Sympistis incubus Troubridge, 2008

Troubridge, J. T., 2008, A generic realignment of the Oncocnemidini sensu Hodges (1983) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae: Oncocnemidinae), with description of a new genus and 50 new species, Zootaxa 1903 (1), pp. 1-95 : 12-14

Sympistis incubus Troubridge sp. n.

(Figs. C-2, K-9, P-9)

Diagnosis. Sympistis incubus and S. seth sp. n. (Fig. C-4) are closely related to S ympistis levis (Grote) (Fig. C-1) from the western Great Plains and Sympistis duplex (Troubridge and Mustelin) comb. n. (Fig. C-3) from southern California respectively. Sympistis incubus is most closely related to S. levis and S. seth is most closely related to S. duplex . Each of these species pairs can be separated by location; however, S. incubus and S. seth fly together in Oregon. DNA analysis confirmed that the S. incubus / S. levis and S. seth / S. duplex species pairs are distinct. Of the 658 COI base pairs examined, S. seth / S. duplex showed a 1.91% difference, S. incubus / S. levis showed a 2.44% difference, and S. incubus / S. seth showed a 2.91% difference. Externally, S. seth is distinguished from S. incubus by the hindwing fringe, white in S. seth but with a thin brown medial line in S. incubus ; the basal area of the hindwing of S. seth is paler than that of S. incubus , and the forewing of S. incubus is darker with the ordinary lines and spots more narrowly demarcated and with darker scales – that of S. seth is more boldly patterned and with a paler ground color. Sympistis incubus is most easily separated from S. levis by range – S. levis occurs in xeric habitats east of the Rockies from southern Alberta to Colorado; S. incubus has been collected from cental Washington State to eastern Oregon. The forewing of S. incubus is gray-brown with white scales in the subterminal shade above and below vein 1A+2A, in S. levis these scales are cream or buff colored and the ground color is yellowish brown. Internally, the ruff of setae at the base of the ovipositor lobes is longer and heavier in S. incubus than in S. levis , the cornuti on the ventral side of the base of the vesica are longer and heavier than those of S. levis , and the valve is narrower than that of S. levis (Fig. K-10), in which the ventral margin is bowed downward, making the valve slightly wider in mid-section than that of S. incubus (Fig. K-9).

Description. Males and females similar. Antennae filiform, head buff with a few black scales on vertex. Prothoracic collar white basally except at back of head, then lines of black, buff, black, brown, buff, black, brown, and buff. Thorax and abdomen a mix of buff, black, and white scales. Coremata with brushes, levers, and pockets absent from base of male abdomen. Forewing length 14-17 mm. Dorsal forewing ground color buff brown, grayish brown beyond postmedial line; black postmedial line undulating, edged distally with buff scales; black antemedial line deeply denticulate, edged basally with buff scales; basal line black; a series of black dashes extend between veins through postmedial area almost to black terminal line; subterminal line occurs as a series of buff dots or chevrons within these black dashes; scattered white scales between basal and antemedial lines; patches of white scales between veins below reniform spot and distal to postmedial line; orbicular, reniform, and claviform spots well demarcated with thin black outer and buff inner lines; fringe a series of cream, buff, white, buff, white, and finally buff lines. Dorsal hindwing dark grayish cream basally; thin black median line, and wide marginal band black; fringe cream basally, a thin brown line, then white distally. Male genitalia. (Fig. K-9) Dorsal and ventral margins of valve run parallel with each other before narrowing to rounded, upturned apex; ampulla of clasper talon-like, mid-section slightly widened. Vesica bends slightly downward and then bends 90° to the right; a patch of coarse cornuti at base of vesica on ventral surface with a ribbon of short, fine cornuti running around the 90° bend on distal side; upon completing 90° bend, vesica abruptly widens on dorsal surface where a patch of long, fine cornuti occurs on postero-dorsal surface; a dense ribbon of cornuti extends dorsally along medial half of vesica; a ribbon of dense cornuti extends along terminal ½ of posterior margin of vesica; a single, coarse apical cornutus and a bundle of cornuti is projected dorsally at apex. Female genitalia. (Fig. P-9) Ovipositor lobes rounded with scattered setae; a corona of short setae surrounds ovipositor lobes near tip, these setae produced at 90° to the abdomen, a ruff of longer, finer setae encircles ovipositor lobes at base; a sclerite occurs on ventral surface of ductus bursae at ostium bursae, ductus bursae otherwise not heavily sclerotized; appendix bursae bulges abruptly to right of ductus bursae, rounded at anterior end where ductus seminalis arises on dorsal side; corpus bursae absent.

Type material. Holotype male: USA: Washington, Douglas Co., Jameson Lk., 47° 39' N, 119° 37' W, 1880’, 15 ix 2001, J. Troubridge, in the CNC . Paratypes: 93♂ 4♀: Washington: same data as holotype , 41♂ 2♀; Douglas Co., Jameson Lk., 47° 39' N, 119° 37' W, 1880’, 17 ix 1999, J. Troubridge , 11♂; Douglas Co., Jameson Lk., 47° 39' N, 119° 37' W, 1880’, 7 ix 2001, J. Troubridge , 1♂; Douglas Co., Jameson Lk., south end, 23 ix 1995, J. Troubridge , 4♂; Douglas Co., Jameson Lk., south end, 27 ix 1996, J. Troubridge , 3♂; Douglas Co., Jameson Lk., 47° 39' N, 119° 37' W, 1880’, 26 ix 1998, J. Troubridge , 3♂; Douglas Co., Jameson Lk., 47° 39' N, 119° 37' W, 1880’, 26 ix 2000, J. Troubridge , 2♂; Douglas Co., Jameson Lk., 47° 39' N, 119° 37' W, 1880’, 16 ix 2000, J. Troubridge , 3♂; Douglas Co., Jameson Lk., 47° 39' N, 119° 37' W, 1880’, 14 ix 2002, J. Troubridge , 2♂; Douglas Co., Jameson Lk., south end, 16 ix 1994, J. Troubridge , 1♂; Douglas Co., Corbaley Cyn. , 47° 39' N, 120° 07' W, 2600', 16 ix 2000, J. Troubridge , 2♂; Douglas Co., Pine Cyn. , 47° 38' N, 120° 08' W, 2600', 14 ix 2002, J. Troubridge , 2♂. Oregon: Catlow Rim , 42° 28' N, 118° 54' W, 5 ix 1999, 4500’, J. Troubridge , 2♂; Crook Co., Suplee , 44° 01' N, 119° 39' W, 12 ix 1998, J. Troubridge , 2♂; Grant Co., Weberg Rd. , 1 mi S. Weberg, 5 ix 1997 J. Troubridge , 2♂; Crook Co., 5 mi S. Suplee , 44° 01' N, 119° 39' W, 4 ix 1999, J. Troubridge , 10♂; Lake Co., Rt. 140 W of Adel, 42° 12' N, 120° 00' W, 21 ix 2001, J. Troubridge , 1♀; Baker Co., Burnt R. Cyn. , 44° 34' N, 117° 34' W, 17 ix 2001, J. Troubridge , 2♂ 1♀.

Etymology. The word incubus is Latin for nightmare. It is a noun in apposition.

Distribution. This species is known from xeric lithosol habitats in central Washington and eastern Oregon.