Psammopolia sala (Troubridge & Mustelin) Crabo & Lafontaine, 2009

Crabo, Lars & Lafontaine, Donald, 2009, A Revision of Lasionycta Aurivillius (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) for North America and notes on Eurasian species, with descriptions of 17 new species, 6 new subspecies, a new genus, and two new species of Tricholita Grote, ZooKeys 30 (30), pp. 1-156 : 99

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.3897/zookeys.30.308
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:C26E1A82-0DD4-48EF-865C-9D8AA788B739
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3790129
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/75513F41-7B13-FFB4-FF02-EABA91DDFADF
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Psammopolia sala (Troubridge & Mustelin)
status	comb. nov.

Treatment

Psammopolia sala (Troubridge & Mustelin) , comb. n.

Figs 131, 132, 188, 243. Map 22

Lasionycta sala Troubridge & Mustelin, 2006 View in CoL , in Mustelin, 2006: 37 View Cited Treatment .

Type material. Holotype ♁ [ CNC, examined]. Type locality: San Simeon Dunes, Oceana , San Luis Obispo County, California.

Diagnosis. This recently described species is restricted to the isolated dune of San Luis Obispo County, California. It is pale powdery sandy brownish gray and has a pale elongate orbicular spot. Psammopolia sala occurs within the range of P. ochracea . The biserrate antenna (bipectinate in P. ochracea ), can be used to identify males. Females are distinguished from all Psammopolia by a shorter ovipositor lobe (0.27× as long as the ductus bursae in P. sala ; 0.40× in other species). Psammopolia sala is most similar in appearance and structure to P. insolens from central California. Males of P. sala have a smaller cucullus than P. insolens (0.7× valve width compared to 1.0× width for P. insolens ). Th e length of the ovipositor described above distinguishes females.

Distribution and biology. Psammopolia sala is restricted to the type locality where it flies over outer coastal dunes. It has been found in May and again in September and October.