Lasionycta phoca (Möschler)

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 : 67

Lasionycta phoca (Möschler)

Figs 61, 62, 170, 226. Map 15

Dianthoecia phoca Möschler, 1864: 197 .

Scotogramma phoca ; Smith 1893a: 129.

Lasiestra phoca ; Hampson, 1905: 47

Lasionycta phoca ; Lafontaine et al. 1986: 264.

Scotogramma albinuda Smith, 1903: 19 , syn. n.

Lasionycta albinuda ; McDunnough 1938: 71.

Type material. Lasiestra phoca : holotype [ ZMHB, not examined]. Type locality: Labrador. Scotogramma albinuda : lectotype ♀ [ AMNH, examined]. Type locality: Rama, Labrador. Th e female lectotype was designated by Todd (1982: 10).

Diagnosis. Lasionycta phoca is a very dark species from subarctic northeastern North America. It is nearly uniform dark charcoal gray with black lines and spots. Lasionycta phoca is smaller than any other L. phoca sub-group species except L. mono (expanse <30 mm). Th e black ventral hindwing postmedial line is diffuse but prominent. It forms a smooth arc and touches or nearly touches the discal spot. Other species, including L. uniformis handfieldi that occurs on the Gaspé Peninsula, have a hindwing medial band that is thinner, undulating, and well separated from the spot. Th ese characters also differentiate L. phoca from L. anthracina , a smaller nearly black L. leucocycla sub-group species from boreal forest habitat in eastern North America.

The male and female genitalia and male antenna of L. phoca are typical for the subgroup. Th e male corona is single except near the apex of the valve.

The two CO1 sequences of L. phoca are most similar to that of L. u. uniformis , differing by at least 0.24 %.

Distribution and biology. Lasionycta phoca occurs in eastern and central Canada with records from Labrador to the west coast of Hudson Bay. Adults fly over tundra, are diurnal and nocturnal, and come to light. It has been collected in June and July.