Marimatha quadrata Ferris & Lafontaine, 2010

Ferris, Clifford & Lafontaine, Donald, 2010, Review of the North American species of Marimatha Walker with descriptions of three new species (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Eustrotiinae) and the description of Pseudomarimatha flava (Noctuinae, Elaphriini), a new genus and species confused with Marimatha, ZooKeys 39 (39), pp. 117-135 : 126-127

Marimatha quadrata Ferris & Lafontaine , sp. n.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:E2CD3094-DB83-4006-8B25-0C13E570B94F

Figs 5, 6, 13, 20

Type material Holotype ♂. Texas , Reeves Co., Texas, 18 May 1950, E. C. Johnson; Genitalia CNC slide # 14263 m. CNC . Paratypes 5 ♂, 4 ♀: Arizona: Santa Cruz Co., Madera Canyon 4880’, 9 – 28 Aug. 1959, J. G. Franclemont (1 ♂, 2 ♀) ; Santa Cruz Co., Atascosa Mts., Peña Blanca Canyon 3900’, 31°38'N, 111°09'W, 3 Aug. 2008, C. Schmidt & B. Walsh (1 ♀). Texas : Brewster Co. , Big Bend Nat. Pk. , Chisos Basin , 8–10 Sept. 2008, Bordelon / Knudson (2 ♂) ; Terrell Co., Sanderson , 5, 14 Sept. 2008, Bordelon / Knudson (1 ♂) ; Uvalde Co., Concan , 3, 16 Sept.2008, Bordelon / Knudson (1 ♂). Mexico: Sinaloa, 5 mi N Mazatlan, 30 July 1964 (1 ♂), 5–7 Aug. 1964, J. E. H. Martin (1 ♀) . Paratypes deposited in CNC, CUIC, and TLSC.

Other material examined and distribution. USA. Arizona. Pima Co., Rincon Mts , 32°02.24'N 110°39.90'W, 3370’, 13 August 2009, C. D. Ferris ; Santa Cruz Co., Patagonia (in town), 31°32.62'N 110°45.31'W, 4050’, 7 August 2009, C. D. Ferris .

Etymology. The species name is derived from quadratus (four-cornered) in reference to the quadrangular process on the dorsal margin of the male valva.

Diagnosis. Head with nearly circular crater-like frontal protuberance. Male genitalia: dorsal margin of valva with large squared-off projection near mid-length. Female genitalia: with slightly protruding ostial plate with concave posterior margin; posterior sclerotized part of ductus bursae curved in a 360° loop.

Description. Adult: Head – Frontal protuberance crater-like, nearly circular, with well defined rim and deep central depression. Thorax – Yellow with brown flecks. Legs: Forelegs and middle legs brown flecked with paler scales; hindlegs yellow flecked with brown scales. Wings (both sexes): DFW lemon yellow with dark discal spot and additional dark spot in fold at 1/4 from wing base; usually a smaller third spot below costa at 1/4 from base; a thin orange-brown postmedial line evenly curving around discal spot in most specimens. DHW pale yellow. VFW yellow, moderately infused with brown scales with pale band along inner margin. VHW yellow, moderately flecked with brown scales, indistinct brown marginal line; in some specimens a suggestion of a brown discal spot and postmedial line. Male genitalia – Uncus: decurved, slender, spatulate tip. Valvae: symmetrical, basally broad, tapering to approximately middle (at apex of sacculus), then narrowing to rounded apex, without corona; ventral margin even, dorsal margin with large squared-off process near middle; sacculus broad with rounded apex. Aedeagus: everted vesica an extremely long tube (length of aedeagus and everted vesica about 5 mm) with a small spinulose conical sac at base and 6 robust spines on small diverticulum at distal end. Female genitalia – Corpus bursae heart-shaped, tapered to blunt point at anterior end; ductus seminalis arising on left near junction with ductus bursae. Ductus bursae arising from posterior end of right lobe of corpus bursae; long and evenly curved through anterior 1/2, with longitudinal sclerotized ridges; posterior 1/2 of ductus narrowed and forming a 360° loop. Ostium bursae a semicircular lightly sclerotized sac with slightly protruding ostial plate with concave posterior margin.

Distribution and biology. Western Texas and Arizona and southward to southern Mexico (Sinaloa). Flight season is from mid-May to mid-September.