Pyreferra slotteni Troubridge

Troubridge, J. T., 2020, A new genus and 37 new noctuoid species from peninsular Florida and the Keys (Lepidoptera: Noctuoidea), Insecta Mundi 2020 (789), pp. 1-56 : 35-36

Pyreferra slotteni Troubridge , new species

( Fig. 53 , 103 , 138 )

BIN: BOLD:ACI9598

Diagnosis. Pyreferra slotteni is most closely related to Pyreferra pettiti (Grote) (BIN: BOLD:AAD2999) ( Fig. 54 ). They can be distinguished from each other by the forewing of P. slotteni , which is slightly more pointed than that of P. pettiti , and by the medial and postmedial lines, which are slightly wavy in P. pettiti , but straight or slightly curved in P. slotteni . Internally, among many differences, the clasper of P. slotteni is about twice as wide as that of P. pettiti , and the apex of the left valve is evenly rounded in P. slotteni , but shorter with a jagged tip in that of P. pettiti ( Fig. 103 versus 104). The DNA of P. slotteni was analyzed and the 658 COI base pairs compared with those of specimens of P. pettiti . The results showed a 5.77% difference between P. slotteni and P. pettiti .

Description. Antennae filiform, ciliate; head, vertex, thorax, and abdomen orange. Dorsal forewing (both sexes). Forewing length 14–15 mm. Ground color orange; antemedial, medial, and postmedial lines dark orange, straight or slightly curving, not wavy; thin terminal line dark orange brown; veins highlighted with scattered gray scales, becoming darker gray spots on postmedial line; scattered light-gray scales present between cubital cell and costa; orbicular and reniform spots delineated by light orange scales, reniform spot with dark-gray scales in posterior half; fringe orange. Dorsal hindwing. Ground color light orange yellow, lightly suffused with maroon scales between medial line and margin; medial line of scattered maroon scales, terminal line maroon; faint discal lunule light orange; fringe light orange yellow. Male genitalia ( Fig. 103 ). Base of valves with dorsal processes arising from sacculus on either side of juxta; a low process arises from costa adjacent to tegumen; clasper relatively wide, bends ventrally at right angles below apex, (resembling a sock) extends to apex of left valve and beyond apex of right valve; a membranous area connects sacculus to sclerotized valve tip, where costa narrows and bends ventrally to form a finger-like apex on left valve; tip of right valve shorter than that of left valve and is divided into a short dorsal process and longer ventral process; juxta wide at base, with a narrow neck that widens toward aedeagus; sclerotized plates extend from ventral corners of tegumen to meet above aedeagus; uncus curves gently downward to blunt tip; vesica bends downward and backward, with a small diverticulum on left at point where vesica turns backward; a small diverticulum on right is present mid-way along vesica and covered with a dense field of fine cornuti, and a large, dorsal, subapical diverticulum is present above ductus seminalis. Female genitalia. ( Fig. 138 ). Ovipositor lobes setose; ostium bursae and ductus bursae well sclerotized; ductus bursae folds to the left below ostium bursae and then bends to the right where it meets orbicular appendix bursae; appendix bursae arises from ductus bursae where ductus bursae meets globular corpus bursae; corpus bursae with three elogate signa.

Type material. Holotype male: USA: Florida , Alachua Co.: Gainesville , 5421 NW 69 th Lane , 21.Jan.1996, Jeffery R. Slotten, in the CNC . Paratypes: 9♂, 5♀: Alachua Co.: Gainesville , San Felasco Hammock, 30.Jan.1988, C.M. Stevens and H.D. Baggett, slide MGCL 2700 , 6♂, 2♀ ( FSCA) ; San Felasco Hammock , 31.Jan.1988, T. M. Neal, slide MGCL 2728 , 1♀ ( FSCA) ; Liberty Co.: Torreya State Park , 18.Mar.1983, W.L. Adair, slide MGCL 5862 , 1♂ ( FSCA) ; Torreya State Park , 15.Nov.1987, T. M. Neal, 1♀ ( FSCA) ; Santa Rosa Co.: Blackwater River State Park , 17.Nov.1987, T. M. Neal, 1♂ ( FSCA) ; Mississippi : Grenada Co.: 5 mi S Holcomb, 33° 41′51″N 90° 01′47″W, 8.Feb.1994, 1♀, R. L. Brown, D. Pollock ( CNC) ; Warren Co.: Vicksburg , 11.Nov.2007, 1♂, Ricky Patterson ( CNC) .

Etymology. I take pleasure in naming this species for Dr. Jeffery Slotten, who collected the holotype.

Distribution. Pyreferra slotteni occurs from northern Florida, northward at least to North Carolina, where it flies with P. pettiti .

Noctuidae : Noctuinae : Leucaniini

Figures

Figures 49–54. Adults. 49a) Homophoberia australis ♂, holotype, North Port, FL. 49b) Homophoberia australis ♀, paratype, North Port, FL. 49c) Homophoberia australis ♀, paratype, North Port, FL. 50) Leucania elephas ♂, paratype, Bahia Honda, FL. 51) Euscirrhopterus poeyi ♀, No Name Key, FL. 52) Euscirrhopterus argentata ♀, Sonora, MX. 53) Pyreferra slotteni ♂, holotype, Gainesville, FL. 54) Pyreferra pettiti ♂, Cayuga, ON.

Figures 100–104. Male genitalia. 100) Leucania elephas, paratype, Bahia Honda, FL. 101) Leucania februalis, San Diego, CA. 102) Leucania humidicola, Calabozo, Venezuela. 103) Pyreferra slotteni, holotype, Gainesville, FL. 104) Pyreferra pettiti, Cayuga, ON.

Figures 132–138. Female genitalia. 132) Litoprosopus linea, Islamorada, FL. 133) Tripudia calusa, paratype, Islamorada, FL. 134) Catabenoides insularis, paratype, Key Largo, FL. 135) Homophoberia australis, paratype, Highlands County, FL. 136) Diastema leo, paratype, Highlands County, FL. 137) Leucania elephas, paratype, Bahia Honda, FL. 138) Pyreferra slotteni, paratype, Grenada County, MS.