[ncsc-moths] Sympistis kappa?--Another potential new species for NC
- From: "J. Merrill Lynch" <jmerrilllynch@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: ncsc-moths@xxxxxxxxxxxxx, tn-moths@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 16 Dec 2010 15:36:41 -0500
Moth'ers,
I have seen several individuals at my place in Watauga County, both in 2009
and again this year, of a noctuid in the genus Sympistis that I did not
recognize. I sent one of my pics to Bugguide,
http://bugguide.net/node/view/370837, where it was tentatively identified as
S. kappa #10066.2. I also sent this photo to Bo Sullivan, a Smithsonian
moth researcher, who forwarded my photo to Don LaFontaine, a Canadian
expert. Don's response follows:
"This is an unfortunate record because it can’t be positively identified and
may well be a new record for North Carolina – whatever it is. Most likely it
is Sympistis kappa, which we have from TN (Wilson Co.), OK, KS, AR & IL. It
is distinctive in male genitalia but difficult to tell from from S infixa
[OK, TX, TN (Wilson Co.)] in wing markings. However, in S kappa the black
line connecting the am and pm lines, and the streaks in the subterminal area
that extend in toward the reniform spot are usually sharply defined in
kappa, like the picture, but are usually blurred in infixa. We have both
species from the same place in TN and they are easily segregated there by
the wing markings."
I'm curious if anyone on the TN listserve is familiar with this species and
if there are any observers in Wilson County, TN where both species have been
recorded.
This also raises the issue concerning the collection of specimens. Up until
this year, I have focused my efforts on photographing moths and trying to
identify them based solely on visual characteristics. However, there are
instances such as this case where the moth cannot be positively identified
without dissection. I'm not philosophically opposed to the collection of
specimens, if it results in the advancement of science and knowledge such as
the verification of a new state record or the discovery of an undescribed
species. I bring this up because I wonder what others think about this. I
have made the decision to start judiciously collecting some specimens when I
feel there is a good chance that by doing so I can make a significant
contribution to our knowledge base.
Is anybody else out there grappling with this?
--
J. Merrill Lynch
Echo Valley Farm
Watauga County, NC
Elevation: 3,400 feet
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