Abagrotis magnicupida Lafontaine, 1998

Pogue, Michael G., 2006, The Noctuinae (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, U. S. A., Zootaxa 1215 (1), pp. 1-95 : 38-39

6. Abagrotis magnicupida Lafontaine

( Fig. 38, 80 , Map 24)

Identification: Forewing length 15.0–18.0 mm. Abagrotis magnicupida is easily confused with A. cupida . Forewing ground color of A. magnicupida is reddish brown to grayish brown with a faint pattern of transverse lines. Orbicular and reniform spots are slightly darker to dark gray and with a pale outline. Black dot is prominent at apex of subterminal line. Hindwing is gray to dark gray, fringe tan. Male genitalia are very similar to A. cupida . The most distinguishing feature is the lack of a triangular projection at 1/3 length of valve on the costa in A. magnicupida ( Fig. 80 ), whereas there is a prominent triangular projection on A. cupida ( Fig. 79 ). Abagrotis magnicupida looks like a larger, washed out A. cupida .

Flight period: Collected in mid­September.

Collected localities: Tennessee: Cocke Co., Foothills Parkway 2 nd overlook East. (1 specimen)

MAP 24. Collecting localities of Abagrotis magnicupida .

Elevation range: 1800 ft. (549 m).

General distribution: This species is distributed from southern Massachusetts west to Illinois, eastern Missouri, and central Nebraska, south to North Carolina, Tennessee, northern Mississippi and eastern Texas ( Lafontaine 1998).

Larval hosts: Reared on chokecherry ( Prunus virginiana L., Rosaceae ) ( Lafontaine 1998).

Figures

FIGURES 79–82. Genitalia. 79, Abagrotis cupida, m, New York, genitalia slide USNM 46289; 80, Abagrotis magnicupida, m, Maryland, Montgomery Co., Colesville, 17 July 1975, D.C. Ferguson, genitalia slide USNM 46279; 81, Xestia c­nigrum, f, Utah, Utah Co., Provo, 17 Aug. 1908, T. Spalding, genitalia slide USNM 49706; 82, Xestia dolosa, f, Tennessee, Sevier Co., Greenbrier Ranger Station, 20 May 2001, J. Brown, USNMENT 00153558, genitalia slide USNM 49701.