Agrotis canities ( Grote, 1902 )

Blas, Germán San, 2014, Agrotis Ochsenheimer (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae): a systematic analysis of South American species, Zootaxa 3771 (1), pp. 1-64 : 35-36

Agrotis canities ( Grote, 1902)

( Figs 34–36 , 59 , 77 , 90 , 107 )

Peridroma canities Grote, 1902: 295 . Syntypes: 2 ♀ Argentina , Goya (Perrins) (BMNH); 2 ♂ Buenos Aires (Schimpfer) (BMNH). One male syntype image examined.

Feltia canities (Grote) : Hampson, 1903: 355, pl. 68, fig. 17 (new combination); Draudt, 1924: 55, pl. 9, row b (diagnosis); Köhler, 1945: 100, pl. 1, figs f and 8c (redescription).

Agrotis canities (Grote) : Forbes, 1933: 21 (new combination); Poole, 1989: 45 (world noctuid checklist); Specht et al., 2004: 12 (collected at Brazil); Specht et al., 2005: 132, 136 (collected at Brazil).

Scotia canities (Grote) : Köhler, 1967: 299, fig. 65 (new combination).

Diagnosis. Agrotis canities differs from other South American species of Agrotis by the following combination of characters: 1) forewing length in males 15.2–17.3 mm, in females 15.3–15.6 mm; 2) ground color light grayish brown; 3) in male genitalia vesica 8 × as long as aedeagus; 4) right basal diverticulum absent; and 5) in female genitalia appendix bursae 6–7 × as long as corpus bursae.

Redescription. Male ( Figs 34, 35 ). Head. Frons central projection small, with raised edge of rough surface, not projected anteriorly, some specimens with central projection without raised edge. Antenna biserrate, widest at 1/5 its length, gradually tapering to apex, widest segment 2 × as wide as central shaft, anterior process 1.3 × as wide as posterior process. Thorax. Patagium dark grayish brown, with black medial line; tegulum light gray, with blackish marginal line widened anteriorly. Forewing length 15.2–17.3 mm; ground color light grayish brown; subcostal band dark grayish brown; basal area darker than ground color; basal line black, double, undifferentiated in some specimens; antemedial line black, double, convex between veins, extended as a sharp tooth between 1A+2A vein and posterior margin, never close to medial line; claviform spot black; orbicular spot strongly oval, extending toward reniform spot, contiguous in some specimens, concolorous with ground color, black edged with grayish center; reniform spot concolorous with orbicular spot, distal margin with no streak; discal cell concolorous with ground color, with black streak of variable width joining both spots; medial line faint, as a dark thick waved band; postmedial line black, double, concave between veins, some specimens with a single line, extending on veins to apical margin; subterminal line faint, light brown and black edged, concave between veins, in some specimens like arrows, never contiguous with postmedial line; terminal line a series of darkish lunulae between veins; fringe concolorous with forewing ground color with dark transverse lines at veins apex. Hind wing iridescent; fringe iridescent. Abdomen. Light grayish brown, with dark dorsal line. Genitalia ( Fig. 59 ). Uncus sinuous. Clavus cylindrical, short, 2 × as long as wide. Ampulla 1/5 × as long as valve, basal 1/3 expanded, then narrowed to half its widest diameter; saccus hemispherical. Vesica ( Fig. 77 ) 8 × as long as aedeagus, consisting of four wide loops, right basal diverticulum absent, vesica slightly swollen on apical 1/5. Female ( Fig. 36 ). Differences from male. Forewing length: 15.3–15.6 mm; antenna filiform; ground color light grayish brown to grayish brown; hind wing iridescent or with dark brown veins and anal and apical margins diffuse dark brown. Genitalia ( Fig. 90 ). Posterior apophysis 1.5 × as long as anterior apophysis; ductus bursae 2 × as long as anterior apophysis; corpus bursae 7 × as long as anterior apophysis, signum absent, apex subtriangular; appendix bursae 6–7 × as long as corpus bursae, consisting of six wide loops, apex globose; ductus seminalis originating laterally near corpus bursae apex.

Distribution. Center and North of Argentina ( Fig. 107 ). Specht et al. (2004, 2005) cite this species for South of Brazil.

Material examined. (21 ♂, 5 ♀). ARGENTINA : Catamarca. Belén, Barrame Lanza, 2 ♂ II-1937 ( IMLA); Choya, 2 ♂ X-1961 ( IMLA); Sierra de Ancasti, Ipizca, 1000m, ♂ 15-V-1961 ( IMLA). Córdoba. La Paz, ♀ 1–15-I- 1929 (Bruch) ( MACN); Obispo Trejo, ♂ 3-XI-1962 (Köhler) ( IMLA), ♂ (Köhler) (IADIZA); Yacanto, ♀ (Köhler) ( MACN). La Rioja. La Rioja, 2 ♂ 20-XI-1958 ( IMLA), ♂ ( MACN); Patquia, Guayapa, ♂ 1–19-X-1954 (Hayward) ( IMLA). Mendoza. Malargüe, 2 ♀ 18-XI-1961 ( IMLA); San Rafael, ♂ 17-XII-1964 ( IMLA); ♂ 20-XII ( IMLA); Tunuyán, Tunuyán, 1500m, 2 ♂ 15-III-1954 ( IMLA). Santiago del Estero. La Banda, ♂ 26-IV (Köhler) ( IMLA).

Salta. Galpón, ♀ 15-IX-1966 ( IMLA); Orán, Aguas Blancas, ♂ (Vollenwelder) ( IMLA); Tunal, 2 ♂ 24-XI-1967 ( IMLA). Tucumán. Las Cejas, 2 ♂ 20-V (Köhler) ( IMLA). Data from bibliographical sources. BRAZIL. Río Grande do Sul. Pelotas ( Specht et al., 2004); Reserva Biológica do Ibirapuitã ( Specht et al., 2005)

Figures

FIGURES 28 – 36. Adults of Agrotis species, fausta - group. 28, A. experta, ♂. 29, A. experta, ♀. 30, A. fausta, ♂. 31, A. fausta, ♀. 32, A. malefida, ♂. 33, A. malefida, ♀. 34 – 35, A. canities, ♂. 36, A. canities, ♀. Actual size.

FIGURES 56 – 63. Male genitalia of Agrotis species, fausta - and robusta - group. 56, A. experta. 57, A. fausta. 58, A. malefida. 59, A. canities. 60, A. s chreiteri. 61, A. araucaria. 62, A. ipsilon. 63, A. robusta.

FIGURES 74 – 80. Male genitalia aedeagus of Agrotis species, fausta - and robusta - group. 74, A. experta. 75, A. fausta. 76, A. malefida. 77, A. canities. 78, A. araucaria. 79, A. ipsilon. 80, A. robusta.

FIGURES 87 – 90. Female genitalia of Agrotis species, fausta - group. 87, A. experta. 88, A. fausta. 89, A. malefida. 90, A. canities.

FIGURES 106 – 111. Distribution maps of Agrotis species, fausta - and robusta - group. A. fausta. 106, A. malefida. 107, A. canities 108, A. schreiteri. 109, A. araucaria. 110, A. ipsilon. 111, A. robusta.