Dodia tarandus Macaulay & Schmidt 2009, sp. n.

Dodia tarandus Macaulay & Schmidt, sp. n.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: EBA55E10-1BE4-420A-B6ED-B381A563A320

Figs. 2, 3, 5, 7, 6

Type Material. Holotype ♁: “CAN[ADA]: Alberta, Caribou Mtns., / E[ast] shore of Wentzel L[ake]. / 59.060°N, 114.430°W / 17 – Jun – 2003 / BC Schmidt & GG Anweiler”; “ UASM # / 34567”; “[DNA barcode voucher number] BCSC# / 93”; “Voucher Specimen / Western CDN Moths / DNA Barcode Project / B.C. Schmidt 2005/06 [blue label]”; “Database # / CNC LEP / 00053353”. [CNC]. Paratypes: 3

♁ 1 ♀. Alberta, Caribou Mountains, Wentzel Lake, 59.05208°N 114.42628°W, 8 Jul 2003, D.A. and S.M. Macaulay, 1 ♀; Alberta, Holmes Crossing Ecological Reserve, 9 km southeast of Fort Assiniboine, 59.276°N, 114.826°W, 9 Jun 2004, D.A. Macaulay, 1 ♁; Saskatchewan, Harlan, 9 Jun 1942, P.F. Bruggemann, 1 ♁; same data as previous, 19 Jun 1946, 1 ♁; Manitoba, Gillam, 1 Jul 1939, G.S. Brooks, 1 ♁ [CNC, UASM].

Diagnosis. Dodia tarandus can usually be distinguished from D. albertae by external characters, namely the more extensive white coloration of the forewings, slightly more robust and more contrastingly marked thorax (Figs. 2, 3). Internally, the valve apex is strongly bifid (Fig. 5) (bluntly so in D. albertae, Fig. 4), the aedeagus is 4 × longer than wide (Fig. 7) (5 × in D. albertae, Fig. 6), and the vesica is approximately ½ the length of the aedeagus (Fig. 7) (equal in length to aedeagus in albertae, Fig. 6). Identification of male specimens can be confirmed by brushing the scales off of the valve apex and examining the apical processes.

Description. Head – Antennae in both sexes simple and filiform, ciliate ventrally (females more sparsely ciliate), with a lateral, subapical seta on each side of segment; antenna covered with grey-brown and white scales dorsally; eyes large, rounded and widely spaced; palpi short, reaching lower margin of eye with long hair-like white scales; frontal tuft consisting of long brown and white, hair-like and paddle-like scales. Thorax

– slender and proportioned similar to that of most Geometridae; covered in grey-brown and whitish hair-like and paddle-shaped scales; patagia and tegulae brown centrally, bordered with whitish scales; ventral thorax and legs brown-scaled. Forewing – (Figs. 2, 3) average length 15.6 mm (n = 3) for males, 14.3 mm (n = 1) for female; broad and translucent, covered with white hair-like and paddle-shaped scales; patterned white with vertical grey-brown banding basally with denser banding medially; females with more white scaling and slightly narrower wing shape; both sexes with distinct subterminal white dash at costa. Hindwing – (Fig. 2) smoky grey, translucent, lacking any distinguishable markings. Male genitalia – (Figs. 5, 7) uncus broad basally and constricted subapically with blunt, truncate apex; apex of valve with a pointed process dorsally and slightly longer, straight, finger-like process ventrally; aedeagus 4 × longer than wide; vesica simple with basal diverticulum located dorsally, and apical diverticulum with crestlike row of 5-6 spines, smaller spinules absent; ductus ejaculatorius positioned ventrally below apical diverticulum. Female genitalia – not distinguishable from those of D. albertae; unforked anterior part of anterior apophysis about twice as long as forked part and similar in length to posterior apophysis; ductus bursae cylindrical and membranous; corpus bursae oval (length to width ratio 5:4), lacking signa; dorsal pheromone gland similar in length to papillae anales, apical quarter split into two broad, blunt branches.

Distribution and biology. Dodia tarandus has been found in boreal black spruce bogs and adjacent open pine uplands from central Alberta eastward to Manitoba (Fig. 8). In Alberta, specimens were collected in wet, shrubby spruce bogs and adjacent open pine woods at Holmes Crossing Ecological Reserve and the Caribou Mountains (Fig. 9), flying in strict sympatry with D. albertae at the latter site. Males have been collected at ultraviolet and mercury vapour light, and the sole known female was netted during the day. Adults have been collected between early June and early July. Larval biology and host plants are not known, but host plants are likely to be one or more species of the plant groups common in peatland habitats such as Salix and various Ericaceae. In central Asia, D. sazonovi Dubatolov larvae hibernate and feed on Dryas (Rosaceae), and accept dandelion in captivity (Murzin 2003), suggesting the larvae are generalists.

Etymology. The name tarandus reflects this species’ initial discovery and occurrence in the Caribou Mountains of Alberta, and also the habitat it shares with the also elusive Woodland Caribou, Rangifer tarandus (L.).