Zale intenta (Walker), 2010

Schmidt, Christian, 2010, Taxonomic reassessment of Zale lunifera (Hübner) (Erebidae, Erebinae), ZooKeys 39 (39), pp. 99-106 : 100-103

Zale intenta (Walker) , stat. rev.

Figs 1–4

Homoptera intenta Walker, [1858] : 1070.

Homoptera woodii Grote, 1877: 88 .

‡ Zale calycanthata ab. dealbata Strand, 1916. unavailable.

Zale lunifera of authors, not ( Hübner, 1818).

Homoptera cingulifera ; Holland 1913: pl. XXXVII f. 17.

Zale lunifera ; Handfield 1999: p. 71 f. 8713; Rockburn & Lafontaine 1976: 144, fig. 551.

Figures Ι–8. Comparison of adult Zale intenta and Zale lunifera . Ι Z. intenta, Edmunston , NB 2 Z. intenta, Stony Swamp, Ottawa , ON 3 Z. intenta, Ithaca , NY 4 Z. intenta, Ludowici , GA 5 Z. lunifera, Dwarf Pine Plains , Suffolk Co., NY 6 Z. lunifera, Lakehurst , NJ 7 Z. lunifera , neotype, Ludowici, GA 8 Z. lunifera, Anthony, Marion Co., Anthony , FL.

Type material. Homoptera intenta - type locality St. Vincent [Florida?] acc. to type label.; holotype in BMNH [photograph examined]. The wing pattern of the holotype is closest to that of southeastern United States populations of this species, which have a more greyish, contrasting pattern (particularly the hindwing) and more contrastingly pale subterminal forewing area than more northern specimens of this species and of Z. lunifera . Homoptera woodii - Type locality “[ USA:] N[ew] Y[ork], Center.” Holotype in BMNH [photograph examined]. Zale calycanthata ab. dealbata – unavailable infrasubspecific name. Although some of Strand’s infrasubspecific names have subsequently been validated (most of them inadvertently), I have found no evidence of this for dealbata. McDunnough (1938) listed it as a “form” (of Z. calycanthata (Smith)) , not as a subspecies or subjective synonym. Th is name is not included in Franclemont and Todd (1983) or Poole (1989), presumably because it was deemed to be unavailable.

Other material examined. New Brunswick: Edmunston ; St. - Basile ; Québec: Temiscouata Co .; Ste. Flore, Lac Mondor ; St-Mathieu de Beloeil ; Manseau; Harrington Lake, Gatineau ; Aylmer; Kirks Ferry Ontario: Ottawa, Pinhey Forest ; Carp; Pike Lake, Manitoulin Island . Tennessee: Sevier Co., Great Smoky Mountains National Park . Georgia: Long Co. , Ludowici , Griffin Ridge. Maryland: Beltsville. Massachusetts: Forest Hills. Pennsylvania: Indiana ; Berks Co., Sinking Spring. South Carolina: McClellanville, Wedge Plantation. New York: Ithaca. Louisiana: Caddo Parish .

Diagnosis. This species has long been confused with Z. lunifera , from which it differs by its larger size, more elongate forewing shape, the poorly defined or absent black orbicular spot, and the less sinuate black antemedial line on the forewing. Zale intenta also has a tendency to develop an overall striate pattern that is very poorly or not at all developed in Z. lunifera , particularly well developed in south-eastern populations (Fig. 4). Male genitalic differences are slight; the valves are more elongate and the aedeagus is longer with a slightly greater twist in Z. intenta than in Z. lunifera . In females, the distance between the ostium and the caudal margin of the antevaginal plate is equal to the diameter of the ostium; in Z. lunifera , this distance is 2.0–2.5 × the diameter of the ostium.

Redescription. Head – antenna ciliate in both sexes; palpi and head dark brown. Thorax – thoracic collar dark brown with a fine black basal line and light-grey distal border; middorsal area with a brown anterior and posterior tuft, scales prominently light grey distally bordered basad by fine black line; tegulae patterned similarly, but with a broad black basal patch; thorax fuscous grey brown ventrally. Abdomen – dorsum and ventrum brown grey; dorsum of segments four to seven with pale-tipped hair tufts; sexes similar. Forewing – length averaging 19.7 mm (n = 6) in males, 20.1 mm (n = 3) in females; ground colour greyish brown to dark chocolate brown, with a slight dark-purple tinge in fresh specimens; entire wing covered in fine, black striae (particularly developed in southern populations); basal area (basad of antemedial line) dark brown, contrasting with remainder of wing, with small paler brown patch at base of costa; antemedial line dark brown to black, sometimes paler brown medially; bordered distally by pale grey-brown shading; orbicular absent or small and black; reniform spot rust brown centrally with a fine black border and a broader pale-tan outer border; postmedial line fine, black and sinuate; subterminal area variously concolorous with postmedial area (usually) or paler grey-brown, particularly in south-eastern populations; ventrum even fuscous brown with slightly darker indistinct reniform and costal part of postmedial line; dark striae less distinct than on dorsum; sexes similar. Hindwing – ground colour greyish brown to dark chocolate brown, grading to lighter fuscous brown toward costal margin; entire wing covered in fine black striae; medial area with or without an indistinct double medial line; postmedial line absent or indistinct; ventrum even fuscous brown with slightly darker, indistinct, dark discal spot; dark striae less distinct than on dorsum; sexes similar. Male genitalia – valves symmetrical, apex (cucullus) distinctly lanceolate and curving about 90 degrees inward; saccular extension consisting of a low triangular process; saccular process an indistinct ridge; uncus long and cylindrical, approximately half length of base of valve, apex pointed and down curved; juxta slightly asymmetrical, with left caudal margin developed into a slight lobe; aedeagus curving dorsad and to right by approximately 90 degrees; aedeagus with a lobe-like process at distal margin; vesica roughly globose with numerous diverticula, very finely scobinate. Female genitalia – papillae anales bluntly triangular, lightly sclerotized; posterior apophysis 2.2 × length of papillae; anterior apophysis 1.0 × length of papillae; antevaginal plate deeply divided by a medial notch, forming a quadrate flange on each side; ostium originating near proximal margin of antevaginal plate, separated from caudal margin of plate by 2.0–2.5 × diameter of plate; ductus bursae short, 2.0–2.5 × as long as diameter of ostium; corpus bursae pear shaped, proximal, larger chamber with minute, internal spicules.

Distribution and biology. Distributed from Nova Scotia (Ferguson 1954) westward to Wisconsin ( Forbes 1954) and Missouri and southward to Georgia. Likely also occurs in northern Florida, but literature records may apply to Z. lunifera . The southwestern range limit is not known. Larvae feed on Prunus species, including black cherry ( Forbes 1954), beach plum and “cherry” (Wagner 2005). The flight period is from March to June depending on latitude and elevation.