SURVEY OF LEPIDOPTERA INHABITING THREE DUNE SYSTEMS IN THE CALIFORNIA DESERT Bureau of Land Mangement U.S. Department of Interior California Desert Plan Research Contract CA-060-CT7-2827 - Final Report Title: "Survey of Lepidoptera inhabiting three dune systems in The California desert" Investigator: J. A. Powell, Entomologist in Agricultural Experiment Station, University of California, Berkeley, CA Proposed study date: April, 1977 to September, 1978 Period covered by report : Apri 1 , 1977 to October, 1978 Bureau of Land Management Library eidg. 50, Denver Federal Center Denver, CO 89225 P. BACKGROUND INFORMATION Lepidoptera represent a major group of insects that is dependent upon plants owing to the larval feeding habits. Therefore species which are specific to certain host plants can serve as an index of community di- versity and of endemism. In general there are few examples of Lepidoptera that are highly modified for sand-dwelling, but some species or genera do specialize in this niche in the larval stage or they feed on above ground portions of plants that may be restricted to sand dunes. A survey of these kinds of Lepidoptera should provide data that could be useful in defining land-use policies. Western Nearctic sand dune communities in general have survived a curious paradox in their relationship with man; in early colonization by European society, the 18th and 19th centuries in California, the dune sys- tems were largely spared because they were undesirable for man's activi- ties, especially agriculture. Thus, in most cases these habitats survived until they could be sampled by biologists (unlike some communities such as grasslands which were essentially gone before entomologists were around). However, with population pressure in recent years the dune communities are being eliminated because they are considered "wasteland" of no practical value; and their destruction has been accelerated beyond that of urban sprawl by the unbelievable popularity of off -road vehicles (ORV). Even at the appalling rate of population growth in California, it would be a long time before the extensive dune systems in the desert were encompassed by industrialization and urban spread, but unless preventative measures are taken, it will be only a few years until all available dunes are so dis- turbed by ORV activities that their communities are affected to an extent precluding interpretation of their native interrelationships. When suffi- cient surface disruption occurs to upset the delicate balance between loose sand and stabilizing plant elements, the dunes again begin to move with the winds and remaining portions of the stabilized community are bur- ied (1, 2, 3). With the exception of the butterflies (about 5% of the Lepidoptera in any given area of North America), Lepidoptera in these communities have not been adequately sampled. During a 20-year period I have devoted a sporadic effort to surveying the fauna of coastal sand dunes (.4, 5, 6, 7) with spec- ial emphasis on the smaller moths (the so-called Microlepidoptera). Stan- dardizing sampling procedures poses difficulties, and to date seasonal dis- tribution of sampling is not uniform at all sites, so only tentative con- clusions are possible. As would be predicted by theories of island biogeography and by the plant diversity (8), the largest dunes and the central coast region sup- port the greatest diversity of insects. Excluding species known to be general feeders on weedy plants or to specialize on non-dune plants, about n 100 species of small moths have been differentiated. The largest dune sys- tem, near Santa Maria, has the largest number, including a highly modified, jumping, flightless moth (6), as well as other insect endemics: several beetles, flies, and a grasshopper. Among small moths there are about 10 narrow endemics, species limited to one or two adjacent dune systems, and these occur at localities which originally were the five largest dune sys- tmes (7). RESEARCH PROPOSED Primarily on the basis of previous experience v/ith the insect fauna of coastal dunes in California, it was proposed to concentrate efforts in this project on certain taxa at a few large dune systems of the interior deserts. Thus selected genera in four lepidopterous families, Noctuidae, Pyralidae, Gelechiidae, and Scythrididae, were enumerated as potentially representative of the sand-based moth fauna. Three dune systems, the Algo- dones