Amblyscirtes nemoris (W. H. Edwards, 1864 )

Amblyscirtes nemoris (W. H. Edwards, 1864) - reinstated status

DESCRIPTION AND PHENOTYPIC COMPARISON OF ADULTS

Genomic analysis of the holotype of Hesperia nemoris revealed that nemoris , long considered a synonym of hegon , is, in fact, a species distinct from hegon .

Per W. H. Edwards (1864), this species is characterized by a “greenish gray” venter. Color analysis shows no green background pigment, rather a brown color (“Pine Cone”) that differs only slightly from hegon , but differs appreciably from both the tan-brown venter of matheri and grayish venter of gelidus ( Fig. 14). The “greenish” appearance is certainly due to the visual effect of light scales “peppered” over the brown ground color. Though there is considerable character overlap with hegon , making identification to species challenging, nemoris generally has more of the light ventral peppering of light scales ( Fig. 9), whereas hegon is primarily brown-ventered with less of the light peppering of nemoris . The ventral forewing apex is similarly colored to the hindwing, being slightly darker (“Metallic Bronze”). The last area of the forewing that was analyzed was the darkest portion of the base of the forewing (“ Morocco Brown”). There was no appreciable difference in color here, between the four species.

The dorsal brown ground color (“Bistre”) differs little from either hegon (also “Bistre”) or gelidus (“Very Dark Brown”), but is considerably darker than matheri (“Horses Neck”) ( Fig. 13). W. H. Edwards (1864) gives a detailed description of the dorsal and ventral spot pattern, which are individually variable in extent across all four species in the hegon complex. The colors of the light dorsal spots (“Tahuna Sands”) and ventral spots (“Soft Amber”) differ very little from either hegon , matheri or gelidus ( Fig. 14) and are essentially unreliable for differentiating the species. In nemoris the ventral hindwing spot pattern tends to be well-developed, similar to both matheri and gelidus , but dissimilar to hegon which has a tendency for a reduced or absent spot pattern. Other features in the description of nemoris (W. H. Edwards, 1864) similarly apply to hegon , matheri and gelidus and pose identification challenges to observers.

The present analysis measured the length of the forewing of the males (n=13), ranging 11.0-13.0 mm, and averaging 11.6 mm. The measurement of females (n=4) was consistently 12.0 mm, averaging 12.0 mm. All sexes averaged together (n=17) show nemoris adults having forewings measuring 11.8 mm and ranging 11-13 mm ( Fig. 16). W. H. Edwards (1864) provided a single measurement for the male wingspan, expanding 1” ( 25.5 cm). In the present study, wingspan of the males was measured at 22-24 mm (n=13), averaging 22.6 mm, with females (n=4) measuring 23-24 mm and averaging 23.5 mm. All sexes averaged together (n=17) show nemoris adults having a wingspan measuring 22.8 mm and ranging 22-24 mm ( Fig. 16). The measurements show that nemoris and hegon have similar forewing length and wingspan, whereas matheri and gelidus were both larger ( Fig. 16).

The difference in the angle of the subapical spot row from the leading edge of the forewing ( Figs. 15 & 16), shows little difference between nemoris and hegon . Both matheri and gelidus showed the alignment of the apical spots to have a sharper average angle. While the measured angle varied greatly, nemoris , hegon and to a lesser degree gelidus ranged closer to a 90° angle than matheri , which showed the apical spot row to sit at a sharper angle from the leading edge of the forewing.

In male genitalia of A. nemoris , the tooth on the inner surface of harpe is larger and more robust ( Figs. 17c, d, 16d), similar to A. hegon ( Figs. 17f, 16h), but different from both of the two new species, in which the tooth is shallower and does not protrude much between the valvae. Amblyscirtes nemoris differs from A. hegon by the valva with more or less parallel dorsal and ventral margins in lateral view and the base of harpe along ventral margin is straighter and less convex (or curved) ( Fig. 16g).

SPECIMENS OF A. NEMORIS EXAMINED IN PRESENT STUDY:

Neotype: Ohio: Vinton Co., 3 miles east of Zaleski (leg. Harry K. Clench), 10 May 1970 ( Fig. 9).

Arkansas: Faulkner Co., Wooly Hollow State Park (leg. Ricky Patterson), 26 April 2022 ( 1 ♂ RLP #22100/NVG-21113H02, 3 ♀ RLP #22103/NVG-22054H01, RLP #22105/NVG-22054H03, RLP #22106/NVG-22054H04) , 8 May 2022.

Louisiana: Catahoula Parish, J. C. ‘ Sonny’ Gilbert WMA (leg. Ricky Patterson), 21 March 2022 ( 1♀), 25 March 2022 ( 1 ♂), (leg. Jeff Slotten), 23-Mar-2018 ( 2 ♀ NVG-19047E12 & 19047F02)

Mississippi: Tishomingo Co., 5 miles west of Belmont (leg. Ricky Patterson), 16 April 1994 ( 2 ♀)

Mississippi: Tishomingo Co., Mt. Woodall (leg. Ricky Patterson) , 4 April 1992 ( 2 ♂), 18 April 1993 ( 3 ♂, 1 ♀), 16 April 1994 ( 1 ♂, 2 ♀), 4 April 2000 ( 1 ♂, 1 ♀)

Missouri: St. Francois Co., Bonne Terre (leg. Harry Pavulaan), 24 April 1988

North Carolina: Clay Co., Buck Creek @ Hwy. 164 (leg. Ricky Patterson), 17 May 2007 ( 1 Specimen - genetic analysis NVG-21109C09 per tree) .

North Carolina: Haywood Co., Maggie Valley (leg. Harry Pavulaan), 10 May 2009

Texas: Smith Co., Tyler State Park (leg. June and Floyd Preston), 15 March 1986 (via Texas A & M collection)

HABITAT AND DISTRIBUTION

A. nemoris flies in early spring (mid-March through mid-May). Early and late dates are 21 March to 10 May. In Louisiana and Mississippi, it is found in late-March to late-April; in Arkansas it flies from late-April to mid-May based on confirmed specimens.

The confirmed range of this species is from east Texas to Ohio (the Type Locality), Louisiana, Arkansas and Mississippi to North Carolina. This species like the others is also found in wooded areas, along gravel roads and small openings in wooded areas (hardwoods primarily), nectaring on blackberry blooms, wild garlic, clover, and various spring flowers. In Louisiana at the J. C. ‘Sonny’ Gilbert WMA this species flies sympatrically with Amblyscirtes matheri , and in Arkansas at Woolly Hollow State Park and in North Carolina at Buck Creek/Hwy 164 in Macon County, Amblyscirtes nemoris flies sympatrically with Amblyscirtes hegon . Amblyscirtes nemoris seems to have a more east central United States distribution, but extremes range from east Texas, thence east through Louisiana and Mississippi, and on to southwest North Carolina. It goes north to Ohio (the Type Locality), the northern most record we have.