Nudorthodes molino Lafontaine, Walsh & Ferris

Lafontaine, J. Donald, Walsh, J. Bruce & Ferris, Clifford D., 2014, A revision of the genus Protorthodes McDunnough with descriptions of a new genus and four new species (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Noctuinae, Eriopygini), ZooKeys 421, pp. 139-179 : 162-164

Taxon classification Animalia Lepidoptera Noctuidae

Nudorthodes molino Lafontaine, Walsh & Ferris sp. n. Figs 52-54, 72, 89; Map 16

Type material.

Holotype ♂. USA, Arizona, Pima Co., Santa Catalina Mts., mi 5.5 Mt Lemmon Hwy., 4400', riparian blue oak woodland, uv light trap, 27 October 2007, B. Walsh. CNC. Paratypes: 59 ♂, 34 ♀. USA, Arizona, Pima Co., Baboquivari Mts., Brown Canyon Nature Center,, 4200', oak woodland/ocotillo forest, mv/uv light trap, 11 June 2004, B. Walsh (1 ♂, 2 ♀, 1 ♀ Barcode of Life sample ID # CNCNoctuoidea13977); USA, Arizona, Pima Co., Baboquivari Mts., Brown Canyon Nature Center, 4200', 11 June, 2004, CD Ferris (1 ♂); USA, Arizona, Pima Co., Baboquivari Mts., Brown Canyon Nature Center, 4100', oak/ocotillo forest, mv/uv light trap, 22 & 28 June 2005 & 10 Sept. 2004, B. Walsh (2 ♂, 3 ♀); USA, Arizona, Pima Co., Baboquivari Mts., Brown Canyon Nature Center, 4300 –4400’, 28 June, 2005 (1 ♂), 18 June, 2008 (36 ♂, 1 ♀), CD Ferris; USA, Arizona, Pima Co., Santa Catalina Mts., mi 5.7 Mt Lemmon Hwy., 4400', riparian/oak woodland, uv light trap, 18 Sept. 2003, 4 October 2003, 13 June 2005, B. Walsh (3 ♂, 2 ♀, 1 ♀ Barcode of Life sample ID # CNCNoctuoidea12245); USA, Arizona, Pima Co., Santa Catalina Mts., Molino Basin, mi 5.5 Mt Lemmon Hwy., 4400', riparian blue oak woodland, uv light trap, 3 June 2004, B. Walsh (1 ♀); USA, Arizona Pima Co., Santa Catalina Mts., Molino Basin, mi 5.5 Mt Lemmon Hwy., 4400', 26 September, 2003 (1 ♀); 24 May, 2004 (2 ♂); 3 June, 2004 (1 ♂), JB Walsh; USA, Arizona, Pima Co., Santa Catalina Mts., mi 5.5 Mt Lemmon Hwy., 4400', riparian blue oak woodland, uv light trap, 29 May 2008, 27 October 2004, 8 November 2004 (Barcode of Life sample ID # CNCNoctuoidea12246), B. Walsh (1 ♂, 2 ♀); USA, Arizona, Pima Co., Rincon Mts., Happy Valley, Mescal Road 9 miles N Jct. Interstate 10, oak/riparian, 9 June 2005, B. Walsh (1 ♀); USA, Arizona, Pima Co., Santa Rita Mts., Madera Canyon, 4400', 7 Sept. 1960 (1 ♂) and 4800', 31 August 1959 (1 ♀), J. G. Franclemont; USA, Arizona, Santa Cruz Co., Peña Blanca Cyn., 3940', 31°23.87'N, 111 °05.61'W, 8 Sept. 2010, C.D. Ferris (5 ♂, 9 ♀); USA, Arizona, Santa Cruz Co., Walker Canyon E. of Peña Blanca Lake, 3885', 12 June 2009, C.D. Ferris (1 ♀); Arizona, Santa Cruz Co., Peña Blanca Cyn., 4000', 3 September, 2010, JB Walsh (1 ♀); USA, Arizona, Santa Cruz Co., Patagonia, 4040', 13 June 2009, C.D. Ferris (1 ♀); USA, Arizona, Santa Cruz Co., Harshaw Rd., 4310', 14 June 2008 (1 ♂), 12 June 2013 (1 ♂), CD Ferris; USA, Arizona, Cochise Co., Dragoon Mts., 4950', 4 June, 2009, C.D. Ferris (1 ♂); USA, Arizona. Cochise Co., Huachuca Mts., Ash Canyon, 5170', 16 June, 2008 (1 ♂), 20 June, 2008 (1 ♀), 7 June, 2009 (2 ♀), 6 June, 2010 (1 ♀), 9 June, 2010 (1 ♀), CD Ferris; USA, Arizona, Cochise Co., Mule Mts., Banning Creek, 5700', 12 June, 2010 (1 ♀), CD Ferris; USA, New Mexico, Grant Co., Patterson Cyn., 5270', 26 May, 2012, CD Ferris (1 ♂). Paratypes deposited in CDF, CNC, CUIC, JBW, USNM.