dunes in the area of Glamis, The Rice dunes, and Kelso dunes of the eastern Mojave, were selected as representative of an elevational sequence and differing physiographic forms, from which to compare faunas. It was proposed to evaluate these representative faunas through lit- erature search, assessment of specimens in museums and by field survey at various times of year, employing diurnal and nocturnal sampling of adults and rearing the moths from field collected larvae. RESEARCH CONDUCTED Field work. - Field survey was conducted on 21 days, with blacklight traps run on 17 nights, in March, April, June, and December. More than 3000 adult specimens were processed, mainly from light trap collections. The majority of these are either widespread species associated with a wide diversity of plants in the dune "apron" community, or are in taxa for which sources of reliable identifications are not available. Thus most are not enumerated in this report. Field work was conducted as follows: a) Two-day visit to Glamis area early April, 1977; b) one-day (2) and two-day (1) visits to Kelso dunes April 21-26, 1977, with assistance from 3 other staff and student personnel from U.C. (Several days were al- so spent in survey of nearby, smaller sand habitats, Afton Road and south of Zzyzx Springs, during this period); c) Two-day visit to Kelso dunes and Zzyzx Springs dunes December 17-18, 1977; d) Three-day visit to Glamis area, one day to Rice dunes, and two days to Kelso dunes and Zzyzx Springs, in late March-early April, 1978; e) Three-day visit to Glamis area, one day Parker area (Arizona near Colorado River), and two days at Kelso dunes and Zzyzx Springs in late June, 1978. Laboratory study, a) Rearing of larval collections. About 40 biolo- gical collections were processed, consisting primarily of late instar lar- vae, involving about 17 species of Lepidoptera in 24 rearing records; b) preparation and sorting of specimens resulting from field collections and rearing, and of material borrowed from other institutions; c) Exemplar dis- sections from each population completed and compared for Pyralidae, Tortri- cidae, Scythrididae, and Plutellidae. Museum study. - Preliminary collections at U.C. Berkeley made by J. T. Doyen and Powell during 1974-1977, mainly from Glamis (January, July, Nov- ember) and Kelso (January, July) were assessed along with field collections listed above. These were compared with relevant material for identifica- tions and additional geographical data at the American Museum of Natural History, New York (survey of collections, October, 1978), California Acad- emy of Sciences, California State Department of Food and Agriculture, Nat- ional Museum of Natural History (December, 1977), Los Angeles County Mus- eum of Natural History (March, 1978). DESCRIPTION OF AREAS SAMPLED Three large dune systems were selected: a) Algodones dunes, in the vicinity of Glamis, Imperial Co.; b) Rice dunes, Riverside-San Bernardino Cos.; and c) Kelso dunes, San Bernardino Co. A fourth locality was added for comparative purposes, a small, stabilized dune habitat at the west mar- gin of Soda dry Lake, near Zzyzx Springs, San Bernardino Co. (Map 1). In general, the larger dune systems consist of a central massif of active, unstabilized sand, subtended by an "apron" of stabilized vegeta- tion interspersed with open sand. For purposes of this report, the "apron" is defined as the area of peripheral, low sand dunes bordered on the upper margin by the highest extent of Larrea tridentata and on the lower margin by lowest extent of loose sand with typical dune plants including Col den i a plicata, Oenathera deltoides, Abronia villosa, and Palafoxia arida. Thus the apron is an ecotone between the sparsely vegetated high dunes and the Larrea scrub of the desert floor. Diurnal sampling was performed along transects from the lower portion of the apron to the highest limits of veg- etation on the dunes. Nocturnal sampling usually was confined to the apron, a) Glamis. - Situated near sea level, the Algodones dunes comprise the largest dune system in the southwestern deserts, consisting of NW-SE oriented, linear barchan dunes, vegetated mostly along the peripheral mar- gins, with a large, central mass of unstabilized sand. All sampling was carried out on the eastern portion, where washes characterized by non-dune specialized plants dissect the apron of low dunes. Sites sampled were: 1.5 km SE