Gold-edged gem (Schinia avemensis) COSEWIC assessment and status report: chapter 3

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Species Information

Name and classification

There are no named subspecies. Specimens from Manitoba differ significantly in appearance from those in Alberta, and Alberta specimens in turn are intermediate in appearance between specimens from Manitoba and Colorado. The taxonomic status of these populations is being reviewed by Chuck Harp as part of a larger review of the North American Heliothinae (C. Harp, pers. comm., 2004).

Morphological description

Gold-edged Gems (Figure 1) are small (16-20 mm wingspan), diurnal moths with greenish-brown and maroon to mostly maroon forewings that are crossed by two partial ochre-yellow bands. There is a prominent yellow band along most of the forewing terminus (hence the common name). The hindwings and most of the body are black. Females are slightly larger and darker than males. The ventral surfaces of both sexes are alike, black except for a prominent white wedge at the apex of the forewings. A formal description, including descriptions and illustrations of male and female genitalia, is available in Hardwick, 1958.

Specimens from Colorado are much darker than specimens from Manitoba. In Colorado specimens, the greenish-brown scales on the forewings of Manitoba specimens are replaced by dark maroon and the yellow markings are reduced. Specimens from Alberta are intermediate in appearance, but are closer to Colorado specimens. A specimen from Manitoba is illustrated in colour on the Moths of Canada website. A Colorado specimen is illustrated in colour by Hardwick (Hardwick, 1996, Fig. L10).

The immature stages (egg, larva and pupa) are unknown.

Genetic description

There are no data regarding the genetic structure of Gold-edged Gem populations. The population in Manitoba is separated from the Saskatchewan-Alberta population by about 750 km, and the Alberta-Saskatchewan population is separated from the nearest Colorado site by approximately 1,200 km. It is highly unlikely that there is any gene flow between these three populations.