Psectrotarsia euposis (Dyar) Dyar, 2007

Pogue, Michael G., 2007, Revision of the Genus Psectrotarsia Dognin, 1907 (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae: Heliothinae), Zootaxa 1637, pp. 1-19 : 7-8

Psectrotarsia euposis (Dyar) , new combination and revised status

( Figs. 4 , 12–13 , 22–23 , 29 , 34 )

Erythroecia euposis Dyar, 1912: 65 —Poole, 1983: 380.— Hardwick, 1996: 41.

Diagnosis. Psectrotarsia euposis is most similar to P. rhodophora (Hampson) . In P. euposis the valve in the male genitalia has the posterior margin gently curved from the sacculus to its widest width, the apex of the ampulla does not project above the costal margin of the valve, and the corona has more than 10 setae. In P. rhodophora the posterior margin of the valve is straight, the ampulla projects above the costal margin of the valve, and the corona has less than 10 setae. The most obvious difference in the female genitalia is the presence of a bar-like signa in P. euposis ; a signa is absent in P. rhodophora .

Redescription. Male. Head: Frons with low transverse ridges, minute cream-colored scales between ridges ( Fig. 4 ); vertex with narrow pink scales; labial palp appressed, scales pink with white fringe at base; antenna pink in basal 1/3 then gradually changing to white to apex; scape pink dorsally, white ventrally; eyes large and globular. Thorax: Patagium and prothorax with pink hairlike scales; tegula a mixture of yellow narrow and hairlike scales; meso- and metathorax pink; foretibia armature absent, pink, tarsi white; middle leg with white femur, pink tibia, and white tarsi; hind leg mostly white with some pink apically, tarsi white; underside with some buff colored and pink hairlike scales under head, rest white. Forewing length 14.6–17.4 mm (n = 6); ground color yellow; all markings pink; basal costal spot from costa to M vein; claviform spot between M and A veins coalesced with spot below; orbicular spot present; reniform spot present; median line irregular below reniform; subterminal area with broad band of pink; fringe pink spotted with yellow; underside mostly gray, orbicular and reniform spots obscure, apical spot pink, terminal area yellow. Hindwing ground color gray, fringe white. Abdomen: Sternites gray, genital tuft and tergites white. Genitalia ( Figs. 22– 23 ) with uncus elongate, approximately 0.34X length of valve, apex pointed; valve broad, length 4.3X width, costal margin straight, posterior margin gently curved from sacculus to widest valve width, angulate at distal end to round apex; ampulla elongate, 0.2X length of valve, apex not projecting above costal margin of valve; corona with more than ten setae; sacculus with ventral margin slightly produced; juxta rectangulate with dorsal and ventral margins excavated; saccus V-shaped; aedoeagus slightly bent at middle, apex truncate; vesica Y-shaped, with enlarged bulbous area at junction of Y, bulbous area with 2 or 4 small cornuti, right diverticulum (when viewed ventrally) with elongate cornuti at apex, left diverticulum lacking cornuti.

Female. Head, Thorax: As in male, except forewing length 15.5–15.6 mm (n = 2). Abdomen: Genitalia ( Figs. 29 , 34 ) with papilla analis fleshy, apex rounded; posterior apophysis 0.85 times anterior anpophysis, narrow; ductus bursae membranous below ostium bursae, constricted at middle, sclerotized, heavily striated in distal 0.5; appendix bursae present as undifferentiated cephalad extension of corpus bursae extending to constriction in ductus bursae; corpus bursae large, kidney-shaped; signa bar-like with expanded base and slightly curved apex.

Holotype. Male, Tehuacan, Mexico. R. Muller Collector. Type No. 13892 U.S. N.M. [red label]. Erythroecia euposis Type Dyar [hand written label]. Deposited in USNM.

Distribution and Biology. Known from several states around Mexico City ( Fig. 36 ). Larval host is unknown.

Material Examined. 7m, 3f MEXICO: Zacualpan, Sep. 1917 (1m, 1f). DISTRICTO FEDERAL: Lomas de Chapultepec, 1 Aug. 1936 (2m), T. Escalante. HIDALGO: 3 mi E Zimapan, 6400 ft., 31 July – 1 Aug. 1963 (1m), genitalia slide USNM 49747, Duckworth and Davis, Sep. (1f) ( UNAM). MICHOACAN: 25 Sep. 1939 (1m) ( UNAM). MORELOS: Cuernavaca, 16 Sep. 1933 (1m, 1f), T. Escalante. PUEBLA: Tehuacán, Sep. 1987 (1m,), C.C. Hoffmann ( UNAM). All specimens deposited in USNM unless otherwise indicated.

Discussion. Although Hardwick (1996) synonymized P. euposis with P. rhodophora , the male and female genitalia are distinct. Thus, I resurrect P. euposis as a valid species and transfer it to Psectrotarsia .

Figures

FIGURE 36. Collecting localities. Psectrotarsia flava, closed squares; P. s u a v i s, closed circles; P. hebardi, closed triangles; P. euposis, closed triangles; P. rhodophora, open circle.

FIGURES 1 – 5. Heads. 1, Psectrotarsia flava, female, Peru, Lima, USNMENT 14764; 2, P. s u a v i s Nebraska, Platte Co., Columbus, USNMENT 147638; 3, P. hebardi New Jersey, Morris Co., Lake Hoptacong, USNMENT 147639; 4, P. euposis Mexico, Cuernavaca, USNMENT 147705; 5, P. rhodophora, Volcan Guatemala, Volcan Santa Maria, USNMENT 220365.

FIGURES 12 – 15. Adults. 12, Psectrotarsia euposis, male, Mexico, Districto Federal, Lomas de Chapultepec, USN- MENT 147703; 13, P. e u p o s i s, male, Mexico, Morelos, Cuernavaca, USNMENT 147704; 14, P. rhodophora, male, Volcan Santa Maria, Guatemala, USNMENT 147698; 15, P. rhodophora, male, Volcan Santa Maria, Guatemala, USNMENT 147700.

FIGURES 22 – 25. Male Genitalia. 22, Psectrotarsia euposis, Mexico, Morelos, Cuernavaca, USNMENT 147705, genitalia slide USNM 49756; 23, P. e u p o s i s, aedoeagus, same data; 24, P. rhodophora, Guatemala, Quezaltenango, Volcan Santa Maria, USNMENT 147697, genitalia slide USNM 46758; 25, P. rhodophora, aedoeagus, same data.

FIGURES 29 – 30. Female Genitalia. 29, Psectrotarsia euposis, Mexico, Zacualpan, USNMENT 147709, genitalia slide USNM 49759; 30, P. rhodophora, Guatemala, Quezaltenango, Volcan Santa Maria, USNMENT 147701, genitalia slide USNM 46755.

FIGURES 31 – 35. Papillae anales of female Genitalia. 31, Psectrotarsia flava, same data as Fig. 26; 32, P. s u a v i s, same data as Fig. 27; 33, P. h e b a rd i, same data as Fig. 28; 34, P. euposis, same data as Fig. 29; 35, P. rhodophora, same data as Fig. 30.