Doryodes unica 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 : 18-19

Doryodes unica Troubridge , new species

( Fig. 29 , 80 )

BIN: BOLD:ABX5381

Diagnosis. Doryodes unica is most similar to D. latistriga Sullivan and Lafontaine , which is known from salt marshes along the northern Gulf of Mexico from Alabama to Louisiana. Externally, D. latistriga is extremely variable and the best way to distinguish the species is by examining the genitalia. Internally, the vesica of D. latistriga (see Lafontaine and Sullivan (2015), fig. 39) bends downward to a blunt apex and distal diverticulum that has a lateral cornutus on this lower process. Two short, lateral diverticula are present on the right, just beyond a flat cornutus, and a dorsal, cornutus is present near shaft of aedeagus. The vesica of D. unica bends downward with two cornuti, on left side, one on ventral surface, and two large, flat apical cornuti with a distal subterminal diverticulum. The BOLD database places both D. unica and D. reineckei Sullivan and Lafontaine into BIN: BOLD:ABX5381. Doryodes reineckei has a much duskier habitus than D. unica . Internally, the vesica of D. reineckei above the basal trunk is T-shaped with a preapical rooster-comb-like cornutus on the anterior surface and a conical cornutus on the left side, which is very different from that of D. unica (described above).

Description. Male antennae bipectinate; head, vertex, thorax, and abdomen light beige. Dorsal forewing (male). Forewing length 16 mm. Ground color light brown suffused with of dark-brown and black scales; dark-brown line edged ventrally with thin, light beige line in proximal ⅔ and white in distal ⅓; brown line bordered dorsally with thin white line in proximal ⅔, above which an ochre patch extends from wing base to apex; orbicular and reniform spots present as minute black dots within this ochre patch; fringe light beige. Dorsal hindwing. Ground color white basally, gradually becoming light ochre-brown toward outer margin; terminal line with scattered black scales; fringe concolorous with wing margin. Male genitalia ( Fig. 80 ). Valve trifid apically with costal extension drawn to an apical point; saccular extension with rounded tip terminating short of costal extension; a rounded, fleshy, apical process is situated between costal and saccular extensions; uncus relatively thick with pointed apex; vesica bends to the right with two spiny cornuti on left side, one flat cornutus on ventral surface at point where large diverticula arise; a low diverticulum on posterior surface lacks cornuti; a large diverticulum arises dorsally with two large cornuti on right, one is bulbous, thorn-like and the other with a low field of spines; left side with two small diverticula arising behind large, bulbous, thorn-like cornutus. Female genitalia. Unknown.

Type material. Holotype male: USA: Florida: Dixie Co.: Highway 361, 29.564°N, 83.380°W, 5.Apr.2016, BOLD sample ID: CNCLEP00119981, J. Troubridge, in the CNC.

Etymology. From Latin, unica refers to fact that the species is known only from the unique holotype.

Distribution. This species is known only from the remote Gulf of Mexico salt marshes of Dixie Co., Florida.

Figures

Figures 26–31. Adults. 26a) Melipotis florida ♂, paratype, Florida City, FL. 26b) Melipotis florida ♀, paratype, Florida City, FL. 27a) Melipotis perpendicularis ♂, Key Largo, FL. 27b) Melipotis perpendicularis ♀, Falcon Lake, TX. 28) Doryodes acta ♂, paratype, Dixie County, FL. 29) Doryodes unica ♂, holotype, Dixie County, FL. 30) Doryodes fulva ♂, holotype, Dixie County, FL. 31) Doryodes desoto ♂, Dixie County, FL.

Figures 79–84. Male genitalia. 79) Doryodes acta, holotype, Dixie County, FL. 80) Doryodes unica, holotype, Dixie County, FL. 81) Doryodes fulva, holotype, Dixie County, FL. 82) Hemeroplanis floccalis, North Port, FL. 83) Tripudia calusa, paratype, Bahia Honda, FL. 84) Hemeroplanis scopulepes, Highlands County, FL.