Insects of Britain and Ireland: the genera of Lepidoptera-Geometridae

L. Watson and M.J.Dallwitz

Eupithecia Curtis

Aragonia, Arcyonia, Dyscymatoge, Encymatoge, Eucymatoge, Leucocora,Tarachia, Tephroclystia.

Adults.Antennae of malessimple; simply-ciliate.Facerough (with a short cone ofscales).

Wingspan16–28(–36) mm. Forewings relativelynarrow-elongate to relatively broad. The outer margin of the forewing convexlycurved, or convexly curved to more or less straight.Forewingsnotpredominantly green, yellow, or black;diverse in colour but not green,usually more or less conspicuously transversely patterned;predominantlywhitish, or pale ochreous, or ochreous, or cream, orlight brown, or brown, or pale fuscous, or fuscous, or pale grey, or grey;with a clear discal mark, or without a clear discal mark; with a distinct medianband (very rarely, with a dark band -E. pulchellata), or without amedian band.The outer margin of the hindwingssmooth.Hindwings conspicuously patterned to plain (like or unlike theforewings); diverse in colour but not green, like or somewhat unlike theforwings;not predominantly green, yellow, or black; with a clear discalmark to without a clear discal mark; transversely lined (usually, the linessharp to faint), or without transverse lines.

Vein 10 of the forewingsarising independently of 9; arisingindependently, anastomosing with 11 and 9 to form a double areole (inEucymatoge), or arising out of 11 and anastomosing with 9 to form asimple areole (mostly).Hindwingsexhibiting a tubular vein 5.Vein 5 of the hindwings arising from about the middle of the transverse vein, orarising from below the middle of the transverse vein (?). Vein 8 of thehindwings approximated to or anastomosed with the upper margin of the cell tothe middle or beyond. Hindwing veins 6 and 7 stalked.

Posterior tibiae of males4-spurred.

The abdomen conspicuously patterned, or plain.

Early stages.Larvae feeding onfoliage, flowers and seeds of diverse Dicot herbs and trees, also conifers.

British representation.About 50species (with one or two adventives); South-east England, Central-southernEngland, South-west England, English Midlands, Northern England, SouthernScotland, Northern Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. Living adults found April andMay, or May to August (sometimes double brooded), or August to October.E.abbreviata (Brindled Pug),E. absinthiata (Wormwood Pug),E.abietaria (Cloaked Pug),E. assimilata (Currant Pug),E.cauchiata (Guenée’s Pug, rare adventive figured by Newman),E. centaureata (Lime-speck Pug),E. denotata (Campanula Pug),E. distinctaria (Thyme Pug),E. dodoneata (Oak-tree Pug),E.egenaria (adventive, not illustrated),E. exiguata (Mottled Pug),E. expallidata (Bleached Pug),E. extensaria (Scarce Pug),E.fraxinata (Ash Pug),E. goossensiata (Ling pug),E.haworthiata (Haworth's Pug),E. icterata (Tawny-speckled Pug),E.indigata (Ochreous Pug),E. innotata (Angle-barred Pug),E.insigniata (Pinion-spotted Pug),E. intricata (Edinburgh Pug),E.inturbata (Maple Pug,E. irriguata (Marbled Pug),E. lariceata(Larch Pug),E. linariata (Toadflax Pug),E. millefoliata (YarrowPug),E. nanata (Narrow-winged Pug),E. pimpinellata (PimpinelPug),E. plumbeolata (Lead-coloured Pug),E. pulchellata (FoxglovePug),E. pusillata (Juniper Pug),E. phoeniceata (rare adventive,not illustrated),E. pygmaeata (Marsh Pug),E. satyrata (SatyrPug, Beech Pug),E. simpliciata (Plain Pug),E. subfuscata (GreyPug),E. subumbrata (Shaded Pug),E. succenturiata (Bordered Pug),E. tamarisciata (~innotata; adventive, not illustrated),E.tantillaria (Dwarf Pug),E. tenuiata (Slender Pug),E.tripunctaria (White-spotted Pug)E. trisignaria (Triple-spotted Pug),E. valerianata (Valerian Pug),E. venosata (Netted Pug),E.virgaureata (Golden-rod Pug),E. vulgata (Common Pug).

Subfamily.Larentiinae.

