Sympistis sokar 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 : 52-53

Sympistis sokar Troubridge sp. n.

(Figs. F-16, F-17, O-6, T-10)

Diagnosis. Sympistis sokar closely resembles S. chorda (Fig. F-14) and S. dischorda (Fig. F-18; F-19). It is easiest to separate S. sokar from S. chorda by range, with S. chorda present in Colorado and Utah and S. sokar present in the western Great Basin, from northern Nevada to central Washington. Internally, the anterior end of the appendix bursae of S. chorda bends 180° to point to the rear of the insect, but that of S. sokar and S. dischorda bend to the left and then slightly to the anterior. Sympistis sokar flies in xeric canyons, usually with basalt rimrock and lithosol substrate. It can also occur along basalt cliffs at mid-elevations in the Cascades. Sympistis dischorda occurs in dry mid-elevation forests, not in desert canyons. Sympistis sokar differs from S. dischorda by the dorsal hindwing of the male, where the terminal shade forms a broad, dark grayish brown band, but in S. dischorda the terminal shade is significantly reduced. Throughout most of its range, the terminal shade of S. dischorda is reduced to scattered dark scales on and around the terminus of the veins, but in the mountains of southwestern California the terminal shade is often broader, approaching that of S. sokar . On the forewing, the antemedial and postmedial lines of S. dischorda are finer than those of S. sokar and the antemedial line is straighter than that of S. sokar . Description. Antennae filiform, head light grayish brown with distinct black band across vertex, prothoracic collar, thorax and abdomen light grayish brown. Small, vestigial pockets present on male abdomen but levers and hair pencils absent. Forewing length 14-17 mm. Dorsal forewing grayish brown, postmedial line bordered distally with grayish brown scales, subterminal and postmedial area between these grayish brown scales and terminal line dark grayish brown. Orbicular spot absent or nearly so; reniform spot white without distinct margin; antemedial, postmedial, and basal lines black; antemedial line bows out distally; median line faint, present as scattered dark gray scales running from antemedial line to costa where a black dot is present; subterminal line absent; terminal line present as a series of black chevrons between veins; fringe dark grayish brown with off-white basal line. Dorsal hindwing pale gray to dirty white in females, white to dirty white in males, with broad grayish brown terminal shade; veins highlighted with gray scales; fringe white with gray median line. Male genitalia. (Fig. O-6) Valve shaped like prow of canoe, with distinct corona; ampulla of clasper bends posteriorly and narrows to terminal spine. Vesica arcs downward 90° with dorsal, subbasal patch of spine-like cornuti; a narrow ribbon of cornuti lies flat against left side of posterior ½ of vesica; a broad ribbon of erect cornuti extends dorsally along middle portion vesica; a bundle of two long cornuti above a single stout cornutus extend from apex. Female genitalia. (Fig. T-10) Ovipositor lobes rounded, with scattered fine setae and collar of long setae at the base; ductus bursae with triangular sclerotized ventral plate on posterior ½, meets appendix bursae, which arises from right side of ductus bursae and corpus bursae on left; appendix bursae gradually widens, bends to the left in mid-section, and then narrows quickly to anterior diverticulum which bends slightly to the anterior before narrowing to ductus seminalis at apex, corpus bursae with two elongate signa, about same size as appendix bursae, with central bulge and narrowing to rounded anterior apex.

Type material. Holotype male: Oregon, Jefferson Co., 2 mi. N Vanora, 25 viii 1997, J. Troubridge, in the CNC . Paratypes: 38♂ 23♀. Oregon: same data as holotype , 3♂ 1♀; Catlow Rim , 42° 28' N, 118° 54' W, 4500’, 5 ix 1999, J. Troubridge , 4♂ 3♀; Cornet Cr., Baker Co., 44° 29' N, 117° 51' W, 3600’, 21 viii 2000, J. Troubridge , 1♂; Burnt River Cyn., Baker Co., 44° 34' N, 117° 34' W, 3031’, 19 ix 2001, J. Troubridge , 1♂ 1♀; Grant Co., S fork John Day R., 2 mi N Pine Cr., 5 ix 1997 , 1♂; Malheur Co., Malheur R. 43° 46' N, 117° 44' W, 2700’, 27 ix 1998, J. Troubridge , 1♂ 2♀; Malheur Co., Malheur R. 43° 46' N, 117° 44' W, 2700’, 13 ix 1998, J. Troubridge , 1♂ 2♀; Namorf, Malheur R. 43° 46' N, 117° 44' W, 2700’, 6 ix 1999, J. Troubridge , 1♂. Nevada: Elko Co., Rt. 231, 11 mi SW Wells, 2500m, 22 vii 2001, Lafontaine and Troubridge , 1♂; Elko Co., Rt. 231, 11 mi SW Wells, 2500m, 23 vii 2001, Lafontaine and Troubridge , 1♂; Elko Co., Angel Lk. , 2550m, 23 vii 2001, Lafontaine and Troubridge , 1♂. Washington: Pine Cyn., Douglas Co., 47° 38' N, 120° 08' W, 2600’, 14 ix 2002, J. Troubridge , 1♂ 2♀; Pine Cyn., Douglas Co., 47° 38' N, 120° 08' W, 2600’, 15 ix 2001, J. Troubridge , 2♂; Corbaley Cyn. , Douglas Co., 47° 39' N, 120° 07' W, 2600’, 26 ix 2000, J. Troubridge , 3♂ 2♀; Corbaley Cyn. , Douglas Co., 47° 39' N, 120° 07' W, 2600’, 16 ix 2000, J. Troubridge , 2♀; Jameson Lk., Douglas Co., 47° 39' N, 119° 37' W, 14 ix 2002, J. Troubridge , 2♂ 1♀; Jameson Lk., Douglas Co., 47° 39' N, 119° 37' W, 15 ix 2001, J. Troubridge , 1♀; Jameson Lk., Douglas Co., 47° 39' N, 119° 37' W, 16 ix 2000, J. Troubridge , 1♂ 1♀; Jameson Lk., Douglas Co., 47° 39' N, 119° 37' W, 17 ix 1999, J. Troubridge , 1♀; Bethel Ridge , Yakima Co., 5800’, 46° 42' N, 121° 07' W, 21 viii 1999, J. Troubridge , 1♂; Bethel Ridge , Yakima Co., 5800’, 46° 42' N, 121° 07' W, 21 viii 1999, J. Troubridge , 2♂ 1♀; Bethel Ridge , Yakima Co., 5800’, 46° 42' N, 121° 07' W, 27 viii 1998, J. Troubridge , 1♀; Bethel Ridge , Yakima Co., 25 viii 1996, J. Troubridge , 4♂; Bethel Ridge , Yakima Co., 22 viii 1997, J. Troubridge , 1♂ 2♀; Bethel Ridge , Yakima Co., 18 viii 1995, J. Troubridge , 5♂.

Etymology. From Egyptian mythology, Sokar is god of reincarnation whose domain is the desert sands outside Memphis. It is a noun in apposition.

Distribution. Sympistis sokar has been collected from central Washington to northern Nevada in the Great Basin.