Agrotis fausta (Köhler, 1958), Kohler, 1958

Blas, Germán San, 2014, Agrotis Ochsenheimer (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae): a systematic analysis of South American species, Zootaxa 3771 (1), pp. 1-64 : 32

Agrotis fausta (Köhler, 1958)

( Figs 30, 31 , 57 , 75 , 88 , 105 )

Feltia fausta Köhler, 1958: 12 . Holotype: ♂ Argentina , Buenos Aires, Villa Gesell 6-III- 157 (B. Petrowsky) (ZSM). Image examined. Paratypes: Juancho 7 ♂ 5 ♀ III-1957 (Petrowsky) (IMLA); Villa Gesell ♂ III (Petrowsky) (IMLA), 2 ♂ 22-II- 1957 (MLP), ♂ 22-III-1957 (Petrowsky) (IMLA). Examined. Note: Köhler (1958) cites locality information as follows: “HABITAT: Prov. Buenos Aires, Pdo. General Madariaga, Juancho, Villa Gesell, 6-III-1957 (Petrowsky). HOLOTYPUS, ALLOTYPUS Y PARATYPI col. del autor; numerosos PARATYPI en col. Petrowsky [Holotype, allotype, and paratypes in author’s collection, paratypes at Petrowsky’s collection].” Neither at IMLA nor ZSM was a specimen labeled as Allotype found. Underlined paratypes correspond to specimens labeled as Paratypes but whose dates do not agree with any of those cited by Köhler. Regardless of this, these specimens were maintained as Paratypes because their collection locality corresponds with one of those cited by Köhler, and they are conspecific with this species.

Agrotis fausta (Köhler) : Poole, 1989: 48 (new combination).

Diagnosis. Agrotis fausta differs from other South American species of Agrotis by the following combination of characters: 1) frons smooth; 2) male antenna bipectinate, widest segment 3 × as wide as central shaft; 3) forewing length in males 15.2–16.9 mm, in females 17.1–17.5 mm; 4) ground color gray to brownish gray; 5) patagium basal half lighter than distal half; 6) in male genitalia uncus uniformly curved over its entire length; 7) ampulla 1/6 × as long as valve; and 8) in female genitalia appendix bursae 5 × as long as corpus bursae.

Redescription. Male ( Fig. 30 ). Head. Frons smooth, central projection and raised edge absent. Antenna bipectinate, widest at 1/5 its length, gradually tapering to apex, widest segment 3 × as wide as central shaft, anterior process 2–3 × as wide as posterior process. Thorax. Patagium with black medial and marginal lines, basal half lighter than distal half; tegulum with blackish marginal line widened anteriorly. Forewing length 15.2–16.9 mm; ground color grayish to brownish gray; subcostal band and basal area dark grayish brown; basal line black, double; antemedial line black, double, convex between veins, not extending between 1A+2A vein and posterior margin; claviform spot black; orbicular spot slightly to 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, in some specimens distal margin with a sharp streak extending between M1–M2 veins to postmedial line; discal cell concolorous with ground color, with black streak of variable width joining both spots; medial line undifferentiated; postmedial line black, double, concave between veins; subterminal line light brown, concave between veins, black edged basally and distally, extended basally as dark arrows, longest ones between M1–M2– M3 veins, in some specimens first arrow joined with reniform streak like one continuous line; terminal line a series of darkish lunulae between veins; fringe basal half whitish with darkish spots at apex of veins and distal half brown. Hind wing iridescent, terminal line brown, lunulae between veins; fringe iridescent. Abdomen. Light brown. Genitalia ( Fig. 57 ). Uncus uniformly curved over its entire length. Clavus cylindrical, short, 2 × as long as wide. Ampulla 1/6 × as long as valve, basal half expanded, then narrowed to 1/5 its widest diameter; saccus hemispherical, ventrally projected as a spine. Vesica ( Fig. 75 ) 12 × as long as aedeagus, consisting of four wide loops, right basal diverticulum subtriangular, vesica slightly swollen on apical 1/5. Female ( Fig. 31 ). Differences from male. Forewing length: 17.1–17.5 mm; antenna filiform; ground color dark grayish; hind wing with dark brown veins, anal and apical margins diffuse dark brown. Genitalia ( Fig. 88 ). Posterior apophysis 1.4 × as long as anterior apophysis; ductus bursae 2 × as long as anterior apophysis; corpus bursae 7 × as long as anterior apophysis, signum absent, apex globose; appendix bursae 5 × as long as corpus bursae, consisting of four wide loops, apex globose; ductus seminalis originating laterally near corpus bursae apex.

Distribution. Restricted to Buenos Aires province, Argentina ( Fig. 105 ).

Material examined. (1 ♂, 3 ♀). ARGENTINA . Buenos Aires. Juancho, ♀ III-1957 (Petrowsky) ( IMLA); Villa Gesell, 2 ♀ 17-IV-1966 ( IMLA), ♂ 1-III-1957 (IADIZA).

Discussion. This species is very similar to A. malefida and A. canities , but based on differences in adult size, forewing ground color, male genitalia (mainly shape of uncus and vesica length) and length of appendix bursae of female genitalia, I decide to leave them as different species.

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 100 – 105. Distribution map of Agrotis species, edmondsi - and fausta - group. 100, A. benitezi. 101, A. leonoides. 102, A. edmondsi. 103, A. leucovenata. 104, A. experta. 105.