Novttates PUBLISHED by the AMERICAN MUSEUM of NATURAL HISTORY CENTRAL PARK WEST at 79TH STREET NEW YORK, N.Y

AMERICAN MUSEUM Novttates PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY CENTRAL PARK WEST AT 79TH STREET NEW YORK, N.Y. 10024 U.S.A. NUMBER 2592 JANUARY 23, 1976 FREDERICK H. RINDGE Distributional Notes on Some Ennominae from Baja California, with Descriptions of New Species (Lepidoptera, Geometridae) I u.qwmi rq.y ¶ 2h AMERICAN MUSEUM Novitates PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY CENTRAL PARK WEST AT 79TH STREET, NEW YORK, N.Y. 10024 Number 2592, pp. 1-13, figs. 1-18, tables 1-3 January 23, 1976 Distributional Notes on Some Ennominae from Baja California, with Descriptions of New Species (Lepidoptera, Geometridae) FREDERICK H. RINDGEI ABSTRACT A summary is given of our current knowledge tend to be more localized in their distribution, of the Semiothisini, Glaucinini, and Boarmiini of with a much higher percentage of endemic spe- the peninsula of Baja California, Mexico. The cies. In all three tribes, the great majority of members of these three tribes are among the species have their closest relationships with the most commonly collected geometrids of the sub- fauna of California and the Sonoran Desert of family Ennominae caught on the peninsula, com- the United States. prising about half the genera and half the species The following new species are described (all now known. The Semiothisini and Glaucinini are from Baja California unless otherwise speci- have species that tend to be widely distributed in fied): Semiothisa piccoloi, Semiothisa baegerti, Baja California, and to have relatively few Hemimorina angulosa, Glaucina semidura, Ptero- endemic taxa; the Boarmiini, on the other hand, taea expallida (Sonora), and Pterotaea spinigera. INTRODUCTION The Lepidoptera of the peninsula of Baja Cali- Museum of Los Angeles County on August 23, fornia are relatively poorly known. It was less 1974. As an invited speaker, my topic concerned than 30 years ago that the first attempt was the moths of the subfamily Ennominae (Geo- made to give a comprehensive listing of the metridae). The present paper is an amplification butterflies (Rindge, 1948). Most moth families of that talk, and it includes the descriptions of from that area have not been studied in detail. In several new species mentioned in my presen- recent years, however, more collecting has been tation. done, and there is more material available to Faunal papers on the geometrids of Baja Cali- study as well as a greater interest in the varied fornia are few in number and limited in scope. fauna of that area. This was emphasized by the Included in this category are those by Wright symposium on the Lepidoptera of Baja California (1923) and Rindge (1969, 1973b). I do not at the twenty-fifth annual meeting of the Lepi- intend to make use of faunal papers herein. For dopterists' Society at the Natural History many years I have been studying the Ennominae 'Curator, Department of Entomology, the American Museum of Natural History. Copyright © The American Museum of Natural History 1976 ISSN 0003-0082 / Pxice $1.05 2 AMERICAN MUSEUM NOVITATES NO. 2592 of the New World, as I am primarily concerned species that tend to be widely distributed on the with the North American fauna. These studies peninsula, and to have relatively few endemic have resulted in a number of generic and tribal taxa (see tables 1 and 2). The Boarmiini, on the revisions. Whenever possible, I have included other hand, tend to be more localized in their whatever material was available from Baja distribution, with a much higher percentage of California. Some of these papers are cited below. endemic species, and without any taxa being In North America north of Mexico, there are known from both parts of the peninsula (see from 1200 to 1300 species of Geometridae. The table 3). In all three groups, the great majority of members of the subfamily Ennominae number species have their closest relationships with those about half of the family, or about 650 species; of California and the Sonoran Desert of the they are contained in approximately 125 genera. United States, with relatively few apparently Thus, the number of species in this one sub- having their closest relatives on mainland Mexico. family alone is roughly equal to the total number In this paper I use the following geographic of species of all the true butterflies and skippers names for the two major political divisions of the in the same geographic area. In Baja California, peninsula. Some of the specimens studied were to date, I have been able to name more than 100 collected when the entire area was a territory, species; five new species (plus one from Sonora) divided at latitude 280 N into Baja California are described in the present paper. There are at Norte and Baja California Sur. In 1952 the least another dozen species that have not yet former