Glamis P.O. (111-78); 2 km W Glamis, (diurnal only, 111-77, III- 78); 1-3 km NW Glamis (XI-74, 111-77); 22 and 27 km NW Glamis (III, VI-78). A transect at 27 km NW Glamis yielded 21 species of flowering plants, 11 on the higher dunes and 14 on the apron. Numerous additional species grew along the washes S and NW of Glamis, v/here blacklight sampling took place. Special effort was made to sample Croton wigginsi , Palafoxia arida var. gigantea, and Helianthus niveus ssp. tephrodes, the only three dico- tyledenous plants listed by Westermeir and Beauchamp (9) which are endemic to the Algodones dunes according to Munz & Keck (10). b) Rice. - The Rice dunes extend in a long, NW-SE oriented band, SE from Danby Dry Lake across the San Bernardino - Riverside County line, at about 300 m elevation. They consist of a large area of relatively flat sand with extensive, scattered vegetation. There is no central massif of unstabilized sand, so that the entire system is analagous to the stabilized apron at Glamis and Kelso. Dominance of Ephedra ("Mormon tea") is a dis- tinctive feature of the Rice dunes relative to other areas sampled. In 1978 annual vegetation was sparse due to low rainfall, with Ephedra, Cold- enia, and Croton comprising the stabilized community. Only 14 species of dicotyledenous plants were counted at the sampling sites: 3 km S Rice (di- urnal only, 11-77, IV-78); 9 km W Rice (IV-78). c) Kelso. - The Kelso dunes are similar to the large dune systems of the Great Basin and are the highest dunes sampled. Situated at about 650 m elevation at the lowest point, near Kelso, they rise 100m or more above the valley floor to the SW. A central massif with sparse vegetation, pri- marily perennial grasses and Chilopsis linearis ("Desert willow"), is sur- rounded by a broad apron of stabilized, low dunes. Sites sampled were: 3 km S Kelso(diurnal only) and 15-16 air km SW Kelso (IV-77, XII-77, IV-78, VI-78). Light traps were placed at the upper margin of the apron. At the latter locality a transect in early April yielded 25 species of flowering plants, 7 in the upper dunes, increasing to 12 in the lower dunes, and about 17 in the apron. d) Zzyzx. - This locality is situated about 14 air km south of Baker, San Bernardino Co., at about 300 m elevation. Two areas of fairly exten- sive sand accumulation were discovered, about 1 and 2 km South of the Zzyzx Springs Biological Station operated by a consortium of California State Univ- ersities on lease from BLM. The sand source appears to be primarily wind- blown debris from Soda Dry Lake which accumulates in talus slope-like forma- tions along the margin of the rocky Soda Mountains. A remarkably rich com- munity of arenicoTous plants occurs here, with 40 species of flowering plants inventoried on a N-S transect across the width of the site in April 1977. The community at this site resembles the apron formation of larger dunes, but large accumulations of unstable sand are lacking. In 1977, there were many areas of open sand, while in 1978, a wetter year, open areas were cov- ered by a mantle of annuals, especially grasses and Camissonia claviformis. Most of the sampling occurred at the northern of the two dunes, which has more diverse vegetation. ASSESSMENT OF SAND-DWELLING AND AREN0PHIL0US PLANT ASSOCIATED TAXA Noctuidae. - 1) Protogygi a poling i (Barnes & Benjamin, 1922). This species was reared from sand-dwelling larvae collected in December at Saline Valley, Inyo County, and was one of the most characteristic moths in light trap samples in late March and early April (Table 1). Originally described from Dixieland, Imperial County, it has been collected otherwise only in the Palm Springs - La Quinta area, late February to mid April, according to collections examined (AMNH, NMNH, UCB). Thus P. polingi appears to be 4 endemic to sand dune areas of California deserts. 2) Species of Copablepharon have been reared from sand-dwelling larvae elsewhere in North America (11). Possible correlation with in- terior dune systems was postulated, but data do not indicate restriction to large dune systems. There are 13 described species in the western U.S., of which 3 were originally described from California. Two of these appear to be restricted to coastal areas in dune and riverine habitats. Two wide- spread species, alba and grandis, are widely distributed in California des- ert areas. One species, serrata McDunnough, 1932, which was described from Indio, appears to be the species represented in our samples only from the Glamis dunes. It flies in October and November and has been collected in the vicinity of Indio, Palm Springs, Glamis and Yermo, according to avail- able records (NMNH, AMNH, LACM, UCB). This species is thus possibly re- stricted to sand dune areas of the lower desert and Mojave River drainage and is the only Copablepharon which may be endemic in the area. There is one old record for Lake Elsinore (1928, LACM), but the genus is in need of taxonomic review, and this record needs confirmation. 