Agrotis leonoides Poole, 1989

Blas, Germán San, 2014, Agrotis Ochsenheimer (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae): a systematic analysis of South American species, Zootaxa 3771 (1), pp. 1-64 : 23-24

Agrotis leonoides Poole, 1989

( Figs 18–21 , 53 , 71 , 84 , 101 )

Agrotis leonina Köhler, 1958: 12 . Note: Köhler (1958) mentions localities for material used for the description as: “Río Negro: General Roca (14-IV-1953, Köhler) Cipolletti (19-IV-1954, Fleiss); Neuquén: Neuquén (15-III-1955) Petrowsky y Köhler.,” but he does not designate any type. In entomological collections of IMLA, MLP, and ZSM there is no material designated as type. Köhler (1967) exhibits two photos, male and female specimens designated as “ideotypes.” At IMLA there is one male specimen with no locality label, but with cotype label, whose photo corresponds to figure 69 in Köhler’s (1967) publication and this is the specimen used to redescribed this species.

Scotia leonina ( Köhler): Köhler, 1967 : 331, figs 69, 71 (new combination).

Agrotis leonoides Poole, 1989: 50 . Objective replacement name for Agrotis leonina Köhler (1958) junior secondary homonym of Agrotis leonina Staudinger (1877) .

Diagnosis. Agrotis leonoides differs from other South American species of Agrotis by the following combination of characters: 1) male antenna bipectinate, widest segment 8 × as wide as central shaft; 2) forewing discal cell almost entirely black; 3) reniform spot never adjacent to postmedial line; 4) reniform spot streak absent, when present it is only one continuous broad streak between M1–M3 veins and reaching postmedial line; 5) in male genitalia vesica 8 × as long as aedeagus; 6) basal spined band absent; 7) in female genitalia corpus bursae with one signum; 8) appendix bursae 5 × as long as corpus bursae; and 9) ductus seminalis originating from apex of appendix bursae.

Redescription. Male ( Figs 18, 19 ). Head. Palpus whitish ventrally; frons smooth, central projection and raised edge absent. Antenna bipectinate, widest at half its length, gradually tapering to apex, widest segment 8 × as wide as central shaft, anterior process 1.5 × as wide as posterior process. Thorax. Patagium with black basal and medial lines, basal half concolorous with thorax and distal half lighter than thorax; tegulum with black basal and marginal lines, sometimes lighter than thorax. Forewing length 14.5–18.5 mm; ground color whitish gray to grayish brown; subcostal band undifferentiated; basal area diffuse gray in some specimens; basal line undifferentiated; antemedial line slightly differentiated, in some specimens marked as a black line, double, convex between veins, extended as a sharp tooth between 1A+2A vein and posterior margin, coming near to forewing center; claviform spot black; orbicular spot variable in size, strongly oval, contiguous with reniform spot, light brown, black edged with grayish center; reniform spot concolorous with orbicular spot, never contiguous with postmedial line, in some specimens distal margin with a thick streak extending between M1–M3 veins to postmedial line; discal cell almost entirely black; medial line undifferentiated; postmedial line black, single, concave between veins, distally edged by a lighter shade; subterminal line undifferentiated, with no arrows between postmedial and terminal line; terminal line differentiated only in some specimens as darkish lunulae between veins; fringe concolorous with forewing ground color. Hind wing iridescent on light specimens and diffuse brown in dark specimens; fringe iridescent. Abdomen. Concolorous with forewing ground color. Genitalia ( Fig. 53 ). Clavus slightly sclerotized, cylindrical, 2–4 × as long as wide. Ampulla 1/4 × as long as valve, basal 1/3 expanded, then narrowed to 1/4 its widest diameter; saccus subtriangular. Vesica ( Fig. 71 ) 8 × as long as aedeagus, consisting of 1 1/2 wide loop, right basal diverticulum cylindrical, basal spined band absent, vesica gradually swollen on apical 1/3. Female ( Figs 20, 21 ). Differences from male. Forewing length: 18.2–18.5 mm; antenna filiform; forewing ground color darker than male; orbicular spot light grayish brown with grayish center and black edged; hind wing diffuse light brown. Genitalia ( Fig. 84 ). Posterior apophysis 1.5 × as long as anterior apophysis; ductus bursae 2.3 × as long as anterior apophysis; corpus bursae 4 × as long as anterior apophysis, with one dorsal signum, apex globose; appendix bursae 5 × as long as corpus bursae, consisting of 1 1/2 wide loop, apex subtriangular; ductus seminalis originating from corpus bursae apex.

Biology. Köhler (1958) mentions that Mr. Erwin Fleiss reared specimens of this species from eggs. In spite of having immature states, there are no publications about them.

Hosts. There is no information on host plants. According to Köhler (1958), Mr. Fleiss reared larvae, but no host information is given.

Distribution. Restricted to Argentinean Patagonia ( Fig. 101 ).

Material examined. (31 ♂, 14 ♀). ARGENTINA : Buenos Aires. Villa Gesell, ♀ 17-IV-1966 ( IMLA). Neuquén. Zapala, ♂ 6-IV-1968 (M. Gentili) ( USNM), 9 ♂ (M. Gentili) (IADIZA). Río Negro. Cipolletti, El Cuy, 10 ♂ 3 ♀ 1–10-IV-1956 (Fleiss) ( IMLA), 6 ♂ 4 ♀ (Fleiss) (IADIZA), ♀ 10–IV-1956 (Fleiss) ( MLP), 2 ♂ 3 ♀ 4-IV- 1957 (E. Fleiss) ( IMLA), 3 ♂ ♀ 20-III-1961 (Fleiss) (IADIZA). San Juan. Tudcun, ♀ 20-III-1960 ( IMLA).

Figures

FIGURES 16 – 23. Adults of Agrotis species, edmondsi - group. 16, A. benitezi, holotype, ♂. 17, A. benitezi, allotype, ♀. 18 – 19, A. leonoides, ♂. 20 – 21, A. leonoides, ♀. 22 – 23, A. edmondsi, ♂. Actual size.

FIGURES 46 – 55. Male genitalia of Agrotis species, edmondsi - group. 46, A. steniptera. 47, A. propriens. 48, A. bistrigata. 49, A. dispar. 50, A. peruviana. 51, A. elegans. 52, A. benitezi. 53, A. leonoides. 54, A. edmondsi. 55, A. leucovenata.

FIGURES 64 – 73. Male genitalia aedeagus of Agrotis species, edmondsi - group. 64, A. steniptera. 65, A. propriens. 66, A. bistrigata. 67, A. dispar. 68, A. peruviana. 69, A. elegans. 70, A. benitezi. 71, A. leonoides. 72, A. edmondsi. 73, A. leucovenata.

FIGURES 81 – 86. Female genitalia of Agrotis species, edmondsi - group. 81, A. bistrigata. 82, A. elegans. 83, A. benitezi. 84, A. leonoides. 85, A. edmondsi. 86, A. leucovenata.

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.