Illustrations.• British Eupithecia, Chloroclystis, PasiphilaAnticollix (Pugs): Newman. 1, Eupithecia inturbata (Maple Pug); 2, E.haworthiata (Haworth's Pug); 3. E. plumbeolata (Lead-coloured Pug); 4, E.linariata (Toadflax Pug); 5, E. pulchellata (Foxglove Pug); E. irriguata(Marbled Pug); 7, E. exiguata (Mottled Pug); 8, E. insigniata (Pinion-spottedPug); 9, E. pygmaeata (Marsh Pug); 10, E. venosata venosata (Netted Pug); 11, E.trisignaria (Triple-spotted Pug); 12, E. cauchiata (Guenee's Pug); 13, E.abietaria (Cloaked Pug); 14, E. expallidata (Bleached Pug); 15, E. subfuscata(Grey Pug); 16, E. subumbrata (Shaded Pug); 17, E. simpliciata (Plain Pug); 18,E. virgaureata (Golden-rod Pug); 19, E. abbreviata (Brindled Pug); 20, E.pusillata pusillata (Juniper Pug); 21, E. centaureata (Lime-speck Pug); 22,Pasiphila v-ata (V-Pug); 23, Anticollix sparsata (Dentated Pug). From Newman(1869). • British Eupithecia: Swain(1). 1, Eupithecia tenuiata (Slender Pug); 2, E. inturbata (Maple Pug); 3,E. haworthiata (Haworth's Pug); 4, E. plumbeolata (Lead-coloured Pug); 5, E.irriguata (Marbled Pug); 6, E. exiguata (Mottled Pug); 7a & 7b, E. abietaria(Cloaked Pug); 8, E. pygmaeata (Marsh Pug); 9, E. linariata (Toadflax Pug);10a-c, E. pulchellata (Foxglove Pug); 11, E. insignata (Pinion-spotted Pug); 12,E. valerianata (Valerian Pug). From Swain, 1961. • British Eupithecia: Swain (2). 1a, Eupitheciavenosata venosata (Netted Pug); 1b & c, E. venosata fumosae (Netted Pug); 1d, E.venosata ochracae (Netted Pug); 2, E. trisignaria (Triple-spotted Pug); 3, E.goossensiata (Ling Pug); 4a-b, E. centaureata (Lime-speck Pug); 5, E. assimilata(Currant Pug); 6a & c, E. intricata arceuthata (Edinburgh Pug); 6b, E. intricatamillieraria (Edinburgh Pug); 7a, E. satyrata satyrata (Satyr Pug); 7b, E.satyrata curzoni (Edinburgh Pug); 7c, E. satyrata callunaria (Satyr Pug). FromSwain, 1961. • British Eupithecia:Swain (3). 1a-d, Eupithecia absinthiata (Wormwood Pug); 2, E. expallidata(Bleached Pug); 3, E. tripunctaria (White-spotted Pug); 4a-c, E. vulgata (CommonPug); 5a-b, E. subfuscata (Grey Pug); 6a, E. denotata denotata (Campanula Pug);6b-c, E denotata jaseoneata (Campanula Pug). From Swain, 1961. • British Eupithecia: Swain (4). 1a, Eupitheciaicterata oxydata (Tawny-speckled Pug); 1b, E. icterata subfulvata(Tawny-speckled Pug); 1c, E. icterata cognata (Tawny-speckled Pug); 2, E.subumbrata (Shaded Pug); 3, E. succentureata (Bordered Pug); 4, E. millefoliata(Yarrow Pug); 5, E. distinctaria (Thyme Pug); 6, E. simpliciata (Plain Pug); 7,E. indigata (Ochreous Pug); 8, E. pimpinellata (Pimpinel Pug); 9a-b, E. nanata(Narrow-winged Pug). From Swain, 1961. • British Eupithecia: Swain (5). 1, Eupitheciaextensaria (Scarce Pug); 2a-b, E. innotata (Angle-barred Pug); 3, E. abbreviata(Brindled Pug); 4, E. fraxinata (Ash Pug); 5, E. virgaureata (Golden-rod Pug; 6,E.pusillata (Juniper Pug); 7, E. dodoneata (Oak-tree Pug); 8, E. tantillaria(Dwarf Pug); 9, E. lariceata (Larch Pug). From Swain, 1961. • Larentiinae (‘Carpets’, ‘Pugs’, etc.): Kirby51. LARENTIINAE. 1, Mesoleuca albicillata (Beautiful Carpet); 2 and 5,Spargania luctuata (White-banded Carpet); 3, Rheumaptera hastata (Argent andSable); 4, Epirrhoe tristata (Small Argent and Sable); 5, Spargania luctuata(White-banded Carpet); 6, Epirrhoe molluginata; 7, Perizoma alchemillata (SmallRivulet); 8, Perizoma blandiata (Pretty Pinion); 9, Perizoma albulata (GrassRivulet); 10, Asthena albulata (Small White Wave); 11, Hydrelia sylvata (WavedCarpet); 12, Hydrelia flammeolaria (Small Yellow Wave); 13, Camptogrammabilineata (Yellow Shell); 14, Hydriomena furcata; 15, Hydriomena impluviata (MayHigh-flier); 16, "Larentia capitata", cf. Ecliptopera capitata; 17, Electrophaescorylata (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. • Larentiinae: Eupithecia linariata (Originalgeneric description. Toaflax Pug: B. Ent. 64). • Eupithecia linariata: B. Ent. 64,legend+text. This carries the original circumscription of this well knowngenus. • Eupithecia linariata: B.Ent. 64, text cont.. • Eupithecia centaureata: forewing neuration.

We advise against extracting comparative informationfrom the descriptions. This is much more easily achieved using theDELTA data files or theinteractive key, which allows access to the characterlist, illustrations, full and partial descriptions, diagnostic descriptions,differences and similarities between taxa, lists of taxa exhibiting or lackingspecified attributes, and distributions of character states within any set oftaxa. See alsoGuidelines for using data taken from Web publications.