3) Species of Euxoa are diverse, with a large number described (100+ in North America) from all kinds of habitats. Two species have been reared from sand-dwelling larvae on coastal dunes in California, but none was en- countered in the present survey. The incomplete state of taxonomic know- ledge of species prevents satisfactory assessment of literature and museum records, but it appears there are no Euxoa restricted to interior dune areas in California. Pyralidae. - 1) Ancylolomiinae: Pseudoschoenobius opalescalis Hulst, 1886, was described from Arizona on the basis of winged males. Collections from California show this species to have a flightless female (Glamis dunes, Eureka Valley dunes) which is active in winter (January-March). Specimens which appear to be conspecific have been collected at lights at Baker, Sal ton Sea, and in southern Utah. Others with slightly different struc- tural details are represented from northern Utah, Colorado, and Nebraska. These include winged females and were collected from April to September. Because examples of geographic variation of this extreme in female bio- logy and phenology are unknown in Lepidoptera, it is concluded that the California populations represent an undescribed species, which will be formally described elsewhere. Males were taken at light at several sites, including large dune habitats (Table 1) and at Baker, remote from major dunes. 2) Crambinae: Members of this group generally are grass-feeders in the larval stage (including lawn moths). Two species were taken in light trap samples at large and small dunes in spring (Table 1). Loxocrambus mohaviellus (Forbes, 1920) was described from Victorville, San Bernardino County, and appears to have been known only from the original collection (AMNH on loan from Cornell). The present survey detected this species only at Zzyzx Springs and Acton Road, and it therefore appears to be en- demic to the Mojave River Drainage and adjacent dune systems. Loxocrambus n. sp. (A. B. Klots ms name, AMNH). This species was characteristic in all light trap samples of the high desert in March- April during this survey. Klots had tentatively included phenotypically diverse samples, mostly represented by single or few specimens, from many localities, Dixieland, Imperial Co., Borrego, north to Yermo, San Bernar- dino Co., and east to the Colorado River area in Mohave Co., Arizona. The records suggest this species may be tied to one or more of the peren- nial grasses of riverine and dune situations. 3) Chrysauginae: Satole ligniperdalis Dyar, 1908, a widespread species (W. Texas to California) has been reared from seed capsules of desert willow (Chilopsis linearis) growing on the Kelso dunes. This pop- ulation appears to possess greater phenotypic variability (possibly poly- morphism) than any other. Individuals exhibited prolonged diapause, the ability to wait 1, 2, or 3 years before completion of development to the adult stage. 4) Odontiinae: This subfamily contains several genera that are characteristic of desert areas and includes at least 7 species known only from the California deserts (12). Species sampled during the present sur- vey were relatively widespread ones, mostly detected at two or more of the stations (Table 1). Larval biologies of desert odontiines are mostly un- known. All were taken at lights in dune apron associations. Tortricidae. - 1) Epiblema is a moderately large genus (about 40 described spe- cies in N.A. ) with members occurring in diverse ecological areas. Known larvae in most cases are stem borers in Compositae, sometimes causing gall formation by the host plant (13). £. sosana (Kft. 1907) was taken at all sites sampled. This species is known to feed on Ambrosia (14) and prob- ably is not tied to sand habitats. A related, undescribed species appears to be restricted to Ambrosia on coastal dunes in southern California, as it was not detected in the present survey. 