Plusiotricha livida Holland , 1894

Ronkay, Laszlo, Behounek, Gottfried & Müller, Günter C., 2015, PLusiinae (Excl. Abrostolini) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) of Ethiopia. A faunistical survey with biogeographical comments, Zootaxa 4013 (2), pp. 235-251 : 237

Plusiotricha livida Holland, 1894

Psyche , 7: 10, Holotype: male, Gabun, Ogove River, coll. Pittsburgh Museum, Pennsylvania. ( Figs. 3 a—female, 3b—male, 41, 42, 43)

Synonymy.

Plusia dyscapna Fletcher, 1963 , Exploration du Parc National Albert, 2 (fasc.15): 105, Fig. 26. Holotype: male, Uganda, Kampala, coll. BMNH, London

Plusia gorilla Holland, 1894 , syn. n., Psyche , 7: 9. Holotype: female, Gabun, Ogove, Benito, coll. Pittsburgh Museum, Pennsylvania.

Material examined. Oromia Region, Jimma. 1900 m. V.2009. Leg. Kravchenko V.; Oromia Region, Shenen. 2500 m. V.2009. Leg. Kravchenko V.

Literature. Behounek & Ronkay 1989; Berio & et al. 1984; Dufay 1970; Dufay 1972; Fletcher 1963; Hampson 1913; Holland 1894; Hebert et al. 2003; Ratnasingham & Hebert 2007; Ronkay 1987.

General distribution pattern. In tropical Africa: Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Madagascar.

Distribution in Ethiopia. Everywhere excluding highlands above 3.000 m and deserts. Common.

Taxonomic note. The new synonymy is based on two series representing both sexes recently collected by Dr. R. Beck and his team (Munich) in Ethiopia at Arba Minch (400 km SW of Addis Ababa). Dissection of the genitalia made by G. Behounek and L. Ronkay of the P. li vida male (slide GB 7183, BC ZSM Lep 40026) and P. gorilla female (slides GB 7177, BC ZSM Lep 40025). Totally we dissected seven males and three females. The ductus bursae is extremely long, about five times longer than the abdomen ( Dufay 1970), corresponding to the very long and narrow vesica of the male. As the first revisers, we designate, among two simultaneously described species, P. livida as the valid name, because this taxon is also the type species of the genus Plusiotricha .

Molecular analysis. DNA barcoding corrobates the molecular identity of both described species. Full length 658 base pair ‘barcodes’ of the Cytochrome Oxidase Subunit 5’ Region (COI-5P) gene were prepared by the University of Guelph’s barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD) by methods described by in Hebert et al. (2003). Molecular variation base on the Kimura two-parameter distance model for COI DNA barcodes between two specimen of P. l i v i d a (male) and P. gorilla (female) was exact 0%.

Thysanoplusia (Thysanoplusia) orichalcea (Fabricius, 1775) ( Figs. 4 )

Material examined. Wolaita Zone, Sodo. 2000 m. VIII.2011. Leg. Kravchenko V.; Tigray region, Simien National Park. 3500 m. V.2005. Leg. Kravchenko V.

Literature. Behounek & Ronkay 1989; Behounek et al. 2010; Dufay 1970; Dufay 1972; Dufay & Laporte 1977; Goater et al. 2003; Hacker et al. 2001; Hacker et al. 1999; Paulian & Viette 1955; Pinhey 1975; Ronkay 1987; Rougeot 1983; Wiltshire 1990.

General distribution pattern. Throughout the Indo-Pacific, Ethiopian regions and Southern Europe. Throughout Africa including deserts (in oases).

Distribution in Ethiopia. Throughout country including elevations above 3.000 m.

Host plants. Well-known pest of many crops, especially legumes, chicory, sunflower, maize, radish, carrot, lettuce and potato.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Genitalia slides. Numeration in text.

FIGURE 4. Genitalia slides. Numeration in text.