Aseptis lichena (Barnes & McDunnough, 1912)

Mustelin, Tomas & Crabo, Lars G., 2015, Revision of the genus Aseptis McDunnough (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Noctuinae, Xylenini) with a description of two new genera, Paraseptis and Viridiseptis, ZooKeys 527, pp. 57-102 : 69

Taxon classification Animalia Lepidoptera Noctuidae

Aseptis lichena (Barnes & McDunnough, 1912) Figs 19, 20, 64, 81

Andropolia lichena Barnes & McDunnough, 1912b: 17.

Type material.

Holotype female [USNM, examined]. Type locality: Deer Park Springs, Lake Tahoe, California.

Diagnosis.

A medium-sized noctuid with a wingspan of 35.5 ± 1.8 mm (n=8; range 33-39 mm) with a powdery dark olive-green forewing produced by a mixture of black, green, and yellow scales. Aseptis lichena is darker green than Aseptis pseudolichena . The male valve of Aseptis lichena is nearly straight whereas that of Aseptis pseudolichena is bent slightly ventrad at its midpoint. In practice, most specimens can be assigned to a species based on geography, except in an area of overlap at the south end of the Sierra Nevada in Kern and Tuolumne counties. Aseptis lichena occurs to the north of this zone. Females are best associated with the males.

Distribution and biology.

The relatively few specimens of Aseptis lichena we have examined are from south-central California (Tehachapi Mountain Peak, Kern Co.) and north-central California (near Blairsden, Plumas Co., Lake Tahoe, and Yosemite Park). It is also reported from Mount Shasta, Mount Lassen, and other locations in northern California. It flies during mid-summer. The early stages are unknown.

Discussion.

This species was described in the genus Andropolia Grote, possibly because the holotype is a dark female with a relatively inconspicuous indentation of the hindwing. Specimen labels found by the senior author suggest that McDunnough suspected that this was incorrect. A female collected in Yosemite National Park, Camp 19, on 15 July 1937 by F.L. Cramer has a second label: "McD needs," a third label: " Andropolia lichena B & McD., Det. Dr. J. McDunnough," and a fourth label: "Probably misplaced in " Andropolia " - McD." Nonetheless, it remained in Andropolia until it was associated with Aseptis by Mustelin et al. (2000).