There are now (June 2014) four different Molippa species described from Mexico.

Molippa ninfa, the recently described Molippa ninfaustralica and Molippa rosea are very similar in appearance, and DNA barcoding may be necessary in some cases to accurately determine them.

Molippa nibasa is much more distinct.

I have added a Molippa unknown to this group as the Leroy Simon image from Mexico, sent to me as Molippa rosea, does not seem a very good match for any of the four known species.

Many of these moths are sympatric for at least part of their respective ranges, and I would not be surprised if there are natural hybrids as well as intergrade populations, making accurate identifications without DNA analysis almost impossible. It is also possible that there is considerable natural variation witin populations.

It is hoped that this Comparison Chart will facilitate identification work. The descriptions to the right of the images pertain to males, unless otherwise indicated. I have relied largely on wingspan (when known), proximity of aml/pml at inner margin, shape of outer margin, contour and extent of pm line, and colouration of hindwing fringes to make determinations. Some of those characters could be variable with in a species.

Molippa nibasa male FWL: mm Molippa nibasa female Molippa rosea male FWL: 35-39mm; 550-1630m Veracruz, Jalapa, Puebla, Guerrero, Oaxaca, Chiapas Molippa rosea female FWL: 42mm; 550-1630m Veracruz, Jalapa, Puebla, Guerrero, Oaxaca, Chiapas much larger than ninfa/ninfaustralica fw outer margin almost straight. fw pml straight dark upper half of post median area. basal costa dark. am/pm lines disjoint at i.m. hw fringe almost concolorous Molippa ninfa male 26-29mm; Tamaulipas, San Luis Patosi, Veracruz, Colima, Oaxaca, Chiapas, Quintana Roo Molippa ninfa female 32-33mm Tamaulipas, San Luis Patosi, Veracruz, Colima, Oaxaca, Chiapas, Quintana Roo outer margin slightly convex. fw pml slightly concave; often lunulate. cell marks distant from pml. fringes: grey-brown with short pinkish white bars at vein ends Molippa ninfaustralica male 22-25mm Molippa ninfaustralica female smaller than ninfa outer margin slightly convex. white pml quite lunulate aml/pml proximate at inner margin Molippa unknown male Moth to left was sent as M. rosea but convex outer margin and concave pml (maybe photo influences) are not a good match for rosea. Proximate aml/pml at inner margin as well as contrasting hw fringe are also not good matches for rosea. Termination of pml before reaching dark apical patch is not a good match for ninfa or ninfaustralica and is more consistent with rosea

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