Leucania sororia McCabe & Adams, 2023

Mccabe, Timothy L. & Adams, Morton S., 2023, Five new species of the genus Leucania Ochsenheimer in Central America (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), Zootaxa 5256 (3), pp. 250-266 : 256-258

Leucania sororia McCabe & Adams , new species

Figs. 8 (imago), 23 (valvae), 24 (endophallus), 40 (bursa copulatrix)

Material examined. Dissections examined (3♁♁, 3♀♀). Type material: Holotype female. MEXICO, Oaxaca, 7 mi. S. Miahuitlan, 19 August 1992, 7,000’, H. Romack, dissection TLM ♀ 6308 (deposited in NYSM). Paratypes. (4♁♁, 3♀♀). MEXICO: Durango, 10 mi. W. of El Salto, 18 June 1964, J.E.H. Martin, 9000’, 4♁♁, 2♀♀, dissections TLM ♀ 6440, TLM ♁6436, MSA♁CNC1, MSA ♀ CNC2 ( CNC); Oaxaca, 5 mi. S. Tlaxiaco, 5 August 1992, 7,000’, 1♁, H. Romack, dissection TLM♁6067 [ NYSM] .

Diagnosis. Leucania sororia bears a close resemblance in both habitus and genitalia to L. colorada ( Fig. 7 ). Leucania sororia is gray-brown versus the red-brown of L. colorada . Another reliable diagnostic character is the configuration of the appendix bursae. The upward bent tip of the appendix bursae in L. sororia is much shorter and smaller than in L. colorada ( Fig. 39 ). In the male genitalia, the digitus and clasper run parallel in L. sororia but are splayed apart in L. colorada ( Fig. 21 ). Leucania sororia may be confused with L. oaxacana and L. complicata (see diagnosis of L. colorada ). Based solely on habitus, L. oaxacana is not reliably separated from L. sororia . Leucania oaxacana has the white of the cubital vein thickened beneath the reniform whereas L. sororia typically has no thickening of the white at this location. The forewing color and pattern of L. sororia is also close to that of L. imperfecta Smith, 1894 ( Fig. 9 ), but L. imperfecta has much lighter hind wings.

Description. Wingspan 34–36 mm. Head, palpi, frons, thorax, patagia, tegula, and forewing gray-brown. No scale tufts on male fore- and mid-tibiae. Forewing with cubital vein clearly marked with white scales from base to reniform where it thickens (expands). Reniform above and adjacent to white-scaled cubital vein. White scales present below or rarely beyond the reniform. White scaling of cubital vein not thickened near reniform. Post-median line a curving row of small black dots on veins. Hind wings pale at base with brown marginal infuscation. Abdomen concolorous with hind wing margin. Ventral surface of hind wings duller and terminal dots more distinct than on dorsum. Eversible tubular structures present on ventrolateral aspect of male second abdominal segment.

Male genitalia. ( Figs. 23 & 24 ) Uncus with distal end spear-shaped and spiny, slightly thickened distally, and attenuated, but lacking a narrow claw-like tip. Tegumen and vinculum unmodified. Valva broad with inflatable flap (lappet) on the outside. Lappet, when fully inflated, extends well beyond valva margin. Cucullus short and broad with a row of numerous non-deciduous setae on outer margin. Pore plate well-developed. Ampulla short and thin. Editum conspicuous. Digitus short, sharp pointed, and typically parallel to clasper (see right valva in Fig. 23 ). Clasper an elongated projection extending almost to valva margin and terminating in upturned knob with acute point. Claval area of the sacculus wide, producing flat-topped bulge. Phallus a simple straight tube. Everted endophallus with finger-like diverticulum at one-third of its length from base, a patch of a few spines at base of diverticulum, another similar patch of spines between the diverticulum and the phallus. Distal half of endophallus with a long, somewhat irregular, double row of spines, proximal spines much longer than the others.