2) Suleima is a small genus closely related to Epiblema, members of which also feed as larvae in stems of Compositae. An apparently undes- cribed species was reared from Helianthus niveus at the north end of the Algodones dunes (Table 2). Larvae were collected in March and June (17 mi NW Glamis) and one male was taken at light (14 mi NW Glamis). Struc- turally this moth is similar to S^. helianthana Riley, a widespread spe- cies well known as a minor pest of sunflowers. The distinctive color pat- tern, isolated distribution and host plant, and minor structural differ- ences indicate the Algodones population is a genetically distinct one, and formal description of it will occur elsewhere. This is the only ex- ample of an apparent "narrow endemic encountered in Lepidoptera during this survey. It is probable that the species extends into northern Mexico, with its host plant. 3) Platynota stultana (Wlsm., 1880). This species was originally described from Sonora, Mexico, and early collection records indicate it may have been native in Arizona. Although P. stultana, a highly polypha- gous plant feeder in the larval stage, has become widespread in California in man-made habitats, this is the first record of a possible native popu- lation in the state. Gelechiidae. - 1) Species of Lita have been reared from various woody compos itae, with larval feeding in spring and adult emergence in fall. L. puertella (Busck, 1916) was abundant at Glamis in November. This species was des- cribed from La Puerta Valley, San Diego County and ranges widely in des- ert areas aside from major dune systems according to present taxonomic concepts (15). The host plant is unknown. 2) Several species of Chionodes were collected at lights in Glamis and Kelso dune apron habitats and at Zzyzx Springs. As species of this genus characteristically are host specific, investigation of endemic plants for larvae should be carried out. Probably most of the species sampled are associated with widespread plants, but the preliminary state of taxonomy in this group limits conclusions, and only a few distinctive species were iden- tified (Table 1). Ethmiidae. - 1) Pseudethmia protuberans Clarke, 1950. Described from Dixieland, Imperial Co., this species was known from relatively few collections, rang- ing north to the vicinity of Essex, San Bernardino Co. (16). The adults are active tn early spring, and only males are attracted to lights. Owing to its unique taxonomic status, knowledge of the biology and larvae would be of considerable interest. The situation at the Rice dunes together with foodplant associations known for other ethmiids (16) strongly suggest that Coldenia plicata is the host plant, and therefore the distribution of this California endemic is limited to sand habitats occupied by £. plicata. Populations were detected at Rice, Kelso and Zzyzx Springs (Table 1 ). 2) Ethmia n. sp. A single female was taken in a light trap in mid- December at the Zzyzx Springs dunes. Scythrididae. - Areniscythris brachypteris Powell, 1976, is a flightless species (both sexes) which occurs on coastal dunes in San Luis Obispo County (6). The larvae are highly modified for life in moving sand dunes. Survey of in- terior dunes in Oregon, California and Baja California during 1973-1977 revealed that there are at least 4 winged species which occupy the same niche. Two of these occur in Oregon and by structural detail are closely related to A. brachypteris. Of the remaining two, one is also closely re- lated, while the other is morphologically distinct, yet superficially sim- ilar. Larvae of both live in sand-covered silken tubes attached to buried plants in active sand areas and are morphologically modified as in A. bra- chypteri s . On the larger dunes (Glamis, Kelso) there is ecological separ- ation of the two, but on lower, less diverse dunes (Rice), they occur to- gether. 