Catocala benjamini jumpi

Description. Forewing: narrow and pointed; dorsal surface with black, dark-brown, tan, and beige scales, few scales iridescent bluish or purplish; antemedial line black, edges indistinct; reniform black, subreniform usually beige, variable in size; apical yellowish area suffused with black; fringes gray, checkered with black. Hindwing: dorsal surface with pale-brown scales suffusing much of basal area; medial band dull pale yellowish; fringe yellowish tan with black checkering; bands black; ventral surface pale dusky yellow; fringe pale yellowish beige checkered with black; inner band usually only slightly narrower than on dorsal surface.

Distribution and biology. Catocala benjamini jumpi is known only from the Kofa Mountains of southwestern Arizona. The Kofa Mountains and the nearby Castle Dome Mountains are separated from the nearest known suitable locality for C. benjamini by about 140 km. The oaks (Q. turbinella) occurring in these two mountain ranges are notably disjunct in the overall range of this oak. Adults have been collected only in late May and early June. Larvae likely feed exclusively on Quercus turbinella since this is the only oak occurring in the area.