Protorthodes incincta (Morrison, 1874)

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 : 145-146

Taxon classification Animalia Lepidoptera Noctuidae

Protorthodes incincta (Morrison, 1874) Figs 7-16, 57, 75; Map 3

Mamestra incincta Morrison, 1874: 156.

Taeniocampa utahensis Smith, [1888]: 473.

Orthodes akalus Strecker, 1899: 6.

Agrotis saturnus Strecker, 1900: 31.

Graphiphora communis race smithii Dyar, 1904: 868.

Taeniocampa indra Smith, 1906: 233.

Eriopyga melanopis var. coloradensis Strand, [1917]: 29, syn. rev.

Eriopyga daviesi Barnes & Benjamin, 1927: 5.

Type material.

Mamestra incincta : 3 syntypes. No type material of this species was reported from MSU by Wilterding (1997), so the male syntype in USNM, examined, may be the only extant syntype. Type locality: Illinois. Taeniocampa utahensis : lectotype ♂, USNM, designated by Todd (1982), examined. Type locality: USA. Utah. Orthodes akalus : holotype ♀, FMNH, photograph examined. Type locality: USA, Colorado. Agrotis saturnus : holotype ♂ FMNH, photograph examined. Type locality: USA, southern Wisconsin. Graphiphora communis race smithii: holotype ♀, USNM, examined. Type locality: USA, Illinois. Note - the type locality for this taxon was given as "Canada, British Columbia, Kootnai District" by Poole (1989). However, the taxon was proposed for a singleton female from Illinois that Smith confused with the species Dyar described from British Columbia, therefore Dyar proposed the racial name smithii for this unique specimen. Taeniocampa indra : lectotype ♂, AMNH, designated by Todd (1982), examined. Type locality: USA, Arizona, Yavapai County, Minnehaha. Eriopyga daviesi : holotype ♂, USNM, examined. Type locality: USA, New Mexico, Fort Wingate. Orthodes melanopis var. coloradensis: holotype ♂, BMNH, examined. Type locality: SW Colorado. Hampson (1905: 299) listed this specimen as " Eriopyga melanopis ab. 1." Strand ([1917]: 29) proposed the name Eriopyga melanopis var. coloradensis for it. Poole (1989), assuming the name wasproposed as an aberration, as Strand usually did, credited McDunnough (1938: 74) as validating the name by using it as a subspecies of Orthodes melanopis . However, the specimen is herein reidentified as Protorthodes incincta , not Protorthodes melanopis , so the name is hereby transferred to the synonymy of Protorthodes incincta .

Diagnosis.

Protorthodes incincta is so variable in appearance that it is almost easier to identify it be eliminating the other species. The ground color varies from pale whitish gray, through various shades of brown, orange, and gray to blackish gray. Forewing length varies from 11-14 mm. The moths are most likely to be confused with those of Protorthodes curtica that mainly occurs father to the west. Protorthodes incincta can be distinguished by the more irregular pale subterminal line, concentration of dark sagittate marks proximal to the subterminal line to the area distal to the reniform spot, and other characters of maculation, antenna, and male genitalia listed under Protorthodes curtica . The palest forms (e.g., Fig. 16) occur in xeric areas of Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico and previously were known as Protorthodes indra , and the most contrastingly marked forms (e.g., Figs 11, 12) are localized in southern Wyoming, Colorado, and northern New Mexico and previously were known as Protorthodes daviesi . However, both forms blend into more typical forms in these areas and do not differ in structural characters or barcodes from other populations.

Distribution and biology.

Protorthodes incincta is mainly a species of the western Great Plains and dry open forests of the Rocky Mountain region, with range extensions into the Great Basin, the American Southwest, and eastward in relict prairie areas into the Great Lakes region. Adults occur from early June until early October. The larva was described by Crumb (1956) and Godfrey (1972).