Female genitalia. ( Fig. 40 ) Ductus bursae extends from ostium bursae as a straight tube, sharply bent at appendix bursae. Corpus bursae arising following a narrow constriction, spherical, membranous. Striate appendix bursae folding back upon itself, overlapping ductus bursae for most of its length before terminating in a long, upturned prominence.

Global distribution. Mexico (type locality) .

Etymology. The epithet “sororia” (soror Latin for sister) refers to the relationship to L. colorada .

Food plant. Unknown.

Larva. Unknown.

Remarks. Leucania sororia and L. colorada are sympatric and synchronic at high elevations in the Mexican state of Oaxaca. Leucania oaxacana Schaus, 1898 (syntype illustrated by Poole, 2022) occurs in Mexico and Central America and is easily confused with two of the newly described species ( L. sororia and L. colorada ) and with L. complicata .

We have also examined L. complicata Strecker, 1898 , Restored Status, from northern Mexico and southwestern USA (photograph of type examined). Previously treated as a synonym of L. oaxacana ( Franclemont & Todd, 1983) . Leucania complicata was misidentified as L. oaxacana by Poole (accessed 16 June 2022). Leucania complicata is a member of an informal “oaxacana group” that includes: Leucania oaxacana , L. albifasciata , L. colorada , L. sororia , L. mopan , and L. merga . Leucania imperfecta Smith, 1894 , is sympatric with L. complicata in southwestern USA and northern Mexico and may be confused with species of the “ oaxacana ” group.

Figures

FIGURES 7–12. Imagos of male Leucania. 7. Leucania colorada, Paratype, 5 mi. S. Tliaxico, Oaxaca, 7,000’, Mexico (TLM ♁6361). 8. Leucania sororia, Paratype, 5 mi. S. Tliaxico, Oaxaca, 7,000’, Mexico (TLM ♁6067). 9. Leucania imperfecta, Cold Canyon, Napa County, 38°30’30”N, 122°05’49”W, 200 m, California, USA (TLM ♁2524). 10. Leucania championi, Holotype, Volcan Zunil, Fuentes Georginas, 14°45’00”N, 91°28’49”W, 2455 m, Guatemala (TLM ♁6056). 11. Leucania humidicola, Big Pine Key, Munroe Co., 24°40’48”N, 81°21’41”W, 2 m, Florida, USA. 12. Leucania dorsalis, Great Exuma, Simon’s Point, 23°31’50”N, 75°47’30”W, Bahamas (TLM ♁568).

FIGURES 35–40. Bursa copulatrix. Ventral view except for Fig. 38. 35. Leucania mopan, Paratype, Mountain Pine Ridge, 1,000 Foot Falls, Cayo District, Belize (TLM ♀6329). 36. Leucania albifasciata, Mountain Pine Ridge, 1,000 Foot Falls, Cayo District, Belize (TLM ♀6333). 37. Leucania merga, Paratype, Volcan Zunil, Fuentes Georginas, 14°45’00”N, 91°28’49”W, 2455 m, Guatemala (TLM ♀6484). 38. Leucania dorsalis, Volcan Atitlan, Reserva Los Tarrales, 14°31’57”N, 91°08’46”W, 995 m, Guatemala (TLM ♀4378, lateral view). 39. Leucania colorada, Holotype, 3 mi. N. Tliaxico, Oaxaca, 7,500’, Mexico (TLM ♀6362). 40. Leucania sororia, Holotype, 7 mi. S. of Miahuatian, Oaxaca, Mexico (TLM ♀6308).

FIGURES 21–24. Valvae and endophalli. 21–22. Leucania colorada, Paratype, 5 mi. S. Tliaxico, Oaxaca, 7,000’, Mexico (TLM ♁6361). 23–24. Leucania sororia, Paratype, 5 mi. S. Tliaxico, Oaxaca, 7,000’, Mexico (TLM ♁6067).