Schinia erythrias Pogue, 2006

Pogue, Michael G., 2006, Nomenclatural validation of three North American species of Heliothinae (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and the adult description of Heliolonche joaquinensis Hardwick, Zootaxa 1283 (1283), pp. 25-36 : 28-29

Schinia erythrias Pogue , new species

( Figs. 2, 8–9)

Schinia pulchra Hardwick 1996: 164 , nomen nudum.

Diagnosis. Schinia erythrias has a pinkish cast to the maculation of the forewing, which is similar in S. buta Smith and the pink form of S. oleagina Morrison from California. The difference between S. erythrias and the other two species is in the width of the antemedial and postmedial lines, which are wider in S. erythrias than in either S. buta or S. oleagina . The distributions are also distinct. Schinia erythrias is known only from the type locality in Durango, Mexico, whereas S. oleagina is distributed in the southwest from California to Texas, and S. buta is known from southern California.

Description. Male: Head: Vertex cream with a pale flush of pink, frons flat, ventral lip not produced, white. Labial palp white. Antenna filiform, scape and dorsal scales white. E yes globular. Thorax: Patagium, tegula, meso­ and metathorax with hairlike scales creamcolored flushed with pink. Venter white. Foreleg femur white; tibia longer than basitarsus, cream­colored with a few pinkish scales medially on inner margin, inner side with 2 robust, flat spines and 1 smaller spine, outer side with 3 flat spines that become smaller from base to apex; tarsi white, with a few pinkish scales. Middle and hind legs white; tarsi white. Forewing: Male length 12–13 mm (n = 4). Ground color pale pink; basal area concolorous with ground color; antemedial line thin, curved, cream; orbicular spot absent; reniform spot absent; postmedial line sinuate, white; fringe white. Underside ground color white with a faint horizontal band of pinkish scales along R vein. Hindwing: Ground color pink; discal spot absent; marginal band absent; fringe white. Abdomen: Cream­colored; hair pencils and scent pockets absent.

Genitalia ( Figs. 8–9): Uncus short (0.32 X valve length), robust. Valve moderately elongate (length 6.7 X width), costal margin slightly angled at 4/5 length; ampulla minute (0.03 X valve length); posterior margin angled at 3/4 length with several stout hairs, corona present; sacculus well developed and greatly produced. Juxta broadly rounded ventrally, dorsal margin angled toward middle with a round apex resembling an inverted V­shape. Saccus a narrow V­shape. Aedoeagus slightly curved, dorsal patch of dense minute spicules; vesica with more than 2 coils and minute spicules.

Female. Unknown.

Holotype ♂, in CAS, with the following labels: 1) Mex. Durango, 6 mi N Nomber de Dios , VIII­20­60; 2) P.H. Arnaud, Jr., E.S. Ross, D.C. Rentz; 3 ) Holotype Schinia pulchra Hardwick , 4) Holotype ♂, Schinia erythrias Pogue.

Paratypes. 3 ♂. Same data as holotype ; ♂ genitalia slide MGP 1200.

Flight period. Late August.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality in Durango, Mexico.

Discussion. Hardwick (1996) created a nomen nudum by failing to use descriptive words in his description of S. pulchra , stating “... as illustrated in Figure ....” Even if Hardwick (1996) had described Schinia pulchra Hardwick in a valid manner, it would have been a junior homonym of Schinia pulchra Köhler ( Köhler 1953) .

Etymology. The species epithet refers to the pinkish maculation of the forewing.