Taxonomy of southern California Erebidae and Noctuidae (Lepidoptera) with descriptions of twenty one new species
Author
Mustelin, Tomas
text
Zootaxa
2006
1278
1
47
journal article
10.5281/zenodo.273509
899ffdc9-d0a8-4d5d-946e-a7cb59be3020
11755326
273509
Trichocerapoda harbisoni
Mustelin
,
NEW SPECIES
Figs. 20
,
60
a, and 60b
Type
material.
Holotype
:
Male, Silver Strand, San Diego, California,
25 September 1952
, C. F. Harbison.
Paratypes
:
5 males
. San Diego County: Same data as
holotype
(
4 males
); Imperial Beach,
19 October 1933
, C. F. Harbison (
1 male
).
Holotype
and genitalic slide #108/TM deposited in
SDNHM
,
paratypes
in
SDNHM
and the author's collection.
Etymology.
I name this species for Charles F. Harbison, who collected all six specimens of the
type
series.
Diagnosis.
A small, pale gray noctuid, quite similar to
Trichocerapoda comstocki
Benj., 1932
, but differs by having a shorter and rounder forewing (
Fig. 20
a), more dark in the subterminal area (
Fig. 20
b), a smaller reniform spot with more dark filling (
Fig. 20
c), less prominent orbicular and claviform spots, and a considerably darker hindwing (
Fig. 20
d). The male genitalia (
Fig. 60
a and 60b) are distinct, but structurally quite similar to those of
T. comstocki
(
Fig. 61
).
Description.
Eye hairy. Male antenna finely ciliate. Head and thorax covered in pale gray hairlike scales. Forewing length
12mm
, ground color pale ash gray, basal half with more dark scales, am and pm lines missing, veins dark in outer half of forewing, subterminal area with dark filling between veins, terminal line black between veins, fringe checkered in pale and dark gray. Orbicular spot elongated, inwards pointed, outlined in thin black, filled with slightly paler than ground color. Claviform spot missing or very faint. Reniform spot sharply outlined in black outwards, basal side diffuse, outer half of spot filled with ground color, basal half filled with dark. Hindwing basally paler gray than forewing, with broad diffuse marginal shade in dark brown gray, inner half of fringe gray, outer half white.
Male genitalia
(
Figs. 60
a and 60b): Valve length
3.2 mm
, width at middle
0.85 mm
, Scurved, cucullus width
0.55 mm
, rounded; digitus 1.0 mm long, Sshaped, parallel with valve; Aedeagus length
2.8 mm
, width basally
0.8 mm
, tapering to
0.5 mm
distally; Everted vesica length approximately twice as long as aedeagus, curved and twirling, width
0.5 mm
basally,
0.8 mm
at middle and tapering to
0.2 mm
distally.
Female genitalia
: unknown (no females have been collected).
Distribution and habitat.
Trichocerapoda harbisoni
has been collected in late September and October on the sandy beaches of southernmost San Diego and the El Segundo Dunes in Los Angeles County.