Bryolymnia anthracitaria Ferris & McFarland, 2007

Lafontaine, Donald, Walsh, J. & Holland, Richard, 2010, A revision of the genus Bryolymnia Hampson in North America with descriptions of three new species (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Noctuinae, Elaphriini), ZooKeys 39 (39), pp. 187-204 : 201

Bryolymnia anthracitaria Ferris & McFarland, 2007

Figs 17–19, 31, 39

Bryolymnia anthracitaria Ferris & McFarland 2007: 196

Type material. Holotype ♁. Arizona, Cochise Co., Huachuca Mts., Ash Canyon , 31°23.27'N, 110°14.28'W, 5170’ (1577 m), 1015 July 2006, N McFarland. USNM, examined.

Other material examined and distribution. USA: Arizona: Cochise Co. (Huachuca Mts) and Santa Cruz Co. (Atascosa, Patagonia, and Santa Rita Mts).

Diagnosis. Bryolymnia anthracitaria can be recognized by its grayish-brown forewing with almost all of the basal and antemedial areas blackish brown and with a thick blackish-brown streak extending from the orbicular spot (in some specimens from the antemedial line) to the terminal line. The reniform and orbicular spots are outlined in black and the postmedial line is black but the lines are thin, so they tend to be partially covered and obscured by the prominent dark streak. Th e subterminal line is pale and usually obscure, being most evident near the costa because of black shading in the upper part of the subterminal area adjacent to the line. Forewing length ranges from 12–16 mm with males averaging 1.7 mm larger than females ( Ferris and McFarland 2007). In the male the hindwing is pale fuscous with darker fuscous on the veins, discal spot, and wing margin. In the female the hindwing is dark fuscous, slightly paler toward the wing base. Male genitalia. These are similar to those of Bryolymnia biformata , but in B. anthracitaria the dorsal surface of the clasper is serrated, the clasper is without a basal dorsal process, the digitus is much larger and widens apically into a plate that is serrated on both sides, and the vesica is more globular with two stout cornuti. Female genitalia. These also are similar to those of Bryolymnia biformata , but in B. anthracitaria the corpus bursae is more elongated and the ductus bursae is completely sclerotized and markedly expanded anteriorly and posteriorly.

Distribution and biology. Bryolymnia anthracitaria is known only from southeastern Arizona where it has been collected in oak scrub grassland. Collecting dates range from late June to late August.