Lasionycta carolynae Crabo 2009

Description. Head – Antenna of male deeply biserrate and fasciculate, 2.0–2.1× as wide as central shaft. Antenna of female filiform and ciliate. Dorsal segments covered with shiny slate-gray scales, some specimens with a few light brown-gray scales near base. Scape a mixture of slate-gray and light brown-gray scales. Eye reduced, ellipsoid, weakly hairy. Palpus covered with short light brown-gray scales and long hair-like dark brown-gray scales. Frons and top of head covered with medium-gray and slate-gray scales. Thorax – Vestiture entirely dark-gray and light gray-tipped and dark-gray hair-like scales, appearing slate gray. Legs slate gray; hindtibia with scattered medium-gray scales. Tarsal segments slate gray ringed distally with medium-gray scales. Wings – Forewing length: male 13–14 mm (expanse 30–32 mm); female 15 mm (expanse 33 mm). Forewing covered with uniform slate-gray scales, appearing glossy slate gray. All lines and spots absent. Fringe same color as remainder of forewing. Ventral forewing whitish gray with dark-gray shading on basal area, discal spot, costa, outer and posterior margins, and on veins. Postmedial line absent. Fringe dark gray basally, medium gray to dark gray distally. Dorsal hindwing ground color white, suffused with a few slate-gray scales; wing base and posterior margin heavily suffused with blackish gray. Veins medium gray. Discal spot blackish gray, thin, chevron shaped. Postmedial line absent. Marginal dark blackish-gray band sharply demarcated on outer ¼–⅓ of wing. Fringe dark gray basally, light, medium or dark gray distally. Ventral hindwing ground color white, lightly suffused with medium-gray scales; basal wing and area medial to cell nearly uniform medium gray. Veins medium gray. Discal spot dark gray, thin, comma shaped. Postmedial line absent. Marginal band dark gray, on outer ¼–⅓ of wing. Fringe dark gray basally, white, medium gray, or dark gray distally. Abdomen – Mainly covered with slate gray scales; longer brownish-gray scales covering male genitalia. Male genitalia – Similar to those of L. lagganata in most features including relatively broad uncus and broad flat juxta. Differing from those of L. lagganata in broader clasper; broader digitus (more apically blunt in two of four males examined), and in corona consisting of a single row of setae. Female genitalia – Similar to those of L. lagganata.

Distribution and biology. Lasionycta carolynae is found in the Ogilvie and Richardson Mountains, Yukon, where it flies over shale scree slopes. Adults are diurnal and feed at Dryas octopetala L. (Rosaceae) and Silene acaulis in the Ogilvie Mountains and a Saxifraga species in the Richardson Mountains. The type series, the only known specimens of this species, was collected in late June and early July.