Catocala delilah, Strecker, 1874

Hawks, David, 2010, Review of the Catocala delilah species complex (Lepidoptera, Erebidae), ZooKeys 39 (39), pp. 13-35 : 14-16

C. delilah Strecker, 1874

adoptiva Grote, 1874

calphurnia H. Edwards, 1880

umbella Barnes & Benjamin, 1927

C. desdemona H. Edwards, 1882 , stat. rev.

ixion Druce, 1890 , syn. n

utahensis Cassino, 1918, syn. n

swetti Barnes & Benjamin, 1927

umbra Barnes & Benjamin, 1927

C. caesia Hawks, 2010 , sp. n.

C. frederici Grote, 1872

C. benjamini Brower, 1937

a. benjamini Brower, 1937

b. ute Peacock & Wagner, 2009

c. jumpi Hawks, 2010, ssp. n.

d. mayhewi Hawks, 2010, ssp. n.

C. andromache H. Edwards, 1885

wellsi Johnson,1983, syn. n.

C. californiensis Brower, 1976

C. johnsoniana Brower, 1976

C. mcdunnoughi Brower, 1937

browerarum Johnson, 1983, syn. n.

C. chelidonia Grote, 1881

a. chelidonia Grote, 1881

b. occidentalis Hawks, 2010, ssp. n.

c. uniforma Hawks, 2010, ssp. n.

Key to adults of the Catocala delilah species complex

1. Forewing with conspicuous basal dash; subreniform open........ johnsoniana

– Basal dash absent, or small and inconspicuous; subreniform usually closed 2

2. Dorsal hindwing with thin black line along margin between M1 and ScR1 dividing apical spot; ventral hindwing apical area invaded by black............ 3

– Apical areas not as above ............................................................................ 4

3. Dorsal forewing even charcoal or ashy gray .................................. chelidonia

– Dorsal forewing mostly brown, mottled with dark patches..... mcdunnoughi

4. Two teeth of PM line pointing outward near M1 and M2, third tooth pointing inward near 2A at least twice as long as other teeth; generally large species, forewing costal margin length circa 28–31 mm .......................................... 5

– All teeth of PM line similar in size, none conspicuously longer than others; smaller species, forewing costal margin circa 19–26 mm ............................ 6

5. AM line thick at costa, gradually becoming thin toward inner margin, or appearing “beaded” due to alternating thick and thin areas; dorsal forewing surface usually evenly brown; dorsal hindwing with bands brownish orange; edges of apical spot on ventral hindwing usually not well defined ..... delilah

– AM line thick at costa, abruptly becoming thin near radial vein and near inner margin, not conspicuously “beaded;” dorsal forewing highly variable, usually mottled grayish brown; bands of dorsal hindwing yellowish orange; edges of apical spot on ventral hindwing usually well defined...... desdemona

6. Undersides of forewings and hindwings boldly marked with yellow and black; apex and fringe of ventral forewing yellowish gray with few dark scales; apical hindwing spot yellow, sharply defined; fringes mostly yellow ..................... 7

– Yellow areas of ventral wings often smeared with dark scales; apex of ventral forewing infused with dark scales; apical hindwing spot not sharply defined, ventral fringes conspicuously checkered ..................................................... 8

7. Dorsal forewing even green to blue gray, black scales nearly absent .... frederici

– Dorsal forewing mottled blue, gray, brown, and black......................... caesia

8. Dorsal forewing even ashy gray with black lines; AM line thick; dark patch between reniform, subreniform, and PM line usually conspicuous.... californiensis

– Dorsal forewing mottled with brown, lines indistinct; AM line usually thin, indistinct; dark patch usually not conspicuous ........................................... 9

9. Dorsal forewing varies from mottled to even brown or gray brown, not speckled with green or bluish-gray scales; ventral hindwing yellowish tan with narrow (1–2 mm) black inner band; few dark scales at hindwing base .......... benjamini

– Dorsal forewing often blackish-gray, variably speckled with green or bluishgray scales; ventral hindwing yellow to yellow orange with wide (2–4 mm) black inner band; dark scales usually present at hindwing base.... andromache

Taxonomic accounts