Lacinipolia teligera (Morrison, 1875)

Schmidt, B. Christian, 2015, Revision of the Lacinipoliavicina (Grote) complex (Noctuidae, Noctuinae, Eriopygini), ZooKeys 527, pp. 103-126 : 107-108

Taxon classification Animalia Lepidoptera Noctuidae

Lacinipolia teligera (Morrison, 1875) Figs 4-6, 56, 64, 70

Mamestra teligera Morrison, 1875: 215.

Type material.

Morrison’s original description was based on two specimens, and Wilterding (1997) discussed two Morrison specimens in the MSU collection: a male with two conflicting locality labels (Texas and New York), and a damaged female specimen labelled simply “19/10” and probably not a syntype. A third specimen in MCZ (photo available at http://insects.oeb.harvard.edu/mcz/Species_record.php?id=1585), dissected and labelled as follows, is here designated as lectotype: " Dianthoecia / teligera / Type / Morr"; “Tex.”; 27/10"; "Certainly not / vicina as / refined by Grote"; "Peab. Acad."; "Type / 1742"; "M.C.Z. Type # / gen. 1742 / 28 Jan. 33 H[?]. B."; the following label will be added: "Lectotype / Dianthoecia / teligera Morr., 1875 / desig. by Schmidt 2015". Type locality: Waco, Texas.

Diagnosis.

Although closely related to Lacinipolia vicina , the challenge in identifying Lacinipolia teligera is in separating it from Lacinipolia sareta in the southwestern Great Plains where the ranges of the two can overlap. Compared to Lacinipolia sareta , Lacinipolia teligera is slightly larger with a broader forewing and better-defined, crisper forewing maculation. Reliable identification should be based on genitalic structure, where Lacinipolia teligera males have a medial and lateral field of short, ventrally directed spines above the juxta, rather than two large flanges laterally on the juxta with dorsally directed spines in Lacinipolia sareta . The female Lacinipolia teligera has an asymmetrical, invaginated ostium (like the opening of a conch), whereas that of Lacinipolia sareta has a simple ostium with the margin of the prevaginal plate convex.

Distribution and biology.

Lacinipolia teligera is known from the Great Plains of central Colorado and eastern Kansas southward to central Texas (Fig. 70). Nothing is known of the early stages, although these are undoubtedly similar to those of Lacinipolia vicina .

Remarks.

Lacinipolia teligera is closely related to Lacinipolia vicina , and the two have previously been considered conspecific (as Lacinipolia imbuna ; Franclemont and Todd 1983). However the two differ structurally as outlined in the Lacinipolia vicina diagnosis, in addition to a DNA barcode difference of 1.0%. The two species occupy separate ecoregions and different habitats, with teligera in the grasslands of the Great Plains and vicina in deciduous forest of the Appalachian and Atlantic region.