Protorthodes texicana Lafontaine

Lafontaine, J. Donald, Walsh, J. Bruce & Ferris, Clifford D., 2014, A revision of the genus Protorthodes McDunnough with descriptions of a new genus and four new species (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Noctuinae, Eriopygini), ZooKeys 421, pp. 139-179 : 148-150

Taxon classification Animalia Lepidoptera Noctuidae

Protorthodes texicana Lafontaine sp. n. Figs 27-29, 63, 81; Map 8

Type material.

Holotype ♂. USA, Texas, Uvalde Co., Concan, Neals Lodges, 1300', at uv, 3 April 1990, Noel McFarland. CNC. Paratypes: 22 ♂, 23 ♀. Same locality and collector as for holotype, 23 March 1990 (1 ♀); USA, Texas, Uvalde Co., Concan, 3 Oct. 1992, E. Knudson (1 ♂). Mexico, Chiapas, San Cristóbal de las Casas, 7200', 4-29 May 1969, J.E.H. Martin (21 ♂, 22 ♀.). Paratypes deposited in CNC, TLSRC, USNM.

Etymology.

This species is both Texan and Mexican, thus the name texicana.

Diagnosis.

Protorthodes texicana can be recognized by the brown forewings with the transverse lines defined by pale buff and dark-brown lines, and the reniform and orbicular spots darker brown than the ground color with a pale buff outline. Protorthodes texicana is most likely to be confused with Protorthodes oviduca or Protorthodes orobia , however, Protorthodes texicana but does not have the reddish tints to the forewing of Protorthodes oviduca , and has by the less contrasting white lines on the forewing than Protorthodes orobia . The male genitalia of Protorthodes texicana are characterized by large, heavily-sclerotized, spinulose hood-like structure that projects posteriorly from the dorsal margin of the sacculus, and the clasper-digitus combination that creates a structure with three processes; the homologies of this assemblage are best interpreted by comparison with the more rudimentary form found in Protorthodes oviduca . The female genitalia are characterized by the large, heavily-sclerotized, double-lobed plate covering the ostium bursae ventrally.

Description.

Adult. Male and female similar in size, color, and maculation. Forewing length: 12-14 mm. Head - Male antenna with individual segments bipectinate, 3.8-4.0 × as wide as the central shaft (anterior rami 1.9-2.1 × as wide, posterior rami 1.4-1.5 × as wide). Female antenna filiform, minutely setose ventrally. Palpi and head clothed with spatulate apically-forked setae, pale buff or gray basally, dark-brown patch subapically, with pale-gray and pale buff tips creating a brown color with a hoary overlay. Thorax - Covered with similar scales to those of head; with slightly raised prothoracic and metathoracic tufts. Legs: Appearing speckled with mixture of buff and darker gray-brown scales. Tibiae without spiniform setae. Tarsi with three ventral rows of spiniform setae. Wings: Dorsal forewing pale brown with dusting of darker-brown scales; subbasal, antemedial, postmedial, and subterminal lines buff, partially bordered by darker-brown scales; reniform spot gray-brown, darker than forewing and with pale-buff outline, with slight constriction on anterior and posterior margin, giving it a figure 8 shape; orbicular spot similar in color, rounded or obliquely oval; fringe with two irregular rows of spatulate scales, pale-brown at base, darker toward tips. Dorsal hindwing pale fuscous basally with darker fuscous on discal spot, wing veins, and marginal area of wing; fringe pale fuscous white with irregular darker fuscous medial line. Male genitalia - Uncus mainly evenly tapered from base to apex except slightly swollen laterally subbasally, sparely covered with long hair-like setae, apex compressed and flattened. Valve gradually tapered from base, abruptly constricted subapically to define a rounded cucullus; sacculus sclerotized, about 0.4 × length of valve, dorsal margin extended into elongated, hollow, hood-like process with outer surface covered by spines, its apex extending to base of ampulla of clasper; ventral base of clasper extending from sacculus ending in rounded lobe from which arises a heavily-sclerotized, partially articulated, tear-drop-shaped process projecting posteriorly; dorsal base of clasper articulates with long heavily-sclerotized ampulla of clasper with apex spatulate, extending posterodorsally beyond costal margin of valve; digitus appearing to be a heavily-sclerotized extension from editum; apex of digitus a stout apically blunt process with short conical setae-tipped spines at apex; cucullus densely covered with long, stiff setae projecting anterodorsally, and no apical corona; central part of transtilla densely spinulose; juxta a long narrow plate, broad basally, tapered posteriorly with subapical constriction. Aedeagus extended ventrally into short spine-like tip free of vesica. Vesica about 2 × as long as aedeagus; vesica with submedial coil and ½ postmedial coil, the latter with short diverticulum on posterior side; vesica without spines or cornuti. Female genitalia - Corpus bursae membranous, rounded, without signa. Appendix bursae with two short coils, arising from posterior dorsal surface of corpus bursae. Ductus bursae 1.5 × as long as corpus bursae, anterior 2/3 membranous, posterior 1/3 covered with thin, longitudinal sclerotized striations; a heavily sclerotized, double-lobed plate covering ostial part of ductus bursae and anterior-ventral part of abdominal segment eight; abdominal segment eight 1.5 × as long as wide, lightly sclerotized; anterior apophyses 0.5 × as long as abdominal segment eight; posterior apohyses folding near middle, about 2.5 × longer than anterior apophyses. Anal papillae long and tapered, 0.5 × as long as abdominal segment eight; anal papillae lightly sclerotized, long setae sparsely scattered over surface, short setae abundant near apex of papillae.

Distribution and biology.

The immature stages are unknown. Protorthodes texicana is known from two areas, west-central Texas and southern Mexico. Adults were collected between late March and late May and in early October. The immature stages are unknown.