Acronicta

Acronicta is a genus of noctuid moths containing about 150 species distributed mainly in the temperate Holarctic, with some in adjacent subtropical regions. The genus was erected by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae. Caterpillars of most Acronicta species are unmistakable, with brightly colored hairy spikes, and often feed quite visibly on common foliate trees. The hairy spikes may contain poison, which cause itchy, painful, swollen rash in humans on contact. The larva of the smeared dagger moth (A. oblinita) is unusually hairy even for this genus. Acronicta species are generally known as dagger moths, as most have one or more black dagger-shaped markings on their forewing uppersides. But some species have a conspicuous dark ring marking instead.
Description
Its eyes are naked and without eyelashes. The proboscis is fully developed. Antennae are simple in both sexes. Thorax and abdomen tuftless. Abdomen with long coarse hair on the dorsal part of proximal segments. Legs spineless. Forewings with non-crenulate cilia. Inner margin slightly lobed towards base.
Species
The following species are classified in the genus.
Acronicta aceris Linnaeus, 1758 – sycamore
Acronicta adaucta Warren, 1909
Acronicta afflicta Grote, 1864 – afflicted dagger moth
Acronicta albarufa Grote, 1874
Acronicta albistigma Hampson, 1909
Acronicta alni Linnaeus, 1767 – alder moth
Acronicta americana Harris, 1841 – American dagger moth
Acronicta atristrigatus J.B. Smith, 1900 (alternative spelling Acronicta atristrigata)
Acronicta auricoma [Schiffermüller], 1775 – scarce dagger
Acronicta australis (Mustelin & Leuschner, 2000)
Acronicta barnesii Smith, 1897
Acronicta beameri Todd, 1958
Acronicta bellula Alphéraky, 1895
Acronicta betulae Riley, 1884 – birch dagger moth
Acronicta bicolor Moore, 1881
Acronicta browni Mustelin & Leuschner, 2000
Acronicta brumosa Guenée, 1852 – charred dagger moth
Acronicta carbonaria Graeser, 1889
Acronicta catocaloida Graeser, 1889
Acronicta centralis Erschoff, 1874
Acronicta cinerea Hufnagel, 1766
Acronicta clarescens Guenée, 1852 – clear dagger moth
Acronicta concrepta Draudt 1937
Acronicta connecta Grote, 1873 – connected dagger moth
Acronicta cuspis Hübner, [1813] – large dagger
Acronicta cyanescens Hampson, 1909
Acronicta dahurica Kononenko & Han, 2008
Acronicta dactylina Grote, 1874 – fingered dagger moth
Acronicta denticulata Moore
Acronicta digna Butler, 1881
Acronicta dinawa Bethune-Baker, 1906
Acronicta dolli (Barnes & McDunnough, 1918)
Acronicta edolata Grote, 1881
Acronicta euphorbiae [Schiffermüller], 1775 – sweet gale moth
Acronicta exempta Dyar, 1922
Acronicta exilis Grote, 1874 – exiled dagger moth
Acronicta extricata Grote, 1882
Acronicta falcula Grote, 1877
Acronicta fragilis Guénée, 1852 – fragile dagger moth
Acronicta funeralis Grote & Robinson, 1866 – funerary dagger moth
Acronicta gastridia Swinhoe, 1895
Acronicta grisea Walker, 1856 – gray dagger moth
Acronicta hamamelis Guenée, 1852 (syn: Acronicta subochrea Grote, 1874) – witch hazel dagger moth
Acronicta hasta Guenée, 1852 – speared dagger moth
Acronicta hastulifera J.E. Smith, 1797 – frosted dagger moth
Acronicta heitzmani Covell & Metzler, 1992 – Heitzman's dagger moth
Acronicta hercules Felder & Rogenhofer, 1874
Acronicta immodica Schmidt & Anweiler, 2020 - medium dagger moth
