Admetovis oxymorus Grote, 1873

Crabo, Lars G. & Schmidt, B. Christian, 2018, A revision of Admetovis Grote, with the description of a new species from western North America (Noctuidae, Noctuinae, Hadenini), ZooKeys 788, pp. 167-181 : 175-178

Admetovis oxymorus Grote, 1873 Figs 3, 4, 9, 10, 14, 16

Admetovis oxymorus Grote, 1873: 133.

Type material.

Admetovis oxymorus was described from two syntypes, one each from Sierra Nevada and Rocky Mountains ( Grote 1873), with an illustration of the California type on plate 4, figure 5. The depicted California female is clearly identifiable as the species that is widespread along the West Coast, an important distinction since based on current known distributions the other type specimen from the Rocky Mountains is most likely A. icarus .

We found neither type specimen in major collections known to contain Grote type specimens, including AMNH and NHML, and both specimens are most likely lost. This conclusion is supported by the fact that Poole (1989), in the Lepidopterorum Catalogus series, appears to not have examined the syntypes or known their whereabouts. He lists the type material noncommittally as “Type(s)” and cites " AMNH London [sic]" as the repository collection. In order to fix the identity of the name, we hereby designate a female specimen in the CNC labeled "CA, Sierra Co., 2 mi. E. Bassetts, 5300' [1615 m], Hwy. 49, SNFC-SF State U., 4-7.Jul.2007, P. A. and E. Opler" as Neotype with a red label designating it as such.

Diagnosis.

This species and A. icarus have dorsal hindwings with gray or tan ground color and are distinguished easily from A. similaris that has a pure white hindwing with white or thin gray veins. Admetovis oxymorus is best distinguished from A. icarus by the shape of the hindwing. The margin between veins M1 and M3 is slightly concave in A. oxymorus but straight in A. icarus .

Admetovis oxymorus is the only species in the genus with fully developed male coremata; the coremata of the others are either vestigial or absent completely. The cucullus of the male valve of A. oxymorus is broadest in the genus, more than 2 × width of the adjacent neck versus less than 2 × in the other species. The relative sizes can be observed by brushing the scales from the end of the abdomen. Females of A. oxymorus have a bulbous anterior corpus bursae bearing three signa. Those of the other species either have four signa ( A. similaris ) or a smaller anterior bursa ( A. icarus ) as quantified in the Key to species.

The barcode of A. oxymorus (BOLD:AAD7455) differs from those of the other Admetovis species by slightly more than 3.5 %. Intraspecies variation within A. oxymorus is approximately 0.2 % (n = 7; British Columbia, California, Oregon).

Distribution and ecology.

Admetovis oxymorus occurs in the American West between the Rocky Mountains and Pacific Coast, as far north as extreme southern British Columbia. Most records are from the western part of this area, where it occurs throughout much of California, Oregon and Washington. The range is limited to Idaho and immediate vicinity in the Rocky Mountains.

Admetovis oxymorus is most commonly collected in hilly or mountainous areas with at least some trees, and occurs in a variety of habitats from riparian areas in steppe to near timberline.

Adults of A. oxymorus have been collected from late May until early August, with most records from mid-June through July. High-elevation populations fly latest, often in late July or August. It is nocturnal and comes to light.

Admetovis oxymorus is the only species in the genus for which the early stages are known. Reared larvae from southern California accepted elderberry ( Sambucus mexicanus Presl.) in captivity ( McFarland 1975). Godfrey (1972) illustrated the head and hypopharyngeal complex of the mature larva.

Discussion.

This species has until now been confused with A. icarus . Prior records of A. oxymorus from Utah and Colorado are referable to A. icarus .