Sympistis anubis Troubridge, 2008

Troubridge, J. T., 2008, A generic realignment of the Oncocnemidini sensu Hodges (1983) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae: Oncocnemidinae), with description of a new genus and 50 new species, Zootaxa 1903 (1), pp. 1-95 : 22

Sympistis anubis Troubridge sp. n.

(Figs. D-1, L-6 Q-3)

Diagnosis. Sympistis anubis flies with S. sandaraca (Fig. C-24) at mid-elevations in the northern Sierra Nevada. Both species are of the S. hayesi group and have dusky forewings. They are easily separated from each other by the darker grayish brown forewing and pale dusky grayish brown postmedial hindwing band of S. anubis vs. an orange cast to the forewing and orange postmedial hindwing band in S. sandaraca . The forewing of Sympistis melantho (Smith) (Fig. D-3) is marked with white and not dark and dusky like that of S. anubis , and the hindwing postmedial band of Sympistis pudorata (Smith) (Fig. D-2) is off-white.

Description. Antennae filiform. Prothoracic collar a dirty cream color with a diffuse median black line. Head gray, thorax shades of gray, black, and light gray scales. Forewing length 15 mm. Dorsal forewing ground color dark, dusky grayish brown; diffuse antemedial, postmedial, and median lines charcoal gray; thin terminal line black; veins bordered with scattered, dark cream scales; subterminal line obscure, broken, dark cream, bordered basally with charcoal gray –charcoal gray most prominent near apex; obscure orbicular and reniform spots light gray with dark gray fill; fringe a series of dark cream, charcoal, light gray, charcoal, and finally light gray lines lightly checkered with darker shades between veins. Dorsal hindwing basal area gray; off-white mesial band heavily suffused with gray scales, particularly so on veins and discal lunule; marginal band dark grayish brown; fringe cream basally, a faint gray median line, white distally. Male genitalia. (Fig. L-6) Valve with pointed, upturned apex; ventral margin extended ventrally between clasper and cucullus; ampulla of clasper with mid-section slightly widened then tapering evenly on anterior and posterior margins to terminal spine. Vesica bends downward to the right, curling about 160° and pointing leftward; a ribbon of sparse cornuti runs dorsally the entire length of vesica; a narrower ribbon of dense cornuti on ventral surface along middle ½ of vesica; a single, coarse apical cornutus and small bundle of cornuti project from apex; small apical diverticulum present ventrally. Female genitalia. (Fig. Q-3) Ovipositor lobes rounded with scattered setae; a corona of short setae surrounds ovipositor lobes near tip, these setae produced at 90° to the abdomen; a ruff of longer, finer setae encircles ovipositor lobes at base; a sclerite occurs on ventral surface of ductus bursae at ostium bursae, ductus bursae narrow, abruptly widens to sac-like appendix bursae; appendix bursae with extension on right which narrows and curls around to ductus seminalis on dorsal side; corpus bursae absent.

Type material. Holotype male: USA: California, Jackson Creek , Plumas Co., 39° 50' N, 120° 39' W, 5400’, 28 viii 2000, J. Troubridge, in the CNC . Paratypes: 1♂ 1♀, same data as holotype .

Etymology. Anubis is an ancient Egyptian deity who was a protector of the dead. It is a noun in apposition.

Distribution. This species is known from the northern Sierra Nevada, California.