use the family name in the scientific field in so called common species where the possibility that someone find the genus or even the species name is quite high.
Scott: I actually prepared this comment some hours ago, but could not finish it, so after reading your comment I agree with you and just add mine as well...

Scott Frazier 9 years ago

If I may respond before bayucca, Pam with my suggestion. I would definitely fill in the common name with metalmark moth. In a strict sense, scientific name means the genus-species latinized binomial name. Oftentimes when this is not known users may know the family name (in correct taxonomic format) and fill this in. While we have let this go by because it is taxonomic, it is not strictly a scientific name. If the genus and species, or genus ("Genus sp.") is not known the scientific name field should just be left blank (and the box that says "Help me ID this species" should remain ticked). We never know if someday someone might come along and be able to identify it to species. And leaving it blank shows that it has not been identified to species (or "Genus sp.") level. The use of "sp." after a family or higher level name name is discouraged because it infers that it follows a genus name. However in your description you should say that the moth is a member of the Family Choreutidae. My two, maybe four cents worth of opinion. -)