Estero Zale - Zale sp-nr-strigimacula

Moved

Moved from Zale.

… Steve Nanz, 1 September, 2017 - 12:06pm

Moved

… Steve Nanz, 1 September, 2017 - 4:52am

no longer Zale obsita

Per Schmidt & Lafontaine (per. comm., 8/1/2017) Zale obsita is extralimital. The reasoning is complicated and I will update the species page for Zale strigimacula shortly with an explanation shortly. The TX examples are either Zale strigimacula or Zale sp. nr. strigimacula. Dissection or DNA barcoding is required for separating the two.

Would it be possible to find out if this sample was tested or dissected? I'd like to update the species pages and would like to figure out if possible where this belongs. Feel free to email me as needed.

… Steve Nanz, 3 August, 2017 - 1:16pm

photo only

I'm afraid that this individual was not collected, to my knowledge. It was observed in a state park, and my friend who took this photo is a soft-hearted sort who tends to leave specimen-collecting to the more hard-core researchers. Bordelon and Knudson had specimens from the area of what they called Z. obsita at that time, though I'm not sure how many, they described it as "uncommon" in their book. I know that Bordelon is no longer with us, I'm not sure if Knudson still has their collection or if it has been deposited at some institution. Someone from the Texas lepidopterist community might know, perhaps Mike Quinn or Mike Rickard...

… Joshua Stuart Rose, 1 September, 2017 - 10:50am

I assume this is either Z. strigimacula or Z. sp. nr. strigimacula but I know very little about Zale identification. If you or anyone else feels more confident, a no taxon " Zale strigimacula or Zale sp. nr. strigimacula" could be created for these examples which are not dissected or barcoded but other species can none the less be eliminated.

Z. obsita is now considered extralimital north of Mexico and perhaps even Mexico itself. The BIN for that species is BOLD:ABZ7665.

I added information to the species Info pages as well as the taxonomic notes at MPG here.

Thanks for the follow up.

… Steve Nanz, 1 September, 2017 - 11:26am

nr.

I see elsewhere here on the Guide that one record of strigimacula from Texas has been confirmed by a specimen sent to BOLD. Has the other species, nr. strigimacula, been documented from Texas (or the USA in general) yet?

… Joshua Stuart Rose, 1 September, 2017 - 11:36am

Higher res image?

Do you agree with the tentative ID? I should have asked before moving. Could you find out if we can get a higher res image and use it for MPG?

… Steve Nanz, 1 September, 2017 - 12:09pm

Yes!

Now that you ask, I see that Bordelon & Knudson submitted Sample ID: CNCLEP 00119647 which falls in Zale Lafontaine15, BOLD:ABY4634, the BIN for Z. nr. strigimacula. Take a look. Bordelon & Knudson do not have anything for Z. strigimacula which is BIN BOLD:AAD0033.

This is a good match. I made a page for Z. nr. strigimacula. This is way from conclusive but I don't think it's unreasonable to move this tentatively to that page. Thanks for questioning.

… Steve Nanz, 1 September, 2017 - 12:03pm

works for me

I see that CB and ECK's sample of confirmed nr. strigimacula came from Santa Ana NWR, which is in the same county and only about 10 miles away (as the moth flies; 14 miles by road) from the site where this one was photographed. The nearest specimen that BOLD has for strigimacula proper appears to be from Falcon State Park, closer to 80 miles away and in different habitat and county. So I think it's fair to move this one as you have, at least as a place-holder for the new species until somebody can get a specimen to BOLD for firmer verification.

I'll inquire with John about whether he has an MPG-worthy photo, but don't get your hopes up, this might be the best photo he was able to get at the time. But perhaps this discussion will motivate him and his fellow LRGV lepidopterists to be alert for more individuals of this species, to get better photos and maybe even a specimen or three....

… Joshua Stuart Rose, 1 September, 2017 - 1:59pm