Aseptis susquesa (Smith, 1908)

Mustelin, Tomas & Crabo, Lars G., 2015, Revision of the genus Aseptis McDunnough (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Noctuinae, Xylenini) with a description of two new genera, Paraseptis and Viridiseptis, ZooKeys 527, pp. 57-102 : 75

Taxon classification Animalia Lepidoptera Noctuidae

Aseptis susquesa (Smith, 1908) Figs 40-42, 70, 86

Hadena susquesa Smith, 1908: 116.

Trachea monica Barnes & McDunnough, 1918: 104, syn. n.

Type material.

Hadena susquesa : Lectotype male designated by Todd (1982) [AMNH, examined]. Type locality: Claremont, California. Trachea monica : Holotype male [USNM, examined]

Diagnosis.

This is a slender-winged small to medium-sized Aseptis , wingspan 31.4 ± 1.2 mm (n=25). It is readily recognized by its streaky medium-gray to dark-brown gray forewing with streaks of warm light orange tan to yellow tan at the postreniform patch, in the fold, and in the large pointed claviform spot. A thin tan line parallels the margin near the anal angle. The reniform and orbicular spots are outlined in black with paler peripheral and darker central scaling. The distal forewing is streaky due to black veins and pale-gray scales abutting R5, M1, M3, and CuA1. The transverse lines are obsolete. The hindwing is light whitish gray with brown-gray marginal shading and dark veins, darker in females. Aseptis susquesa from coastal California tend to be rustier than those from inland locations.

The male valve of Aseptis susquesa is similar to that of Aseptis binotata , although the cucullus is larger. The uncus is thin, the valve has an upright ampulla, the oblique digitus is long and pointed, and the cucullus is approximately 1.5 × as wide as the valve and slightly pointed. The vesica has two small diverticula and a single apical cornutus. The female genitalia has a papilla analis covered by similar-length needle-like setae and sparse hair-like basal setae; the corpus bursae is relatively small and short, 1.25 × as long as wide, with a similar sized appendix bursae that is laterally compressed and asymmetrically bulging ventrally.

No other Aseptis is streaked gray with patches of light orange or rusty color. Aseptis susquesa is most similar to Aseptis serrula and flies with it. It is similar gray but has light color restricted to a small postreniform patch. Males of these species are easily distinguished by their antennae

Distribution and biology.

Aseptis susquesa is known from Arizona, California, and Baja California, Mexico, at least as far south as Ensenada. Most records of the rusty coastal form are from San Diego, Riverside, and Los Angeles counties, California, where it inhabits coastal chaparral and canyons from late March to early June. The grayer inland form is found in the Mojave and Colorado deserts of southern California and in the Sonora Desert of Arizona. Aseptis susquesa prefers rocky areas in the mountain-desert transition zone and high desert. The larva is dark green marked with white and feeds on Artemisia californica Less. ( Asteraceae ) (unpublished) and Ericameria laricifolia (A. Gray) Shinners ( Asteraceae ) ( Crumb 1956).

Discussion.

In their original description of Trachea monica from Redington, Arizona, Barnes and McDunnough (1918) pointed out that it is similar to Hadena susquesa , described previously from Claremont, California, and might be a gray inland form of it. In support of that notion, the lectotype of Hadena susquesa is rather gray whereas some desert specimens from farther inland have considerable rusty brown demonstrating variability and overlap. The male genitalia of these forms are virtually uniform throughout the range. The CO1 barcodes, including specimens typical of coastal and inland forms, vary by less than 0.8%. For these reasons, we treat Trachea monica Barnes & McDunnough as a junior subjective synonym of Hadena susquesa Smith.