1) Areniscythris n. sp. A (Powell ms). This is a tan moth which has been collected at Diablo Dry Lake, Baja California Norte (April), Glamis area (January-April and June), Kelso dunes (east-end) (April), and southern edge (June), and Saline Valley dunes (April). Larvae were col- lected from several different plants at the Glamis dunes in January and April (Table 2). Adults are diurnal early in the year (January-early April) when night time temperatures are cool but are nocturnal in warmer situations (Glamis, Kelso in June, Saline Valley in mid April). Adults feed at Compos- itae flowers (Baileya) in mid day. 2) New genus, n. sp. B (Powell, ms). This moth has mottled, gray forewings, dark in early spring, pale in early summer, and adults were di- urnal in all situations. They were taken at Diablo Dry Lake, Baja Calif- ornia (April), Glamis area (March, June), Rice dunes (early February to early April), and Kelso dunes (mid southern edge, April, June). Larvae were collected from Coldenia plicata in December (Kelso) and March (Glamis, Rice), (Table 2), and adults were in close association with this plant at all sites. At Rice, they visited flowers (Palafoxia) but were not observed to do so elsewhere. At the larger dunes (Glamis, Kelso) the latter species occupied areas in or at the upper margin of the apron, distinctly below the open sand sit- uations where sp. A was found. The two species are of interest because morphologically and behaviorally, they are the most highly modified dune inhabiting lepidoptera encountered in the survey. Adults as well as lar- vae are structurally adapted for dune life. These were the only Lepidop- tera which occurred only on larger dune systems and were absent from smal- ler sand dunes (e.g. Zzyzx Springs) and riverine habitats, according to available records. Plutellidae. - Ypsolopha n. sp. (Powell ms). A series of this moth was taken April 1/2, 1978 at the dunes 6 mi W of Rice, San Bernardino Co. Adults were collected at light and from Ephedra along with those of Y. delicatella (Busck, 1903), a widespread species. A collection of larvae produced only the latter species. Additional specimens of the undescribed species had been collected in 1922 at Dixieland, Imperial Co. (NMNH). Thus the spe- cies is not endemic to, and its host is not characteristic of larger sand dune systems. 8 SUMMARY 1) Survey of Lepidoptera was carried out on 21 days during March, April, June, and December, 1977-78 at three large dune systems, and one small sand dune habitat. Together with previous collections (January, July, November) from two of the large dunes, available samples totalled more than 3,000 specimens representing an estimated 150 species. The majority of these are widespread species because the larvae feed on weedy plants, generally distributed desert plants, or are polyphagous. Many others are members of taxa for which specific identification sources are not avail- able and no conclusions about their distributions can be drawn at present. 2) Only one species was discovered which appears to be endemic to a single dune system: Suleima n. sp. (Powell ms) (Tortricidae). The larvae feed in stems of Helianthus niveus ssp. tephrodes, an endemic plant. 3) Two species of Scythrididae, both undescribed, are restricted to large or moderately large dune systems. Both occur on all larger dunes sampled, from northern Baja California to Kelso (sp. B) and Saline Valley (sp. A). 4) Including the preceding endemics, about 15 species of moths were dis- covered which occur at one or more of the major dune systems sampled dur- ing this survey and are endemic to the California deserts, and in some cases adjacent areas in Arizona or Baja California. These are not restric- ted to large dunes, but occur in sandy alluvial and/or riverine situations as well . Included are 5 Noctuidae, 4 Pyralidae, 1 Ethmiidae, 1 Gelechiidae, and 1 Plutellidae (Table 1). 5. Preliminary survey and assessment of the Lepidoptera suggests that for plant-feeding insects, preservation of a few larger and small dune systems, such as are tentatively set aside by BLM policies at present, would be sufficient for maintenance of the dune community. During this study, sites that seemed particularly well suited as representative of diverse dune habitats were: North end of Algadones dunes, Kelso dune sys- tem, and Zzyzx Springs, all of which are presently treated as off-limits to ORV activity. More diffuse, flat dune formations, such as at Rice con- tain unique aspects but seem to be in no immenent danger from ORV or other human activities. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS J. T. Doyen, U.C. Berkeley, assisted in the planning and field work, M. E. Buegler, J. A. Chemsak, R. E. Dietz, D. J." Powell, P. A. Rude and G. Ulrich also assisted with field collections. Plant identifications were provided by J. T. Strother, University of California herbarium. Voucher specimens will be deposited at the Natural History museum, U.C. Irvine. Facilities of the California State University, Zzyzx Springs Biological Station were made available by Dal ton Harrington, California State University, San Bernardino and resident caretakers. 