What Eilema is it?

[Inachisio]

This one was found about a month ago in Peñaflor, Zaragoza, NE Spain. At 300 meters over sea in a Phragmites australis patch, surrounded by arid steppe-lands. What species could be?



Thanks,
Isidro

[Mikhail]

The resting position with wings wrapped tightly around the abdomen rules out several species. I would tentatively go for E. caniola (Hoary Footman), but would not rule out E. complana. But there may be species in Spain I know nothing about. A side view can be helpful sometimes.

Misha

[Mikhail]

The resting position with wings wrapped tightly around the abdomen rules out several species. I would tentatively go for E. caniola (Hoary Footman), but would not rule out E. complana. But there may be species in Spain I know nothing about. A side view can be helpful sometimes.

Misha

[Padfield]

My book shows the following species to occur in NE Spain:

griseola
caniola
uniola
rungsi (v. local)
pygmaeola
palliatella
pseudocomplano
(complana)
lurideola
(depressa)

From the description given, uniola, the silky footman, seems an equal possibility, though it is more local than caniola. Your picture certainly shows a very silky texture. Size might be a clue: caniola, male wingspan 26-32mm; uniola, male wingspan 18-25mm, so noticeably smaller.

I know very little about moths and I'm only butting in because I've got a good book...

Guy

[Inachisio]

Thanks a lot Misha and Guy! I had the precaution of take a lateral shot and I not deleted it from my camera card. Here is it:



Unfortunately I don't remember size. It's "normal", of the size of E. lurideola. Maybe closer to the 18-25 mm than to the 26-32 mm. So maybe could be E. uniola... More opinions?
Thanks
Regards

[Inachisio]

Then? I let it as E. caniola or E. uniola? Lateral view helps?

[Mikhail]

It's inconclusive. The costal yellow stripe doesn't seem to be as well developed as I would expect in E.complana, but the moth looks a trifle worn. According to Leraut's Moths of Europe vol.1 complana is confined to the extreme north east in Spain, so it can probably be ruled out on those grounds. E. pseudocomplana flies later (aug. sept.) according to Guide des papillions nocturnes de France. I still lean towards E caniola, but without conviction! It can sometimes be impossible to identify moths like this on the computer monitor, when one cannot be certain one is seeing the colours accurately. It can also be difficult to judge size unless a scale is included in the photo.

Misha

[Inachisio]

Thanks Misha, what a pity.

And I'm in the north-east corner of Spain...