The Lepidoptera of White Sands National Monument, Otero County, New Mexico, USA 1. Two new species of Noctuidae (Lepidoptera, Noctuinae, Agrotini)

Th e white gypsum dune ecosystem in the Tularosa Basin in south central New Mexico is the largest gypsum dune fi eld on earth, covering 712.25 km2. White Sands National Monument in Otero County, New Mexico, protects approximately 40 %, 297.85 km2, of this dune fi eld. In 2006 the US National Park Service initiated a long term study of the Lepidoptera at White Sands National Monument, resulting in the discovery of two new species, Euxoa lafontainei Metzler & Forbes, sp. n. and Protogygia whitesandsensis Metzler & Forbes, sp. n. described herein. Adult moths and male and female genitalia are illustrated for Euxoa lafontainei, and adults and male genitalia are illustrated for Protogygia whitesandsensis and its


Introduction
Th e North American species of the genus Euxoa Hübner, [1821] were revised by Lafontaine (1987), and the North American genus Protogygia McDunnough, [1929] was revised by Lafontaine and Fauske (2004).In 2007 and 2008 adults of E. lafontainei Metzler & G.S. Forbes, sp. n., and in 2007Forbes, sp. n., and in , 2008Forbes, sp. n., and in , and 2009, adults of P. whitesandsensis Metzler & G.S. Forbes, sp.n., were collected in the dune fi eld at White Sands National Monument, Otero County, New Mexico.No specimens of either of these two species were known prior to the beginning of this study of insects at the Monument.Th e dearth of specimens of these two species, prior to this study, can probably be attributed to their occurrence in the gypsum dune ecosystem, which is under the jurisdiction of the US Department of Defense and the National Park Service.

Methods and materials
One hundred eighty two samples of moths and other night fl ying insects were collected in USDA-type black light traps and at black light and sheet (Covell 1984).All specimens of moths from the black light traps were retained.All non-lepidopterous insects from traps were placed in ethyl alcohol and deposited in New Mexico State University Arthropod Collection, Las Cruces, New Mexico (NMSU).Selected specimens of Lepidoptera and other insects, collected at black light and sheet, were pinned, spread, labeled, and identifi ed, or frozen and retained for deposition in NMSU.
Genitalia were examined following procedures outlined in Clarke (1941), Hardwick (1950), and Lafontaine (2004).Abdomens were removed from the moths, wetted in 95 % ethyl alcohol, and soaked in 10 % KOH.Genitalia were dissected in 5 % ethyl alcohol, stained with Safranin O and Chlorazol Black in water, dehydrated in 100 % ethyl alcohol, cleared in oil of cloves, rinsed in xylene, and slide mounted in Canada balsam.
Terminology for wing pattern elements, morphology, and genital structures follows Forbes (1954) and Lafontaine (1987Lafontaine ( , 2004)).Forewing lengths were measured to the nearest mm, using a stereo-microscope.Forewing measurements were from the base to the apex excluding fringe.
All specimens were collected as part of a long term study of Lepidoptera at White Sands National Monument.Specimens are deposited in the following collections: New Mexico State University Arthropod Collection, Las Cruces, New Mexico (NMSU); the Museum of Southwestern Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico (MSWB); Albert J. Cook Arthropod Research Collection, Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan (MSU); Eric H. Metzler, Alamogordo, New Mexico, for subsequent transfer to MSU (EHM); Canadian National Collection, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (CNC); McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida (UFL); Natural History Museum, London, UK (BMNH); White Sands National Monument, New Mexico (WHSA); and specimens are provisionally deposited in National Museum of Natural History (Smithsonian Institution), Washington, DC (USNM) pending mutual resolution and agreement with the National Park Service regarding specimen deposition.
Plant names follow Martin and Hutchins (1981) and Sivinski (1994).Etymology.Th e specifi c epithet of this species, lafontainei, recognizes J. Donald Lafontaine's contributions to the study of Euxoa.Don Lafontaine and Eric Metzler share a personal friendship going back to the late 1960s.We are pleased to name this species for Don Lafontaine.