10 References 1) Sheridan, D. , 1978. Dirt motorbikes and dune buggies threaten deserts. Smithsonian, 9(6): 66-75. 2) Busack, S. D. and R. B. Bury, 1974. Some effects of off-road vechicles and sheep grazing on lizard populations in the Mojave Desert. Biol. Conservation, 6: 179-183. 3) Powell, J. A. Series of photographs taken in 1965, 1968, 1972, 1975 and 1977 at Oso Flaco Lake County Park in the Santa Maria dune system. 4) Cooper, W. S. 1967. Coastal dunes of California. Geo!. Soc. Amer. Memoir 104: 131 pp. 5) Powell, 0. A. 1960. Microlepidoptera associated with Lupinus arboreus at Pt. Reyes, California. Pan-Pacific Ent., 36: 45. 6) Powell, J. A. 1976. A remarkable new genus of brachypterous moth from coastal sand dunes in California (Lepidoptera: Gelechioidea, Scyth- rididae). Ann. Entomol . Soc. Amer., 69: 325-339. 7) Powell, 0. A., 1978. Endangered habitats for insects: California coastal sand dunes. Atala (in press). 8) Breckon, G. J. and M. G. Barbour. 1974. Review of North American Pacific Coast beach vegetation. Madrono, 22: 333-360. 9) Westermeier, J. F. and R. M. Beauchamp, 1977. Survey of sensitive plants of the Algodones dunes. WESTEC Services. B.L.M. contract YA-512-CT7-133. Appendix B. 10) Munz, P. A. and D. Keck, 1959. A California Flora. 1681 pp., and 1968, supplement, 224 pp.; U. Calif. Press, Berkeley and Los Angeles. 11) Crumb, S. E. 1956. The larvae of the Phalaenidae. U.S.D.A. Tech. Bull., 1135: 356 pp. 12) Munroe, E. 1972. Moths of America north of Mexico. Fasc. 13. IB. Odontiinae and Glaphyriinae. 13) Powell, J. A. 1975. Biological records and descriptions of some little known Epiblema in the southwestern United States. Pan- Pac . Entomol ., 51(2): 99-11 2 . 11 14) Goeden, R. D. and D. W. Ricker, 1974. The phytophagous insect fauna of the ragweed, Ambrosia acanthi carpa in southern California. Env. Entomol. 3: 827-834. 15) Hodges, R. W. 1966. Revision of Nearctic Gelechiidae I. The Lita Group. Proc. U.S. Natl. Mus. 119: 1-66. 16) Powell, J. A. 1973. A systematic monograph of New World ethmiid moths (Lepidoptera: Gelechioidea). Smithson. Contr. Zool . , 120, 302 pp. Table 1. Selected Lepidoptera species sampled at four desert dune localities, by months of capture ^k (^designates probably endemic to California and Baja Calif, desert) Name NOCTUIDAE: Copablepharonalba Ha r v . C. serrata McD.- . Gl ami s Rice Kelso Zzyzx VI XI Protogygia polingi (B.& B.) Ill Plagiomimicus hilli (B.&Bsk) XI Basil odes consuelus (Stkr.) Ill Schinia felicitata Sm. Ill S^ niveicosta Sm. S. cupes deserticola ( B. & McD. ) S. biundulata Sm. S^. citrinellus G. & R. S^ pallicincta Sm. Heliolonche pictipennis Grt. Hemigrotella argenteostriata (B.& McD.) Euaontia clarki (B. & McD.) Neotarache deserticola B & B Ponometia macdunnoughi B & B III III III IV IV IV IV IV, VI, IV VII Known distribution ecological assoc. Widespr. desert *Calif. low desert IV IV *Inyo to Imperial larva in dunes *Coachel 1 a-Imperial Valleys IV Calif. Ariz, deserts IV IV Widespr. deserts Oenathera deHoides IV IV Widespr. deserts A Palafoxia arida ^ IV IV Widespr. deserts Camissonia claviformis IV IV *Calif. deserts IV IV Widespr. deserts Croton *Calif. deserts Baileya multiradiata IV deserts, Great Basin Malacothrix, Rafinesquia IV Widespr. deserts III IV Widespr. deserts III, VII IV IV IV Widespr. deserts III.VI, VII VI, VII IV Widespr. deserts ♦ Table 1 (Cont'd.). Name Known distribution Glamis Rice Kelso Zyzyx ecological assoc. Triocnemis saporis Art. GEOMETRIDAE: Euphyia implicata Am. PYRALIDAE: Pseudoschoenobius n. sp, III III Homeosoma electellum (Hist.) Ill Honora mellinella Grt. III Ragonotia dotal is (Hist.) Frechinia laetalis VI Noctueliopsis virula (B. & McD.) III N. palmalis (B. & McD.) III N. aridalis (B.& McD.) N. puertalis (B.