Psammopolia arietis (Grote), 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 : 97-98

Psammopolia arietis (Grote) , comb. n.

Figs 125, 126, 185, 240. Map 23

Mamestra arietis Grote, 1879: 207 .

Lasionycta arietis ; McDunnough 1938: 71.

Anarta etacta Smith, in Dyar 1900: 493 , syn. n.

Type material. Mamestra arietis : syntype ♁ [ BMNH, examined]. Type locality: California. Anarta etacta : holotype ♀ [ USNM, examined]. Type locality: Kukak Bay, [Aleutian Islands], Alaska.

Diagnosis. Psammopolia arietis is a relatively small (expanse <18 mm) gray species from the West Coast north of Mendocino, California. It occurs with P. wyatti and can be recognized from it by smaller size, darker gray color, and features of the spots. The orbicular spot of P. arietis is nearly round and it and the reniform spot are filled with pale gray peripheral and darker gray central scales. In P. wyatti , the orbicular spot is oval and it and the reniform spot are usually filled with whitish scales. The male genitalia of P. arietis resemble those of P. wyatti but are less massive with a less expanded ventral margin and smaller cucullus. Th e female corpus bursae of P. arietis is slightly shorter relative to the ductus bursae than that of P. wyatti (corpus/ductus = 1.75× for P. arietis ; 1.85–2.0× for P. wyatti ).

Distribution and biology. Psammopolia arietis occurs on Pacific Coast sand beaches from Mendocino, California to southwestern Alaska. It is absent from the inland Strait of Georgia. Adults are nocturnal and come to light. Specimens are from late July to early September.

Crumb (1956) and Godfrey (1972) described larvae from Newport, Oregon. It lives in sand dunes and feeds on Lathyrus littoralis (Nutt.) Endl. (Fabaceae) , Polygonum paronychia Cham. & Schltdl. (Polygonaceae) , Abronia latifolia Eschsch. (Nyctaginaceae) , and an unspecified grass ( Poaceae ). It has reduced prolegs with crochets.