Galapagos Species Database

Diagnosis: In forewing H. galapagensis is more greyish brown or blackish brown compared to the warmer brown of H. macula and H. calusa. In forewing pattern H. galapagensis has a paler postmedian fascia that is often broken and that never reaches the costa whereas in the other three species the postmedian fascia, when distinct, is usually complete and extending to the apex of the wing. In male genitalia, the ampulla with a simple, pointed apex and smooth or slightly rugulose surface is distinctive; the median fange of clasper has a smooth surface (similar to H. sonora, denticulate in H. calusa), the phallus is straight (slightly sinuate in both calusa and sonora) with a slender tooth-like cornutus which is intermediate in length between that of H. calusa and H. sonora. In female genitalia, abdominal ternite VII is narrowly conical, about 4x wider than long, smaller and more weakly sclerotized than in H. calusa and H. sonora; the antrum is elongate, funnel-shaped with a U-shaped posterior margin, and about 1/3 the width of sternite VIII whereas it is as wide as sternite VIII in H. calusa; the ductus bursae is slightly sclerotized over its distal half, the inception of the ductus seminalis is near the base of the corpus bursae whereas it is in the distal section of the ductus bursae in H. calusa (Landry et al., 2023)

Moths are attracted to light but also fly in the daytime. Also, specimens have been found mostly at higher elevations (up to 1240 m), but two were collected a few meters above sea level on Isabela and Santa Cruz (Landry et al., 2023).