Euxoa lafontainei
Diagnosis.Euxoa lafontainei is a silky white moth.Some specimens are pure white whereas others show faint pale-gray traces of normal transverse noctuid markings.A few specimens have pale gray normal markings on a white ground color.A combination of four characteristics quickly distinguish Euxoa lafontainei from other species of Euxoa: 1) both sexes with refl ective white forewings; 30 % of males (n =104) and 42 % of females (n = 26) have traces of faint pale gray normal transverse noctuid markings; 2) pure white hind wings; 3) adults fl y in May, June, and July in the gypsum dune fi eld in the Tularosa Basin of south central New Mexico; 4) the characters of the male genitalia place E. lafontainei in the subgenus Euxoa.Other species of Euxoa that fl y in the dunes, E. misturata (Smith, 1890) and E. tronellus (Smith, 1903), are both pale colored moths; E. misturata (Fig. 3) has pale gray markings, and E. tronellus (Fig. 4) is pale tan.Euxoa misturata and E. tronellus have more or less obvious reniform spots and dark gray in the subterminal area.Male genitalia are most like those of E. simulata McDunnough, 1946 (Figs. 5, 8, 11), and female genitalia are most like E. medialis (Smith, [1888]) (Figs. 6,9,12).Th e adults of E. simulata and E. medialis are dark in color.
In the Euxoa species key of Lafontaine (1987), E. lafontainei males key out to couplet 31, which gives a choice of right saccular extension 1.25 × longer than left one, versus right saccular extension less than 1.25 × as long as left one.In E. lafontainei the right saccular extension is 1.25 × the length of the left one, so both couplets 32 and 34 must be followed.Couplet 32 gives two options, neither of which could apply to the new species, so following couplet 34 is evident.Euxoa lafontainei then keys out to the Euxoa simulata group in couplet 46 and the group only includes Euxoa simulata.Euxoa lafontainei diff ers from E. simulata in the color of the adults.Females of E. lafontainei key out to the E. bostoniensis (Grote, 1874) group and not the E. simulata group because of the fi ne-tipped setae on the anal papillae.Within the E. bostoniensis group E. lafontainei keys out to E. medialis, but diff ers from E. medialis in the color of the adults.
Description.Adult male (Fig. 1, 2): Head -frons rough, front closely scaled, white; vertex scales narrow strap-like, white, erect; labial palpus white; basal and medial segments with erect hair-like and strap-like scales, closely scaled laterally and mesally, longer scales form longer ragged fringe ventrally and shorter ragged fringe dorsally; apical segment angled anteriorly, closely scaled; haustellum coiled between labial palpi with more than four complete loops; antenna biserrate, dorsally white, closely scaled, ventrally naked, brown.Th orax -dorsum white, scales long white (rarely tipped with gray) hair-like or deeply forked apically, underside white, scales erect long white hairlike.Legs: coxa and femur white, closely scaled with long hair-like scales on ventral surface forming a shaggy fringe; fore tibia white, closely scaled, with stout setae on lateral margins; mid -and hind tibia white, closely scaled, shaggy long hair-like scales basally, tibial spurs white; tarsomeres dirty white.Fore wing: length 13-15 mm, mean 14 mm, n = 8. ground color white, refl ective, normal noctuid transverse lines and spots usually absent; some specimens with scattered gray scales (Fig. 2), rarely the gray scaling complete enough to form normal noctuid transverse lines, spots, and fringe; subterminal and terminal areas dirty white; fringe shining white, occasionally with gray and dirty white scales; underside white with dirty white costa; fringe shining white.Hind wing: white, refl ective, terminal area dirty white, veins lined with dirty white scales; fringe white; underside white, terminal area dirty white, veins lined with dirty white scales; fringe white.Abdomen -dorsum closely scaled, white, overlaid with long shaggy hairlike scales, white to dirty white; underside closely scaled, white.Genitalia (Fig. 7) -tegumen not expanded laterally, lateral lobes at junctures with valvae, narrowed at dorsum; uncus cylindrical, narrowed at base, slightly wider from 1/5 length to 3/4 length, setae on dorsum at widest part, long and dense; preapical setae on ventral surface short, stout, cylindrical; saccus V shaped, slightly longer than wide; juxta oval, narrowly cleft from posterior margin; valve strap-like, costal margin slightly longer that ventral margin; saccular extension on right side 1.25 × length of saccular extension on left side; saccular extensions directed down and away from cucullus; clasper (harpe) slightly fl attened distally, lightly setose, C shaped; corona well diff erentiated, 16-19 stout setae in a single row, directed basad.Aedeagus slightly bent at mid-point, 4-5 × as long as wide; vesica lightly sclerotized, at 1/3 length from aedeagus curved right 90 o , subbasal and medial diverticula present.
Remarks.Th is new species is placed in the genus Euxoa based on the structure of the male and female genitalia.Th e characters of the male genitalia place E. lafontainei in the subgenus Euxoa and in the E. simulata species-group.
Distribution and Biology.Euxoa lafontainei occurs in White Sands National Monument, Otero County, New Mexico (Figs. 19,20).Adults were collected in black light traps and at a sheet with a black light and/or mercury vapor light placed in the white gypsum dunes, interdunal areas, and at the Administration Building.Th e immature stages are unknown.(Grote, 1879) (Fig. 16) are 2 × width of antenna; those of P. comstocki McDunnough, 1934 (Fig. 15) are 1.5 × width of antenna; 2) fore wing color pale silvery gray; 3) fore wing with dark and white streaks from the base to the medial area, postmedial area, and outer margin; basal dashes of P. pectinata, P. comstocki and P. biclavis extend to antemedial area; 4) forewing with a prominent white shade in the cell between the base and the reniform spot; 5) adults fl y in February and March in the gypsum dunes in the Tularosa Basin of south central New Mexico; 6) adults most closely resemble P. pectinata.Th e colors of P. whitesandsensis are more gray and muted than P. pectinata.Th e colors of P. pectinata are more brown and contrasting than P. whitesandsensis.In Lafontaine and Fauske (2004) this species easily keys out to P. pectinata, but P. whitesandsensis has wider antennae, less orange on the forewing, less contrasting veins, and a diff erent distribution.

