Geometrinae -​ North American Emerald Moths of the US and Canada
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Nemoria pulcherrima (Barnes & McDonnough, 1916). [7016]
Picture
Nemoria pulcherrima, adult male. Collection of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History (CMNH). Collected San Diego, California 16 January 1912.
Picture
Nemoria pulcherrima, adult female. Collection of Rutgers University. Collected Glendale, Los Angeles Co., California 14 February 1950.
Nemoria pulcherrima is particularly interesting among North American species in the genus Nemoria. It possesses several features that separate it from other species in the group and align it in somewhat more closely to the genus Chlorosea. Flying chiefly in the cooler months of the year, most commonly from January to April, this species is known primarily from California and Oregon where it is found in coastal mountain ranges.

Outwardly, the species is easily recognized by its bright green forewings and notably paler hindwings. This difference in wing coloration is common in species of Chlorosea, and is know in certain southwestern Nemoria species like N. viridicaria, N. diamesa and N. albaria, but is not present in any other Nemoria species found in California. Nemoria pulcherrima may have a green terminal line or edge border adjacent to fringes that are also green beyond a paler white base. Bright red markings may occur on the fringes, especially near the apical angle of the forewings. The wing surfaces are finely but widely striated with white markings, and often show whitish coloration on the wing veins creating a soft white venation pattern on the green wing. The pm line markings may be present as a pale, notably straight white line, though this is often obsolescent or entirely lacking. The dorsal surface of the abdomen is marked with two distinct white spots encircled by bright red scales. Nemoria pulcherrima has also been collected in a red-brown color form. A pdf copy of a paper by Buckett and Sears (1968) with images of the brown form can be viewed online here: Variation in Color and Maculation in a Population of Nemoria pulcherrima from the Sierra Nevada of California.
Ferguson (1985) reported that the male genitalia most closely resemble the genitalia of Chlorosea species. He also pointed out that the hind tibia spurs exist as two pair as in other Nemoria, though they may appear to be a single pair since the first set is recessed and can be hard to see without careful inspection. Immature stages are highly elaborated and are shown here:
Nemoria pulcherrima larvae.

Picture
Nemoria pulcherrima, adult male, brown form. Collection of the National Museum of Natural History (Smithsonian). Collected Walnut Creek, Contra Costa Co., California, 02 February 1963.
Picture
Picture
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  • Home
  • Geometrine Species
    • Chlorosea >
      • Chlorosea banksaria
      • Chlorosea margaretaria
      • Chlorosea roseitacta
    • Nemoria >
      • Nemoria mimosaria
      • Nemoria bistriaria >
        • Nemoria bistriaria larvae
      • Nemoria rubrifrontaria >
        • Nemoria rubrifrontaria larvae
      • Nemoria elfa >
        • Nemoria elfa larvae
      • Nemoria tuscarora >
        • Nemoria tuscarora larvae
      • Nemoria lixaria >
        • Nemoria lixaria larvae
      • Nemoria bifilata >
        • Nemoria bifilata larvae
      • Nemoria catachloa >
        • Nemoria catachloa larvae
      • Nemoria outina >
        • Nemoria outina larvae
      • Nemoria saturiba >
        • Nemoria saturiba larvae
      • Nemoria arizonaria >
        • Nemoria arizonaria larvae
      • Nemoria darwiniata >
        • Nemoria darwiniata larvae
      • Nemoria unitaria >
        • Nemoria unitaria larvae
      • Nemoria pulcherrima >
        • Nemoria pulcherrima larvae
      • Nemoria mutaticolor
      • Nemoria daedalea
      • Nemoria diamesa
      • Nemoria latirosaria
      • Nemoria viridicaria
      • Nemoria subsequens
      • Nemoria albaria
      • Nemoria pistaciaria
      • Nemoria extremaria
      • Nemoria zelotes
      • Nemoria obliqua >
        • Nemoria obliqua larvae
      • Nemoria splendidaria
      • Nemoria zygotaria >
        • Nemoria zygotaria larvae
      • Nemoria intensaria
      • Nemoria leptalea
      • Nemoria caerulescens >
        • Nemoria caerulescens larvae
      • Nemoria strigataria >
        • Nemoria strigataria larvae
      • Nemoria festaria >
        • Nemoria festaria larvae
      • Nemoria albilineata >
        • Nemoria albilineata larvae
      • Nemoria glaucomarginaria >
        • Nemoria glaucomarginaria larvae
      • Nemoria rindgei
    • Dichorda >
      • Dichorda iridaria >
        • Dichorda iridaria larvae
      • Dichorda consequaria
      • Dichorda illustraria >
        • DIchorda illustraria larvae
      • Dichorda rectaria >
        • Dichorda rectaria larvae
    • Dichordophora >
      • Dichordophora phoenix
    • Synchlora >
      • Synchlora cupedinaria
      • Synchlora aerata >
        • Synchlora aerata larvae
      • Synchlora frondaria >
        • Synchlora frondaria larvae
      • Synchlora xysteraria
      • Synchlora herbaria
      • Synchlora noel
      • Synchlora gerularia
      • Synchlora irregularia
      • Synchlora bistriaria
      • Synchlora pectinaria
      • Synchlora faseolaria
      • Synchlora graefiaria
    • Phrudocentra >
      • Phrudocentra centrifugaria
    • Lophochorista >
      • Lophochorista lesteraria
    • Xerochlora >
      • Xerochlora mesotheides
      • Xerochlora viridipallens
      • Xerochlora inveterascaria
      • Xerochlora martinaria
      • Xerochlora masonaria
    • Eueana >
      • Eueana niveociliaria
    • Chlorochlamys >
      • Chlorochlamys chloroleucaria >
        • Chlorochlamys chloroleucaria larvae
      • Chlorochlamys triangularis
      • Chlorochlamys appellaria >
        • Chlorochlamys appellaria larvae
        • Chlorochlamys appellaria genitalia
      • Chlorochlamys phyllinaria
    • Chloropteryx >
      • Chloropteryx tepperaria
      • Chloropteryx nordicaria
      • Chloropteryx paularia
    • Hemithea >
      • Hemithea aestivaria
    • Thalera >
      • Thalera pistasciaria >
        • Thalera pistasciaria larvae
    • Mesothea >
      • Mesothea incertata
  • Other Subfamilies
    • Archiearis infans
    • Campaea perlata
    • Caripeta
    • Eriplatymetra
    • Philtraea
    • Eulithis
    • Hydriomena
    • Stamnodes
    • Cyclophora pendulinaria
  • Immature Stages
  • FCS Research
    • Alypiodes
    • Callidulidae
    • GSENM Research
  • Contact