Neogalea caracara Troubridge

Troubridge, J. T., 2020, A new genus and 37 new noctuoid species from peninsular Florida and the Keys (Lepidoptera: Noctuoidea), Insecta Mundi 2020 (789), pp. 1-56 : 32

Neogalea caracara Troubridge , new species

( Fig. 42 , 99 )

BIN: BOLD:ADI0938

Diagnosis. Neogalea caracara is most similar to N. sunia (Guenée) ( Fig. 43 ) (BIN: BOLD:AAC5921); however, it can be distinguished from it by the distinct black line on the base of the prothoracic collar of N. sunia that is absent in N. caracara , and the dark-gray forewing of N. sunia versus the silver-gray forewing in N. caracara .

Description. Antennae filiform, ciliate; frons black; vertex, thorax, and abdomen light gray; prothoracic collar and tegulae light gray. Abdomen with basal coremata with levers and pockets. Dorsal forewing (male). Forewing length 13 mm. Ground color silver gray; antemedial, medial, and postmedial lines reduced to black scales on costa, postmedial line barely discernible, reduced to black dots on veins; scattered black scales occur on all veins and silver-gray scales lie adjacent to veins; scattered gray scales between veins; obscure black dashes present in submarginal area between veins; terminal line a series of black lunules between veins; fringe double, outer scales white and inner scales gray below CuA1, inner and outer scales gray between vein tips, white at vein tips between CuA1 and apex. Dorsal hindwing. Pearly white, scattered gray scales on veins in submargin and along margin, and in submargin at apex; fringe white. Male genitalia ( Fig. 99 ). Valve with sacculus densely clothed in fine setae medially and a row of coarse setae extends along ventral margin; sacculus narrows and turns upward and away from valve to terminal spine; clasper more-or-less rectangular, extends dorsally from sacculus; valve narrows to form a neck beyond sacculus before widening to cucullus; cucullus resembling a bird’s head with hooked beak on ventral margin and field of dense setae at apex resembling a bird’s crest and dense field of fine setae on neck resembling a ruff; saccus narrows ventrally to blunt point; juxta resembles a hide with the neck adjacent to aedeagus; uncus with dense field of dorsal and ventral setae, these setae very short at blunt apex; aedeagus with short, thumb-like apical process on left; vesica bends ventrally with sub-basal diverticulum capped with a single spine-like cornutus directed posteriorly, below this diverticulum vesica bends around anteriorly to left before bending ventrally to ductus seminalis; entire terminal area covered by a dense field of stout cornuti. Female genitalia. Unknown.

Type material. Holotype male: USA: Florida, Monroe Co.: Dagny Johnson S.P., 25.181°N, 80.364°W, 11.Mar.2012, BOLD sample ID: CNCLEP 102408, J. Troubridge, in the CNC.

Etymology. The male valve looks remarkably like a bird’s head and reminds me of a crested caracara (Caracara cheriway Jacquin), hence the name.

Distribution. This species is known from the unique holotype from Dagny Johnson State Park in the Florida Keys.The extent of its range in the Antilles is unknown.

Remarks. The DNA of the holotype was analyzed, and the 658 COI base pairs compared with those of specimens of N. sunia . The results showed a 3.64% difference between N. caracara and N. sunia , its nearest relative and a 9.4% difference between N. caracara and N. esula (Druce) .

Noctuidae : Agaristinae

Figures

Figures 35–48.Adults. 35) Athyrma fakahatchee ♀, paratype, Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park, FL.36) Athyrma ganglio ♀, North Port, FL. 37a) Antiblemma carolae ♀, paratype, Florida City, FL. 37b) Antiblemma carolae ♀, paratype, Florida City, FL. 38a) Antiblemma perva ♀, paratype, North Port, FL. 38b) Antiblemma perva ♀, paratype, North Port, FL. 39a) Hemeroplanis floccalis ♂, Bahia Honda, FL. 39b) Hemeroplanis floccalis ♀, Key Largo, FL. 39c) Hemeroplanis floccalis ♀, Port Charlotte, FL. 40) Hemeroplanis scopulepes ♂, Highlands County, FL. 41) Litoprosopus linea ♀, paratype, Port Charlotte, FL. 42) Neogalea caracara ♂, holotype, Key Largo, FL. 43) Neogalea sunia ♂, Lake Placid, FL. 44a) Catabenoides insularis ♂, holotype, Key Largo, FL. 44b) Catabenoides insularis ♀, paratype, Key Largo, FL. 45) Condica collaris ♂, holotype, Bahia Honda, FL. 46) Condica concisa ♂, North Port, FL. 47) Diastema leo ♂, paratype, Highlands County, FL. 48) Diastema tigris ♂, Sinton, TX.

Figures 93–99. Male genitalia. 93) Catabenoides insularis, holotype, Key Largo, FL. 94) Catabenoides vitrina, Key Largo, FL. 95) Condica collaris, holotype, Bahia Honda, FL. 96) Homophoberia australis, holotype, North Port, FL. 97) Homophoberia cristata, Cayuga, ON. 98) Diastema leo, paratype, Highlands County, FL. 99) Neogalea caracara, holotype, Key Largo, FL.