Grammia nevadensis geneura ( Strecker, 1880 )

Ferguson, Douglas C. & Schmidt, Christian, 2007, Taxonomic review of the Grammia nevadensis species group (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae) with descriptions of`two new species, Zootaxa 1405, pp. 39-49 : 42

Grammia nevadensis geneura ( Strecker, 1880) revised status

( Fig. 1 c)

The nevadensis subspecies that occurs at moderate to upper elevations in the Front Ranges of the Colorado Rocky Mountains is geneura ( Strecker, 1880) . Populations from Hinsdale County (9000’ elevation) also appear to belong to this taxon. The name geneura , previously associated with the larger, paler or brighter Arizona ­Texas taxon ( Figs. 1 f, 5), is not available in that sense because geneura was described from Gilpin County, Colorado (8500’). This is outside the range and habitat of the southern taxon, and examination of the holotype of geneura (Field Museum of Natural history, Chicago, IL) confirms the true identity of this species. The species formerly associated with the name geneura has been revised to G. incorrupta (Henry Edwards, 1881) by Ferguson & Opler (2006).

Males of G. incorrupta can be distinguished from G. nevadensis by the longer antennal pectinations, the longest averaging 0.76 mm in incorrupta versus 0.66 mm in nevadensis ; the dark­thorax phenotype common in G. n. nevadensis and G. n. superba is very rare in G. i n c o r r u p t a, and the entirely pale­buff thoracic collar (patagia) seen in about 25% of incorrupta specimens never occurs in G. nevadensis . G. incorrupta is multibrooded, while G. nevadensis is univoltine, and females of G. incorrupta are attracted to light while those of G. nevadensis (and indeed of all other nevadensis­ group species) are not.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Adult males of the Grammia nevadensis species group, a) G. n. nevadensis (Winnemuca, Humboldt Co., NV); b) G. n. superba (Victoria, Vancouver Is., BC); c) G. n. geneura (Estes Park, Larimer Co., CO); d) G. n. gibsoni (Burstall dunes, SK); e) G. behrii (Eight Dollar Mtn., Josephine Co., OR); f) G. i n c o r r u p t a (Comanche Natl. Grassland, Baca Co., CO); g) G. williamsii (Jenner, AB); h) G. eureka (HOLOTYPE, Eureka, Juab Co., UT); i) G. bowmani (PARATYPE, Black Ridge, Mesa Co., CO).