1. Head mask consisting of brown freckles (Fig. 2.1.2.1). . . . . . . . . . . . P. ephelida*
Head mask consisting of dark pigmentation, freckles not contributing to dark appearance of mask. (Fig. 2.1.2.2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
2. Row of socketed setae on occiput incomplete, open in places, but reaching or nearly so, ecdysal suture (Fig. 2.1.2.3); abdomen and sometimes thorax covered with heavy socketed setae, giving the impression of a freckled surface (Fig. 2.1.2.4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Perlesta Group A**
Row of socketed setae on occiput absent (Fig. 2.1.2.5) or not reaching the ecdysal suture; abdomen and thorax without socketed setae, not freckled (Fig. 2.1.2.6) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Perlesta Group B**
*Perlesta ephelida is described as P. shubata by Poulton & Stewart (1991). Grubbs et al. (2013) revised the designation of Perlesta shubata to Perlesta ephelida for most of its range, including Ohio.
**The Perlesta placida complex in Ohio consists of P. adena, P. decipiens, P. cinctipes, P. golconda, P. lagoi, P. teaysia and P. xube (DeWalt, et al., 2012) These have not been distinguished as larvae. They must be reared to adult and identified from genitalia (Stark, 1989) or by possibly by barcoding.
Note: The keys of Stewart and Stark (2002) fail to recognize Perlesta that lack a row of socketed setae on the occiput, described by Poulton and Stewart (1991). Stark (2017) offers another partial key to Perlesta (see here) but it also fails to recognize Group B Perlesta lacking a row of socketed setae on the occiput.Fig. 1 Perlesta ephelida
Photo credit: www.insectsofiowa.com [given as Perlesta shubuta]
