Hypotrix basistriga Lafontaine, Ferris & Walsh, 2010

Lafontaine, Donald, Ferris, Clifford & Walsh, J., 2010, A revision of the genus Hypotrix Guenee in North America with descriptions of four new species and a new genus (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Noctuinae, Eriopygini), ZooKeys 39 (39), pp. 225-253 : 240-242

Hypotrix basistriga Lafontaine, Ferris & Walsh , sp. n.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:1D9C6212-F3A9-4C8B-B95D-D024061EE26D

Figs 8, 25, 40

Type material. Holotype ♁. Arizona, Graham Co., Pinaleno Mts, Cummingham Campground , 9,000’, ponderosa pine habitat, 14 June 2005, B. Walsh. CNC . Paratypes: 4 ♁, 1 ♀. USA, Arizona. [Apache Co.], White Mts, Greer , 8300’, 26 June 1968, R. H. Leuschner (3 ♁, 1 ♀) ; [Apache Co.], White Mts, Greer , 8300’, 24 – 25 July 1965, R. H. Leuschner (1 ♁) . Paratypes deposited in CNC, JBW, RL.

Etymology. Basistriga is Latin and refers to the black dash or streak at the base of the forewing.

Diagnosis. Hypotrix basistriga can be recognized by its small size, streaked appearance created by the black basal dash and the combination of black on the forewing veins and pale gray-brown shading between the veins, the orbicular spot touching the outer edge of the antemedial line, and the obscure subterminal line. Th e male genitalia are most similar to those of H. ocularis but in H. basistriga the corona extends along the entire outer margin of the cucullus, there is no stout cornutus at the anal angle of the cucullus, and the vesica is much longer and without a large medial cornutus. The female genitalia also similar to those of H. ocularis , but in H. basistriga the appendix bursae is much longer.

Description. Adults. Male and female similar in size, color, and maculation. Forewing length: 12–13 mm. Head – Male antenna with individual segments slightly swollen and rounded laterally; ventral setae with tendency to divide into two tufts on each side. Female antenna filiform, minutely setose ventrally. Palpi and head clothed with slightly-forked, pale buff and brown strap-like scales, a few black tipped. Thorax – Covered with similar scales to those of head; without tufting. Legs: Appearing speckled with mixture of pale gray and blackish-brown scales. Middle and hind tibiae with 2–5 spiniform setae near tibial spurs. Wings: Dorsal forewing ground color appearing blotchy because of pale-brown shading mixed with patches of darker-brown; scattered white scales give wing a hoary appearance; wing appearing streaked because of long black basal dash and black shading on wing veins, especially in subterminal and terminal areas; maculation generally obscure; antemedial line with a faint darker gray inner line, a darker gray outer line, filled with pale ground color; postmedial line with faint scalloped inner line followed by diffuse pale gray shading; medial line gray brown, broad but diffuse, angled at reniform spot; postmedial line essentially absent but terminal area partially indicated by generally darker shading that blends into subterminal area; wing margin with small black dots between wing veins; orbicular spot a faint pale patch with a black spot in inner margin forming part of outer element of antemedial line, so antemedial line touching orbicular spot; reniform spot a rectangular pale patch with an elongated black spot or streak in lower proximal corner. Fringe with thin pale basal line, but mainly similar in color to darker ground shading on forewing. Dorsal hindwing very pale fuscous with darker fuscous on discal spot, wing veins, postmedial line, and mar-

Figures 34–39. Hypotrix female genitalia. 34 H. ferricola 35 H. diplogramma 36 H. parallela 37 H. rubra 38 H. spinosa 39 H. ocularis .

ginal 1/3 of wing; a broken terminal line indicated by dark fuscous line between some wing veins. Fringe pale buff. Male genitalia – Uncus thin from base, abruptly spatulate at apex. Valve with well-defined triangular cucullus with narrow “neck,” complete outer corona, without stout seta at anal angle; digitus short, tapered, ending at notch proximal to cucullus; clasper strongly upcurved, extending beyond dorsal margin of valve; membranous part of sacculus not overlapping sclerotized part, extending along ventral 1/3 of valve to notch in valve anterior to cucullus; lower margin of valve angled in to notch. Aedeagus unarmed. Vesica about 3 1/2 × as long as aedeagus; vesica swollen at base, without cornuti, with coil in middle; vesica and a brush-like cluster of long spines postmedially. Female genitalia – Corpus bursae membranous, round; appendix bursae about 4 × longer than corpus bursae with medial coil and curved through 180°, apical 1/2 projects posteriorly. Ductus bursae about 2/3 as long as corpus bursae, lightly sclerotized except posterior 1/4. Anal papillae tapered from large bulbous base.

Distribution and biology. Hypotrix basistriga is known only from the White Mountains and Pinaleno Mountains in eastern Arizona. Adults have been collected from mid-June to late July in open ponderosa pine forests.