Protogygia whitesandsensis
Description.Adult male (Fig. 13): Head -vertex, narrow and narrow hair-like scales, white, occasional black scales, erect; front, narrow hair-like scales, white, a narrow band of scales across the front between the eyes, black, hair-like; labial palpus white with black scales, blackened laterally; basal and medial segments erect, hair-like scales, shaggy; apical segment angled anteriorly, closely scaled dorsally and anteriorly, white; haustellum coiled between labial palpi with more than four complete loops; antenna broadly bipectinate, dorsally white, scattered black scales, pectinations and ventral surface naked, dark brown.Th orax -color white, scattered black scales; tegula white, scattered black scales, laterally and mesally lined with black; dorsum white, scattered black scales, mid-dorsal black stripe; underside white, mixed with black scales, hair-like, long erect, shaggy appearance.Legs: coxa and femur white mixed with black giving a dirty appearance, closely scaled with long hair-like scales on ventral surface forming a shaggy fringe, fore tibia and mid-tibia black terminus, tarsomeres similarly white with black scales, each tarsomere terminus ringed with black.Fore wing: length 14-17 mm, mean 15.2 mm, n = 14.pale silvery gray; basal line, antemedial line, medial shade, postmedial line, claviform spot, and orbicular spot absent; prominent sub costal white shade in cell from base to reniform spot; basal dash, 3 elements, black, prominent, from base to reniform spot, white, not prominent, from base to medial area, black, not prominent, from base to antemedial area; subterminal line black, contrasting, zig zag from costa to inner margin; radial, medial, cubital, and anal veins lined with white; reniform lower and upper lobes lined with white; terminal line vaguely white; fringe, base marked with black scales, otherwise white; underside pale silvery gray, dusky shade in cell, veins variously lined with white, fringe concolorous.Hind wing: pale gray; veins variously lined with white or darker gray scales; discal spot dark gray; fringe, base concolorous, outer half white; underside concolorous; discal spot absent; fringe concolorous.Abdomen -dorsum light gray mixed with black scales, closely scaled, overlaid with long hair-like scales; underside of segments 3, 4, and 5 black and white contrasting, gray elsewhere with admixture of black scales.Genitalia (Fig. 17) -tegumen widened laterally, narrowed dorsally; uncus widened mesally, abruptly down-turned and pointed apically, long hairs dorsally; vinculum V shaped; valve strap-like slightly wider in saccular area, apex with dense setae, directed basad on mesial surface; clavus length 3 × width; clasper sinuous, tear drop shaped, ending in drawn-out point apically; aedeagus slightly bent at middle; vesica bent to right, base of vesica with 6 or 7 stout setae; subbasal diverticulum short with one stout terminal seta.
Adult female: unknown.