Etymology.

This species is named after the Molino Basin on Mt Lemmon where most of the type series was collected. The name is a noun in apposition.

Diagnosis.

Nudorthodes molino can be recognized by the diffuse dark-brown band across the outer third of the forewing between the medial line and the subterminal line, and the dark-brown shading of the medial line that fills most of the reniform spot. The male genitalia are characterized by the large triangular sacculus, the elongated oval cucullus, and the S-curved, foot-shaped digitus. The female genitalia are similar to those of Nudorthodes texana and Nudorthodes variabilis , but in Nudorthodes molino the ostium bursae is more rounded with the sides convex, whereas in Nudorthodes texana and Nudorthodes variabilis the ostium bursae is quadrangular with the sides parallel. The barcode of Nudorthodes molino is the most deviant of the species in the genus Nudorthodes , differing from the other species by as little as 5.05% ( Nudorthodes variabilis ) to as much as 5.81% ( Nudorthodes texana ).

Description.

Adult. Male and female similar in size, color, and maculation. Forewing length: 13-15 mm. Head - Male antenna filiform, setose ventrally. Female antenna filiform, ventral setae visible only under high magnification. Palpi and head clothed with spatulate apically-forked setae, pale buffy brown or gray brown. Thorax - Covered with similar scales to those of head; with slightly raised prothoracic and metathoracic tufts. Legs: Appearing speckled with mixture of buff and darker brown scales. Tibiae without spiniform setae. Tarsi with three ventral rows of spiniform setae. Wings: Dorsal forewing pale brown with dusting of darker-brown scales, especially in outer part of medial area, outer part of subterminal area, and usually in terminal area; subbasal, antemedial, postmedial lines dark brown, subterminal line a series of pale-buff dots with dark brown shading proximally that highlights line; reniform spot kidney shaped, infuscated with dark-brown shading from medial line; orbicular spot rounded, generally paler than ground color and outlined by thin dark-brown line; medial line variably expressed, usually forming a broad diffuse brown shading between it and postmedial line and filling most of reniform spot with dark shading; terminal line dark brown, sinuate; fringe with two irregular rows of spatulate scales, pale-brown at base, darker toward tips. Dorsal hindwing pale fuscous basally with darker fuscous toward wing margin without a well-defined discal spot; fringe mainly whitish buff with fuscous medial line. Male genitalia - Similar to generic description except as noted. Valves mainly symmetrical except dorsal process of sacculus, and ampulla of clasper larger on right valve than on left valve. Valve widest at 1/3 from base, abruptly tapered near middle, then gradually tapered to ¾ from base to “neck” of cucullus; cucullus densely covered with posterodorsally-directed hairlike setae on anterior half of cucullus with stout setae curving to project anterodorsally on posterior half of cucullus; digitus abruptly-angled ventrally near neck of cucullus with apical part curved, ventrally flattened and foot shaped; ampulla of clasper expanded and lobed at base, then gradually tapered to apex, abruptly curved through 90°angle at ¾ to project dorsally, right clasper about 15% larger than left one; dorsal process of sacculus elongated and lobed posteriorly, process larger on right valve than on left valve; juxta an elongated flattened plate extending into series of oblique sclerotized ridges in membrane directed toward midline. Aedeagus and vesica similar to those of Nudorthodes texana and other species but apical part of vesica more inflated. Female genitalia - Corpus bursae membranous, rounded, without signa; appendix bursae arising from posterior dorsal surface of corpus bursae, 1.5 × as long as corpus bursae and slightly coiled toward anterior end; ductus bursae about as long as corpus bursae, with expanded sclerotized ostium bursae on posterior ¼; abdominal segment eight as long as wide, lightly sclerotized; anterior apophyses 1.5 × as long as abdominal segment eight; posterior apophyses folding near middle, about 2 × as long as anterior apophyses. Anal papillae long and tapered, about as long as abdominal segment eight; anal papillae lightly sclerotized, long setae sparsely scattered over surface, short setae abundant near apex of papillae.

Distribution and biology.

Nudorthodes molino is known from southeastern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico. Adults were collected from late May until late June and from late August until early November. The immature stages are unknown.