Psammopolia wyatti (Barnes & Benjamin) Crabo & Lafontaine, 2009

Crabo, Lars & Lafontaine, Donald, 2009, A Revision of Lasionycta Aurivillius (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) for North America and notes on Eurasian species, with descriptions of 17 new species, 6 new subspecies, a new genus, and two new species of Tricholita Grote, ZooKeys 30 (30), pp. 1-156 : 98

Psammopolia wyatti (Barnes & Benjamin) , comb. n.

Figs 123, 124, 186, 241. Map 22

Polia wyatti Barnes & Benjamin, 1926: 111 .

Lasionycta wyatti ; McDunnough 1938: 71.

Type material. Holotype ♀ [ USNM, examined]. Type locality: Fort Canby , Washington.

Diagnosis. Psammopolia wyatti is a large whitish silver-gray species with a large pale orbicular spot. The genitalia of both sexes of P. wyatti are the largest in the genus. The male valve has a large triangular cucullus and a flattened expanded ventral valve margin proximal to the clasper base. Psammopolia wyatti occurs with P. arietis throughout its range. Differences between them are described under P. arietis .

Distribution and biology. Psammopolia wyatti occurs from southern Oregon to the Queen Charlotte Islands, British Columbia. Adults fly over sand beaches, are nocturnal, and come to light. It has been collected from late May to early September.

The larva is described by Crumb (1956) and Godfrey (1972). It feeds on Polygonum paronychia , Abronia latifolia , Tanacetum camphoratum Less. (Asteraceae) , and a grass. Th e prolegs are obsolescent except in early instars, are fused to the venter, and lack crochets. Larvae in various stages of development are found throughout the year.