Remarks.
Th is new species is placed in the genus Protogygia based on the male genitalia, and the adult male's close resemblance to P. pectinata.
Distribution and biology.Protogygia whitesandsensis occurs in White Sands National Monument, Otero County, New Mexico (Figs. 19,20).Adults were collected in black light traps placed within the gypsum dunes.Females and the immature stages are unknown.

Discussion
In 2006 the US National Park Service invited Metzler to initiate a long term study of the Lepidoptera at White Sands National Monument, Otero County, New Mexico.A primary purpose of the study was to compile an inventory of moths in habitats within and immediately adjacent to the white gypsum dunes in the Monument.Th is is the fi rst in a series of papers pertinent to a detailed study of the Lepidoptera at White Sands National Monument.
White Sands National Monument preserves 297.85 km 2 (275 square miles), or about 40 %, of the world's largest white gypsum dune fi eld.Th e dune fi eld is located in the northern Chihuahuan Desert in southern New Mexico's Tularosa Basin (Schneider-Hector 1993).Th e dunes were created from dissolved gypsum crystals originating in large playa lakes at the southwestern boundary of the dune fi eld.As water evaporates from the water surface gypsum crystallizes out of solution and forms on the dry surface of the playa.As the crystals disintegrate sand-sized crystals are formed.Winds, predominately from the southwest, blow the sand-sized crystals from the dry lake bed or lake edge onto the dune fi eld.Th e dunes can be as high as 10 m.Plants and soils are successively covered and uncovered as the blowing sand moves the ridge crests from the southwest to the northeast as much as 9 m per year (McKee and Moiola 1975).
Plants respond to the harsh conditions of shifting pure gypsum soils in several ways.Th ey add stem length rapidly to accommodate encroaching dunes, they send out rhizomes (lateral roots) so new shoots can sprout up 10 to 20 meters away from the original plant, and they form large gypsum pedestals (two to three meters high) as dunes pass by providing support for the 3 meter high root system that formed as they grew to  (Sivinski 1994).
At fi rst glance much of the white gypsum dunes may appear bleak and devoid of animal life, but a closer look reveals seven subspecies that are endemic to the white sands.Th ese animals are specifi cally adapted to life in the white dunes by their permanently white color, or apparent lack of color.Th ese are Holbrookia maculata ruthveni Smith, 1943 (Squamata), Sceloporus undulatus cowlesi Lowe & Norris, 1956 (Squamata), Cnemidophrus inornatus gypsi Wright & Lowe, 1993 (Squamata), Perognathus fl avescens apache Merriam, 1889 (Rodentia), Neotoma nicropus leucophaea Baird, 1855 (Rodentia), Ammobaenites phrixocnemoides arenicolus (Strohecker, 1947) (Orthoptera), and Daihinoides hastiferum larvale (Strohecker, 1947) (Orthoptera).At least four species are variable in color, but individuals collected on the white substrate at the Monument are pale, when compared to nearby populations that do not live in the dunes.Th ese animals are Spermophilus spilosoma Bennett, 1833 (Rodentia), Cibolecris parviceps arida (Brunner, 1889) (Orthoptera), Phrynosoma cornutum (Harlan, 1825) (Squamata) (Kain 2000) and Copablepharon serratigrande Lafontaine, 2004 (Lepidoptera).Animals that are naturally white, or pale in color else where may reside at White Sands to take advantage of the white sands substrate include Olla v-nigrum (Mulsand, 1866) (Coleoptera), and animals maintain their pigment but use elements of the environment or secrete a waxy substance to appear white and blend into the substrate such as a lycosid spider (Araneida) (Bugbee 1942).
Th ere is a dearth of research on the invertebrate fauna in the gypsum dune fi eld in the Tularosa Basin of New Mexico.Highlights of past research at White Sands National Monument pertinent to insects are Stroud (1950) who listed 452 species of insects and Strohecker (1947) who described 2 species of colorless camel crickets endemic in the gypsum dunes.
In 1950 Stroud reported 20 species of Lepidoptera from the Monument.In the period 9 February 2007 through 31 December 2008 Metzler and Forbes identifi ed more than 300 species of Lepidoptera (unpublished data) from the Monument.Because of the unusual physical and biological qualities of the New Mexico white gypsum dunes, we were especially aware of the possibility of fi nding undescribed species of moths.Th e white color of the two new species described herein is consistent with the color of animals endemic to the study area.Th e study of Lepidoptera at White Sands National Monument is projected to last approximately ten years.