& McD} III N. bububattalis (Hist.) III Loxostege oburthuralis Fern. Arenochroa fl aval is (Fern) III IV IV IV, XII Loxocrambus mohaviellus Fbs. IV Loxocrambus n. sp. IV IV, VI IV Heteroqraphis morrisonella Ill IV IV IV Rag. Widespr. deserts Coastal & desert dunes larva under Abronia IV IV *Glamis to Eureka Vly. *Mojave Riv. basin *Calif. deserts Coastal & desert dunes larva in sand tubes under Ambrosia (coastal) Widespr. larva in flower heads Compositae Widespr., Palafoxia arida IV, VI Widespr. deserts VI Widespr. deserts, Great Basin, Ambrosia IV IV *Calif. deserts IV Widespr. deserts IV Calif. -Ariz, deserts Widespr. deserts, IV Widespr. deserts Great Basin IV Calif. -Ariz, deserts Calif. -Ariz, deserts Table 1 (Cont'd.) Name TORTRICIDAE: Epiblema sosana Kf t . Phaneta stramineana (Wlsm) Suleima n. sp. Gl ami s Rice Kelso Zzyzx III, VI IV IV,VI IV III, VI Platynota stultana (Wlsn.) Ill P. vumana Kf t . GELECHIIDAE: Nealdva bifidella Dietz Lita puertella (Bsk) XI Chionodes 1acteusochrella_ (Chamb.) Chionodes xanthophilella (B. & Bsk.) £.. sistrella (Bsk.) Aristotelia bifasciella (Bsk.) ETHMIIDAE: Pseudethmia protuberans Clarke Ethmia n. sp. SCYTHRIDIDAE: i Colinita sponsella Bsk. Areniscvthris n. sp. A n. genus, n. sp. B IV IV VI Known distribution ecological assoc. Widespr. arid W. U.S. ; larva in stems Ambrosia Widespr. deserts Great Basin; Haplo- pappus *Algodones dunes; Helianthus niveus Widespr. southwest polyphagous Calif. -Ariz, deserts Calif. -Ariz, deserts *Calif. deserts Widespr. desert, coastal dunes; Croton IV Calif. -Ariz, deserts III IV desert & coastal dunes .) IV Widespr. deserts IV IV IV *Calexico to Zzyzx XII *Zzyzx Spr. VI Calif. -Ariz, deserts I, III, VI III, VI IV IV IV, VI IV, VI *Baja Calif, to Saline Vly. polypha- gous on active dune pi^ *Baja Calif to Kelso ™ Coldenia plicata Table 1 (Cont'd.). Name PLUTELLIDAE: Ypsolopha deli catell a (Bsk) Ypsolopha n. sp. Glamis Rice Kelso Zzyzx IV IV Known distribution ecological assoc. Widespr. deserts Ephedra *Dixi eland-Rice, Ephedra Table 2. List of Lepidoptera reared from field-collected larvae or pupae. Date Association Name Lycaenidae Hemiargus isola (Reak. ) Nymphalidae: Vanessa cardui (L.) Noctuidae: Protogygia polingi (B.& B.) Spodoptera exigua (Hbn.) Geometridae: Glaucina erroraria Dyar Pyralidae: Hellula rogatalis (Hist.) JAP lot # Locality 77D102 Zzyzx Spr. IV-26-77 larva on Prosopis 78C15 14 mi NW Glarnis 1 1 1-31 -78 larvae on Cryp- tantha 77M2 Saline Valley XII-16-77 larva ex open sand 77M3 2 mi S. Kelso XII-18-77 larva under Rumex 77M 3.1 2 mi S. Kelso XII-18-77 pupa ex sand under Larrea 77D95 Zzyzx Spr. IV-23-77 Homeosoma electellum (Hist.) 78C9 1 mi W. Glarnis 111-30-78 Honora mellinella Grt. undet. Pyraustinae Satole liqniperdalis Dyar Tortricidae: Suleima n. sp. 78C11 1 mi W. Glarnis 111-30-78 78C8 1 mi W. Glarnis 111-30-78 77M3.2 2 mi S. Kelso XII-18-78 74G9 10 mi SW Kelso VII-H-74 Cemgd.VII-74,IX-75, VI-76, X-77) 78D2 17 mi NW Glarnis IV-1-78 larvae on Cteomella obtusi folia larvae in flowers Palafoxia arida var. gigantea larvae in flowers Baileva larvae in external webs in Palafoxia arida var. gigantea Cocoon in sand under Larrea larvae in seed capsules Chi lops is linearis larvae in stems Helianthus niveus 78F12 17 mi NW Glarnis VI-27-78 larvae in stems Helianthus niveu; Table 2 (Cont'd.) Name Scythrididae: Areniscythris n. sp. A n. genus, n. sp.B Coleophoridae: Coleophora species JAP lot # Locality 77M4 Date 77A17 Glamis, 2mi NW 1-27-77 77A18 Glamis, 2mi NW 1-28-77 77C156 1 mi W. Glamis 111-30-77 9 mi SW Kelso XI 1-18-77 78C7 1 mi W. Glamis 111-30-78 78D5 6 mi W. Rice IV-2-78 77D97 Zzyzx Spr. Heliodinidae: Lithariapteryx abroniaella 77D100 (Chamb.) Zzyzx Spr. Psychidae: Thr.ydopter.yx meadi H. Edw. IV-25-77 Plutellidae: Ypsolopha delicatella (Bsk) 78D6 6 mi W. Rice IV-2-78 IV-27-77 78F13 9 mi SW Kelso VI-29-78 Association Larvae in. sand tubes,various annuals Larva in sand tubes, Palafoxia arida Sand tubes, Larrea & undet. annual larvae in sand tubes under Col den i a plicata larvae cases on Aster intricatus larvae on Ephedra trifurca larvae on Abronia villosa larvae cases on Larrea Fott I'*1" , V"" ?-V I \ > ■(Th M.«HtY H.x'e* tnry \ V^ '' II i'^iv-/ C*co * rcvw !.<»''-■. . ..•"• Ill* Barstow*-. ,r,,H„.n, ■ ^ «>-> - „,,« H*« I. AK* CV>v>". " ■"" ■ ( A..,, H fro""' '"*r sof HattKn Windm.1l Sp'.ng SUI'On ZZYZX I fcfVP*' \ C«niJ I IvinC-'* " \ rf" \ v ctoiville , lucrtnf V3iity> "" ■'ST : iTv'* i OM Jl o MARIN! CORPS I.V'MWNINf TAIMC 00**** I • y ^ . ! * ^ lfLSO\/ -ST"" ' , , \ Baf.dx! ..0*1 Mi lano*rt S,,rproe Spi "* ft' > k loiftH '«« A" CoAx I**' . '!*>> rft... .... -■-- ,, t;a Palm v Coacbel's _ me •*<■ T T tp»'^ lio »•«". tttnw «» LIU ««roy-"*'r',5"~ » IB > •> ■. A r. "|Aoir ',' Spnnf ' ■*<; UounU.n "■RICE / o.--«' \v.. :,.-Cj '- JS*-«. 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