became the State of Baja California, and been identified; additional specimens and re- the southern part remained a federal territory visionary studies are needed before these can be (Territorio Sur de Baja California). In 1974 the named. This makes approximately 125 Ennomi- latter was granted statehood; at the time of this nae, or about one-fifth of the number of species writing, an official name for the new state has found in the United States and Canada. On the not been chosen. My references will be to the generic level, some 40 genera are represented, State and to the Territory, as defined above, even with several more being needed for the presently though this terminology is not correct. Older unidentified species; this is about one-third the specimens, labeled as being from Baja California number of genera found to the north. Both these Norte, are listed under the State; anything from figures are quite remarkable when you compare south of latitude 280 N, as from the Terri- the size and habitats of the Ennominae of Baja tory. California with those of the United States and The following abbreviations have been used: Canada. The Ennominae have been quite successful in AMNH, the American Museum of Natural His- tory adapting to desert conditions. In the Great Basin CAS, the California Academy of Sciences, San and the Sonoran Desert of the United States, as Francisco well as in Baja California, the majority of species and genera found in arid situations belong to three tribes, namely the Semiothisini, Glau- ACKNOWLEDGMENTS cinini, and Boarmiini. As far as the number of individual specimens goes, the largest percentage The information contained herein has been of ennomines from Baja California that I have accumulated over many years with the help and examined belong in Semiothisa and Glaucina. As cooperation of many individuals. The majority of the majority of specimens belong to the above specimens that I have studied from Baja Califor- three tribes, I briefly summarize our knowledge nia are in the California Academy of Sciences, of them below. lent by Dr. P. H. Arnaud, Jr., and in the Ameri- The members of these three tribes comprise can Museum of Natural History. I have also about half the genera and half the species found studied the Cary-Carnegie Museum Expedition on the peninsula. I am purposely restricting my material in the Carnegie Museum, lent by Mr. H. coverage of the Ennominae to these groups P. Clench, and that of the Belvedere Expedition, because they are the ones with which I am most in the San Diego Natural History Museum, lent familiar. The Semiothisini and Glaucinini have by Mr. C. F. Harbison. Mr. R. Holland of 1976 RINDGE: ENNOMINAE 3 Albuquerque, New Mexico, has generously TABLE 1 donated specimens to the American Museum of Semiothisini of Baja California Natural History. I thank all those mentioned above and the others who have helped me. Distribution on Speciesa Peninsula Terri- Both SEMIOTHISINI Genera Described Endemic State tory parts The Semiothisini form a very large tribe found Chloraspilates 1 0 0 0 1 throughout much or most of the world, especial- Elpiste 2 0 2 0 0 ly in temperate and tropical regions. No one has Femaldella 1 0 0 0 1 as yet attempted a revision of this group from Hemimonina 1 1 0 0 1 the New World, except for McGuffm's work Itame 3 0 2 0 1 (1972) on the relatively small Canadian fauna. Semiothisa 19 1 7 4 8 This tribe contains approximately 150 species in Protitame 1 0 1 0 0 North America, north of Mexico; of these, more than 125 belong to two large genera, Semiothisa aThese figures include the species described in the and Itame. In Baja California, 28 species are present paper. assigned to this tribe; they are placed in seven genera with 19 of the species belonging in the recognized by the paler color of both the upper genus Semiothisa (see table 1). Twenty-four spe- and under surfaces of the wings, and by the cies of this tribe are found on the Sonoran Desert genitalia. In the male, the valves of piccoloi are portion of the peninsula, with four showing shorter than those of nigricomma, and the relationships to the fauna of the Mexican main- sacculus in the new species has a curved spinelike land. It would thus appear that the bulk of the process not found in Warren's species. The ven- Semiothisini in Baja California are of a northern tral plate of piccoloi, compared with that of origin. nigricomma, has a deep, more U-shaped median Three new species are described below. Two indentation and a smaller, more slender process of them are endemics, as far as I know, with one on the right side. In the female genitalia the occurring in the Territory only (Semiothisa bae- sterigma of piccoloi is more strongly developed gerti), and the other (Hemimorina angulosa) and the ventral surface of the last segment is less being known from both parts of the peninsula.

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