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Locality: Coastal SW Washington State at the edge of Willapa Bay
geo:lat=46.624389 geo:lon=-123.949728
Three similar species of Plusia are noted. P. putnami and nichollae seem distinct from P. contexta with a well defined and visible reniform spot outlined with a darker border and it interrupts the golden rectangular interventional bars. In contrast in P. contexta these golden bars cross into the faint or lacking reniform spot. (See specimens on
CBIF and
MPG.
Between P. nichollae and putnami all the other characters if not identical seem to be varietal intergrades. For the most obvious example the shape of the large white claviform spot (if I have the term right) in the specimens which I feel are the same species collected from the same porch over several years in various summer months) is illustrative of the variablity. We see, two lobes separated and connected, two lobes with small third one just anterior of the larger proximal area and on one specimen a connected lobe on one side and separated on the other. These two species from the external morphology certainly are quite similar if not identical within the possible variation noted. I will label with the species, Plusia putnami, Grote, 1873 #8950 over P. nichollae (1913) in reference to the earlier description and welcome the discussion by experts.
Thanks to Professor Jan Metlevski of Kansas State University and his illustrated distinction between P. putnami and P. nichollae. See his labeling and citation of Lafontaine and Poole here:
and
.