Figs 43, 44, 156, 212. Map 9
Lascionycta [sic] benjamini Hill, 1927: 6.
The nominate subspecies has an elongate oval orbicular spot and more prominently streaked appearance than L. b. medaminosa. It is also slightly larger and lighter in color. It occurs in California and Nevada. Lasionycta b. benjamini is unlikely to be confused with any other Lasionycta in its range.
Lasionycta benjamini medaminosa Crabo & Lafontaine, ssp. n. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 7785A5D8-FCA9-47FB-8A01-66F929793AA4
Figs 45, 46, 157, 213. Map 9
Type material. Holotype ♁. USA, Colorado, Grand County, Co. Rd 50 ( Beaver Creek Road), R78W, T1N, S15, 7680’, 27 June 1991, T. S. Dickel, (MV lamp). CNC. Paratypes 9 ♁, 1 ♀. USA. Colorado: Same data as holotype (9 ♁, 1 ♀). CNC, LGC, TSDC.
Etymology. Th e name is derived from the Greek medaminos meaning worthless.
Diagnosis. Subspecies medaminosa occurs in Colorado. It is slightly smaller, less brown, and darker than L. b. benjamini and has a rounder orbicular spot and less streaky forewing. Lasionycta b. medaminosa resembles L. coloradensis with which it occurs. The subterminal line is less jagged in L. b. medaminosa than in L. coloradensis, and usually is preceded by a series of black chevrons, absent in L. coloradensis. The ventral hindwing discal spot and medial band of L. b. medaminosa are brown and less conspicuous than the black markings on L. coloradensis. Less streaky specimens of L. b. medaminosa are similar to L. subalpina, also found in Colorado. Lasionycta b. medaminosa has a well-defined hindwing marginal band and a bipectinate male antenna, whereas L. subalpina has lacks a marginal band and has a biserrate male antenna.
Th e CO1 sequences of the L. benjamini subspecies differ by 1.05 %.
Description. Head – Antenna of male bipectinate and fasciculate, individual segments 3.0–3.4× as wide as the central shaft. Antenna of female filiform and ciliate. Dorsal antenna segments dark gray proximally, light whitish gray distally. Scape cream colored. Eye normal size. Palpus with cream, gray-brown, and black-tipped gray-brown scales. Frons covered with grayish off-white scales. Top of head with white-tipped, blacktipped, and apically white black-tipped light gray-brown scales. Thorax – Vestiture of brown-gray, white-tipped brown-gray, and black hair-like and spatulate scales with grayish white narrow stalks, appearing gray brown. Prothoracic collar similar, tip light gray. Patagium light gray brown centrally, darker gray to nearly black peripherally. Legs mostly brownish gray with fewer grayish white and black scales. Tarsal segments brownish gray and scattered grayish off-white scales, distal segments ringed with off-white. Wings – Forewing length: males 11–13 mm (expanse 27–28 mm), females 13 mm (expanse 28 mm). Forewing ground predominantly of gray-brown scales, with fewer grayish-white, warm tan, and black scales, appearing slightly mottled gray brown. Basal, antemedial, and postmedial lines weakly double, dark gray filled with ground color or slightly lighter gray, indistinct. Basal line and antemedial line double, incomplete, most evident at costa. Medial line very weak and indistinct, most evident near costa and in cell. Postmedial line dentate, evident mostly as dark-gray lines on veins, oblique from costa to inner margin. Subterminal line pale, irregular, drawn sharply medially opposite cell and in fold, preceded by a series of prominent elongate black chevrons between veins. Spots dark gray. Orbicular spot ovoid but less elongate than that of L. b. benjamini, filled with pale-gray scales peripherally and a ground color to dark-gray ocellus centrally. Reniform spot narrow, kidney shaped, indistinct and incomplete in most specimens, filled with pale gray peripherally and ground color and dark gray centrally. Claviform spot black, prominent, extending between ⅔ to full distance from antemedial line to postmedial line. Fringe of ground color, weakly checkered with dark gray. Ventral forewing brownish off-white with suffusion of gray scales, heaviest in basal half of cell, costa with equal mixture of white and gray scales. Discal spot nearly black, shaped as a curved bar. Postmedial line dark gray, scalloped, oblique at costa then nearly perpendicular to posterior margin. Distal margin uniform gray, slightly paler than discal spot and postmedial line. Fringe checkered light gray brown and dark gray. Dorsal hindwing pale fuscous gray with scattered dark-gray scales and dark-gray markings. Discal spot chevron shaped. Postmedial line undulating and weakly scalloped in some specimens, touching lower discal spot. Marginal band wide with indistinct inner margin. Terminal line at base of fringe dark. Fringe similar to marginal band proximally, weakly checkered light gray and grayish white distally. Ventral hindwing brownish off-white with dusting of dark-gray scales. Discal spot nearly black, weakly arrowhead shaped. Postmedial line dark gray, lighter than discal spot and darker than marginal band, undulating and moderately scalloped, closer to marginal band than to discal spot. Marginal band dark gray, relatively thin with indistinct inner margin. Fringe with white and gray inner part and weakly checkered white and light gray outer part. Abdomen – Very light gray brown. Tufts on first two segments of white-tipped black scales with light gray-brown shafts. Male genitalia – (Fig. 157). Genital capsule and aedeagus as in L. leucocycla species-group and L. leucocyc- la sub-group descriptions, indistinguishable from those of L. b. benjamini. Valve approximately 5.5–6.7× as long as wide. Neck at base of cucullus weak. Cucullus moderately large with corona comprised of a single row of setae. Vesica with 1–2 subbasal cornuti (N = 2). Female genitalia – (Fig. 213). Ovipositor lobe, segment VIII, and bursa copulatrix as in L. leucocycla species-group description, like those of L. b. benjamini. Corpus bursae approximately 1.6× ductus bursae length and 0.55× as wide as long.
Remarks. The two subspecies of benjamini may eventually prove to be distinct species, although there is slight overlap in appearance between them. Lasionycta benjamini has not been found in Utah between the ranges of the two subspecies.