Sympistis sakhmet Troubridge 2008, sp. n.
Creators: name: Troubridge, J. T.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2008
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Noctuidae
Sympistis
Sympistis sakhmet

description: <i>Sympistis sakhmet</i> Troubridge sp. n. (Figs. C-8, M-1, Q-7) <b>Diagnosis.</b> <i>Sympistis sakhmet</i> and <i>S. ptah</i> <b>sp. n.</b> (described below) are closely related but easy to separate. The forewing of <i>S. sakhmet</i> is a mottled rusty orange color, that of <i>S. ptah</i> is grayish brown. The basal portion of the hindwing of <i>S. sakhmet</i> is pale pink, pale rust, or cream colored with scattered gray scales on the veins, that of <i>S. ptah</i> is white with scattered gray scales on the veins. <b>Description</b>. Holotype. Antennae filiform. Prothoracic collar, head, thorax, and abdomen a mix of various shades of rust, pink, and white scales, giving a hoary pinkish rust appearance. Coremata with brushes, levers, and pockets present on base of male abdomen. Forewing length 12-14 mm. <b>Dorsal forewing</b> ground color mottled pink and light rust, grayish rust beyond postmedial line; postmedial and antemedial lines obscure, basal line a single row of dark brown scales; subterminal line a weak scattering of light pinkish brown scales; terminal line a series of rust chevrons between veins, edged basally with scattered pale brownish scales; veins highlighted with white and gray scales; orbicular, reniform and claviform somewhat obscure, light pinkish brown with weak margin of dark rust brown scales; fringe mottled basally with light brown and light pinkish brown scales, a median gray line, and terminal line of light pinkish brown, checkered with brown between veins. <b>Dorsal hindwing</b> light pink basally with rust brown scales scattered on veins, dark grayish brown marginal band with terminal row of pinkish brown scales; discal lunule brown; fringe a mix of light brown and pinkish brown scales basally, white distally. <b>Male genitalia</b>. (Fig. M-1) Valve with pointed, upturned apex; distal margin of ampulla of clasper curves evenly to the tip of the terminal spine; proximal margin with distinct swelling at base of terminal spine makes ampulla look like a bird's head and neck with upturned bill. Vesica bends to the right at about 100°; a ribbon of sparse cornuti extends from base to apex along distal margin; a dense patch of cornuti on dorsal surface covers about ½ of vesica; a single, coarse apical cornutus and small bundle of cornuti project from apex. <b>Female genitalia</b>. (Fig. Q-7) 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, widening into sac-like appendix bursae; appendix bursae gradually narrows toward ductus bursae, squared off at anterior end where ductus seminalis arises from right corner end; corpus bursae about ½ as large as appendix bursae, arises from left side of appendix bursae toward ductus bursae; elongate signae occur along dorsal and ventral sides of corpus bursae. <b>Type material</b>. <b>Holotype</b> male: USA: New Mexico, Chaves Co., Mescalero dunes east of Roswell, 22 ix 2003, George J. Balogh, in the CNC. <b>Paratypes:</b> 9♂ 8♀: <b>New Mexico</b>: same data as holotype, 1♂; Lincoln Co., 6.5 mi west of Carrizozo Malpais, 23 ix 2003, George J. Balogh, 2♂ 1♀; Otero Co., White Sands National Monument, 32° 46' N, 106° 10' W, 3999 ', 1♀. <b>Utah:</b> San Juan Co., Bluff airstrip east of Butler Wash, sandy soil, 19 ix 2000, George J. Balogh, 1♂; San Juan Co., Comb Ridge W of Bluff, sandstone and sand soil, 21 ix 2000, George J. Balogh, 1♂. <b>Texas</b>: El Paso Co., Hueco Tanks SP, 7 x 1993, E. Knudson, 2♂ 3♀; El Paso Co., East Montana Hwy., 7-9 x 1993, E. Knudson, 2♂ 3♀. <b>Etymology</b>. The eye of Ra, Sakhmet is a destructive Egyptian goddess associated with divine vengeance. It is a noun in apposition. <b>Distribution.</b> This species is associated with dunes and has been collected from southeastern Utah through New Mexico to extreme western Texas.
description: Published as part of <i>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, pp. 1-95 in Zootaxa 1903 (1)</i> on pages 26-27, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.1903.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/5134476