Ogdoconta sexta Barnes and McDunnough 1913
Ogdoconta sexta Barnes and McDunnough, 1913, Contr. Nat. Hist. Lepid. N. Am., 2(3):117, pl. 5, fig. 6.
Diagnosis: Ogdoconta sexta and altura are a pair of sister species that are very difficult to separate superficially. Both species are small and the overall coloration is brown with a distinct green-gray cast to it. Most of the maculation of the forewing is obscure. However the postmedial line is a moderately distinct straight white line except for a slight inangulation near the costa. The hindwing is suffused with dull brown. Superficially altura is slightly smaller and slightly grayer than sexta. The best character to separate the two is found near the apex of the forewing. In sexta there is a small streak of white scales from just before the apex of the wing to just below the outward angulation of the postmedial line. In addition the region following the postmedial line is not lighter than the rest of the subterminal area in sexta, but just such a region exists in most specimens of altura. In the male genitalia the apex of the cucullar region of the valve is ovate-capitate in sexta, but narrower and more lineate in altura. In the female genitalia the ostium is wider than long in sexta, but the ostium of altura is longer than wide, or the two measurements are approximately equal; the cephalad half of the ductus bursae significantly wider than caudal half in sexta, but approximately equal in width along its entire length in altura.
Distribution: Ogdoconta sexta is known from
only Hidalgo and Cameron Counties in the southern tip of Texas. Males
tend to be slightly lighter than females and in particular the subterminal
area of the male can be significantly lighter than the median area. A
few males have significantly weaker brown suffusion in the hindwing than
do other males and all females.
Identification Quality: Excellent
See comments in the Diagnosis