Acronicta impleta Walker, 1856 – yellow-haired dagger moth
Acronicta impressa Walker, 1856 – impressed dagger moth
Acronicta inclara Smith, 1900 – unclear dagger moth
Acronicta increta Morrison, 1974 – raspberry bud dagger
Acronicta innotata Guenée, 1852 – unmarked dagger moth
Acronicta insita Walker, 1856
Acronicta intermedia Warren, 1909
Acronicta interrupta Guenée, 1852 – interrupted dagger moth
Acronicta iria Swinhoe, 1899
Acronicta jozana Matsumura, 1926
Acronicta laetifica Smith, 1897 – pleasant dagger moth
Acronicta lanceolaria Grote, 1875 – lanceolate dagger moth
Acronicta lepetita Smith, 1908
Acronicta leporina Linnaeus, 1758 – miller
Acronicta lepusculina Guenée, 1852 – cottonwood dagger moth
Acronicta leucocuspis Butler, 1878
Acronicta lithospila Grote, 1874 – streaked dagger moth
Acronicta lobeliae Guenée, 1852 – lobelia dagger moth, greater oak dagger moth
Acronicta longa Guenée, 1852 – long-winged dagger moth
Acronicta lupini Grote, 1873 (syn: Acronicta ursina (Smith, 1898), Acronicta atlinensis (Barnes & Benjamin, 1927)
Acronicta lutea Bremer & Grey 1852
Acronicta major Bremer, 1861
Acronicta mansueta Smith, 1897
Acronicta marmorata Smith, 1897 – marble dagger moth
Acronicta megacephala [Schiffermüller], 1775 – poplar grey
Acronicta menyanthidis Esper, 1789 – light knot grass
Acronicta metaxantha Hampson, 1909
Acronicta modica Walker, 1856 – hesitant dagger moth
Acronicta morula Grote & Robinson, 1868 – ochre dagger moth
Acronicta nigricans Leech, 1900
Acronicta noctivaga Grote, 1864 – night-wandering dagger moth
Acronicta oblinita Smith, 1797 (syn: Acronicta arioch Strecker, 1898) – smeared dagger moth
Acronicta omorii Matsumura, 1926
Acronicta orientalis Mann, 1862
Acronicta othello Smith, 1908
Acronicta ovata Grote, 1873 – ovate dagger moth
Acronicta parallela Grote, 1879
Acronicta pasiphae Draudt, 1936
Acronicta paupercula Grote, 1874
Acronicta perblanda Ferguson, 1989
Acronicta perdita Grote, 1874
Acronicta pruinosa Guenée, 1852
Acronicta psi Linnaeus, 1758 – grey dagger
Acronicta psichinesis Kononenko & Han, 2008
Acronicta psorallina Lower, 1903
Acronicta pulverosa Hampson 1909
Acronicta quadrata Smith, 1908
Acronicta radcliffei Harvey, 1875 – Radcliffe's dagger moth
Acronicta raphael Oberthur 1884
Acronicta rapidan Dyar, 1912
Acronicta retardata Walker, 1861 (syn: Acronicta caesarea Smith, 1905) – retarded dagger moth
Acronicta rubiginosa Walker, 1862
Acronicta rubricoma Guenée, 1852 – ruddy dagger moth
Acronicta rumicis Linnaeus, 1758 – knot grass
Acronicta sagittata McDunnough, 1940
Acronicta sinescripta Ferguson, 1989
Acronicta sperata Grote, 1873
Acronicta spinea (Grote, 1876)
Acronicta spinigera Guenée, 1852 – nondescript dagger moth
Acronicta strigosa [Schiffermüller], 1775 – marsh dagger
Acronicta strigulata Smith, 1897
Acronicta subornata Leech, 1889
Acronicta sugii (Kinoshita, 1990)
Acronicta superans Guenée, 1852 – splendid dagger moth
Acronicta theodora Schaus, 1894
Acronicta thoracica Grote, 1880
Acronicta tiena Püngeler, 1907
Acronicta tota Grote, 1879
Acronicta tridens [Schiffermüller], 1775 – dark dagger
Acronicta tristis Smith, 1911
Acronicta tritona Hübner, 1879 – Triton dagger moth
Acronicta valliscola Blanchard, 1968
Acronicta vinnula Grote, 1864 – delightful dagger moth
Acronicta vulpina Grote, 1883 – miller dagger moth
References
External links
Noctuoidea genera