Catocala chelidonia occidentalis Hawks, 2010

Hawks, David, 2010, Review of the Catocala delilah species complex (Lepidoptera, Erebidae), ZooKeys 39 (39), pp. 13-35 : 31

Catocala chelidonia occidentalis Hawks , ssp. n.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:F24788C7-BB3D-40B9-BFC7-6BA5D4370601

Figs 23, 24

Type material. Holotype ♁ (Fig. 23, PMNH specimen #ENT 721051; FW length 20 mm), allotype ♀ (Fig. 24, PMNH specimen #ENT 721052; FW length 21 mm): Pinyon Flat, Santa Rosa Mountains , Riverside County, California, leg. D. C. Hawks; holotype 15 June 1987, allotype 22 June 1987 . Paratypes (25 ♁ 53 ♀): 23 ♁ 46 ♀ from the type locality, various dates and collectors. Remaining paratypes: Kern County: 10 km NW of Frazier Park (1 ♀) ; Los Angeles County: San Gabriel Mountains , 4 km SSW of Valyermo (1 ♁ 4 ♀) ; Juniper Hills , 3 km S of Pearblossom (1 ♀) ; San Gabriel Mountains , Ridge Route, Halfway House (l ♁) ; San Diego County: 6 km S of Oak Grove (1 ♀) . Holotype and allotype deposited at PMNH, paratypes deposited at LACM and other USA museums as well as in private collections.

Diagnosis. The forewings of C. c. occidentalis are similar to those of other subspecies. Distinguishing hindwing characters include: dorsal surface has many black scales at the base; wider inner band; narrower postmedial band; yellowish color of the dorsal surface consistently darker. About 5 percent of the specimens of C. c. occidentalis examined could be confused with specimens of the nominate subspecies.

Description. Forewing: dorsal surface ground color charcoal to brownish gray, mottled with hoary scales; antemedial and postmedial lines black, modestly apparent; subreniform whitish to yellow, usually visible. Hindwing: pale areas dull yellow orange; bands black, apical spot dull yellow orange; anal spot separated from outer band; conspicuously narrow postmedial band (usually only 1–2 mm near vein M2); anterior half of outer band wide with conspicuous rounded indentation in inner edge of outer band between M2 and Cu1; many dark scales at base.

Distribution and biology. Catocala c. occidentalis occurs along the western desert edge in southern California and northward to at least Trinity County. County records for USA are as follows. CALIFORNIA: Kern, Lake, Los Angeles, Madera, Napa, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Santa Clara, Solano, Trinity.. The immature stages of C. c. occidentalis have been described and the larva figured by Johnson (1985). At the San Diego, Riverside, and San Bernardino County localities the larvae feed on Quercus cornelius-mulleri . Adults have been collected from early June to late August, with the peak flight period in late June at Pinyon Flat.