Lasionycta coloradensis (Richards), stat. rev.

Figs 37, 152, 208. Map 8

Lasiestra coloradensis Richards, 1943: 85 .

Lasionycta leucocycla coloradensis; Lafontaine et al. 1986: 257.

Type material. Lasiestra coloradensis: holotype ♁ [ANSP, examined]. Type locality: Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Diagnosis. This species has similar markings to L. poca but both wings are brown, lesser so in the northern part of its range than in Colorado. Th e hindwing is light brown with a suffusion of dark scales. Some specimens are larger than those of L. poca . In Colorado L. coloradensis is most similar to unstreaked specimens of L. benjamini medaminosa ssp. n. Differences between them are described under L. b. medaminosa. Lasionycta coloradensis is superficially similar to Hadena lafontainei Troubridge and Crabo, also found in Colorado, but is easily differentiated by obvious genitalic differences (those of H. lafontainei are illustrated by Troubridge and Crabo (2002)).

The CO1 DNA sequences of L. coloradensis (Wyoming) and L. poca (Alberta, British Columbia, Washington, and Yukon Territory) differ by 0.85 %. The sequences are distinct without variation or shared haplotypes for all specimens sampled (Fig. 248), a total of three samples for L. coloradensis and five for L. poca . This difference in DNA, in conjunction with those in phenotype and biogeography, suggest that L. coloradensis is best treated as a species distinct from L. poca .

Distribution and biology. Lasionycta coloradensis occurs in the Rocky Mountains from the Montana-Wyoming border to New Mexico.

Remarks. Lafontaine et al. (1986) treated L. coloradensis as a subspecies of L. leucocycla . Structural and genetic differences between these species are similar to those distinguishing L. poca and L. leucocycla . L. coloradensis is sympatric with L. leucocycla albertensis on the Beartooth Plateau near the Montana-Wyoming border. We consider L. coloradensis and L. poca to be species rather than subspecies for reasons given in the Diagnosis section.