Psectrotarsia hebardi (Skinner) Skinner, 2007

Pogue, Michael G., 2007, Revision of the Genus Psectrotarsia Dognin, 1907 (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae: Heliothinae), Zootaxa 1637, pp. 1-19 : 6-7

Psectrotarsia hebardi (Skinner) , new combination

( Figs. 3 , 11 , 20–21 , 28 , 33 )

Erythroecia hebardi Skinner, 1917: 329 .— McDunnough, 1938: 98.— Franclemont and Todd, 1983: 158.— Poole, 1989: 380.— Matthews, 1991: 19.— Rings et al., 1992: 139.— Poole and Gentilli, 1996: 739.— Hardwick, 1996: 41.

Diagnosis. Psectrotarsia hebardi differs from all other species in the genus in that its forewing markings are a dark pink that expands to almost completely cover the wing (cf. P. s u a v i s).

Description. Male. Head: Frons bulging, rugose, with minute white scales between ridges ( Fig. 3 ), scales hairlike and purplish-pink; labial palp appressed, scales pale pink mixed with white, apical segment white; antenna purplish pink dorsally to middle then becoming paler, lateral scales white; scape purplish pink dorsally, white ventrally; eyes large and globular. Thorax: Patagium and prothorax with pale purplish pink hairlike scales; tegula a mixture of narrow and hairlike scales, pale purplish-pink on anterior half, yellow posteriorly; mesothorax pale purplish-pink anteriorly becoming pale yellow posteriorly, sides white; metathorax with hairlike scales pink; foretibia armature absent, buff-colored tinged with pale purplish-pink, tarsi white; middle leg buff-colored, tarsi white; hind leg and tarsi white; prosternum buff-colored under head, meso- and metasterna white. Forewing length 13.7–15.3 mm (n = 3); ground color yellow; all markings dark pink; basal costal spot from costa to M vein; claviform spot between M and A veins coalesced with spot below; orbicular and reniform spots partially coalesced; median line irregular below reniform; subterminal area with broad band of purplish-pink; fringe yellow; underside with basal dash along M vein, orbicular and reniform spots, as well as broad subterminal band grayish purplish-pink. Hindwing; ground color grayish purplish-pink; fringe white. Abdomen: White. Genitalia ( Figs. 20–21 ) with uncus elongate, approximately 0.38X length of valve; apex pointed; valve broad, length 5.9X width, costal margin straight, posterior margin straight; apex round; ampulla elongate, 1/4 length of valve; corona with less than 10 setae; sacculus with ventral margin produced; juxta ovate with dorsal and ventral margins excavated; saccus V-shaped; aedoeagus slightly bent at middle, apex rounded; vesica Y-shaped, basal diverticulum bearing a short apical spine-like cornutus, lateral diverticulum elongate with an elongate apical spine-like cornutus, diverticulum bearing orifice of ductus ejaculatorius lacking a cornutus.

Female. Head, Thorax: As in male, except forewing length 14.7–14.9 mm (n = 3). Abdomen: Genitalia ( Figs. 28 , 33 ) with papilla analis fleshy, narrow, apex rounded; posterior apophysis 0.95X anterior anpophysis, narrow; ductus bursae sclerotized and heavily striated on distal half; no discernable appendix bursae; corpus bursae large, kidney-shaped; signa absent.

Lectotype. Male, U.S.A., Virginia, Hot Springs. Designated by Hardwick (1996). Deposited in ANSP. Not examined.

Distribution and Biology. Known only from single localities in northern New Jersey, southern Ohio, and western Virginia ( Fig. 36 ). The larval host of P. hebardi is richweed ( Collinsonia canadensis L., Lamiaceae ) and was discovered by Eric Metzler (pers. comm.) in southern Ohio. Hardwick (1996) described the preserved larva. The moth is found from mid-August through September at the Ohio site where it is locally abundant and associated with moist forested slopes with old trees ( Rings et al., 1992).

Material Examined. 9m, 4f U.S. A: NEW JERSEY: SUSSEX CO. Lake Hoptacong, 19 Aug (1m), genitalia slide USNM 46524, F. Lemmer. OHIO: SCIOTO CO. Shawnee State Forest, 1 mi s of Pond Run Tower, 20 Aug. 1986 (1m), 31 Aug. 1986 (1m), J. D. Hooper ( USNM); Nile Township, Shawnee State Forest, in a clear cut, 17 Aug. 1985 (1m, 1f), 22 Aug. 1986 (2m), 23 Aug. 1986 (2m, 1f), Pond Run Tower, 21 Aug. 1987 (1f), 0.5 mi e of Pond Run Tower, 24 Aug. 1989 (1m, 1f), E.H. Metzler (EHM). All specimens deposited in USNM unless otherwise indicated.

Discussion. Psectrotarsia hebardi was described from Hot Springs, in western Virginia, by Skinner (1917) from 2 males that were collected by Morgan Hebard on August 15, 1916 at light. No other specimens have been collected in Virginia despite recent surveys (Roble, pers. comm.). Prior to 1930 the only other population of P. hebardi was from near Lake Haptacong in north central New Jersey and a recent collection of 2 specimens from Johnsonburg, Warren Co., New Jersey. In 1984 Eric Metzler discovered P. hebardi in southern Ohio. Additional populations were discovered within 5 km of the 1984 site in 1985 and 1986 ( Shuey et al., 1987).

Figures

FIGURE 36. Collecting localities. Psectrotarsia flava, closed squares; P. s u a v i s, closed circles; P. hebardi, closed triangles; P. euposis, closed triangles; P. rhodophora, open circle.

FIGURES 1 – 5. Heads. 1, Psectrotarsia flava, female, Peru, Lima, USNMENT 14764; 2, P. s u a v i s Nebraska, Platte Co., Columbus, USNMENT 147638; 3, P. hebardi New Jersey, Morris Co., Lake Hoptacong, USNMENT 147639; 4, P. euposis Mexico, Cuernavaca, USNMENT 147705; 5, P. rhodophora, Volcan Guatemala, Volcan Santa Maria, USNMENT 220365.

FIGURES 6 – 11. Adults. 6, Psectrotarsia flava, female holotype, Peru, La Libertad, Trujillo, USNMENT 147710; 7, P. flava, female, Peru, Pirua, La Beatita, USNMENT 147712; 8, P. suavis, male, Texas, Brewster Co., Alpine, USNMENT 147692; 9, P. s u a v i s, male, Texas, Jeff Davis Co., Mount Locke, Davis Mountains, USNMENT 147693; 10, P. suavis, female, Oklahoma, Cimarron Co., Black Mesa State Park, east end of primitive area, 24 Aug. 2004, 4312 ft., USNMENT 221608; 11, P. hebardi, male, Ohio, Scioto Co., Shawnee State Forest, clearcut 1 mi s of Pond Run Tower, USNMENT 147694.

FIGURES 16 – 21. Male Genitalia. 16, Psectrotarsia flava, Peru, La Beatita, USNMENT 147711, genitalia slide USNM 49760; 17, P. flava, aedoeagus, same data; 18, P. su avi s, New Mexico, Luna Co., Deming, USNMENT 147672, genitalia slide USNM 49744; 19, P. s u a v i s, aedoeagus, same data; 20, P. hebardi, Ohio, Sciota Co., Shawnee State Forest, in a clear cut, USNMENT 144030, genitalia slide MGP 1208; 21, P. hebardi, Ohio, Sciota Co., Shawnee State Forest, 0.5 mi E Pond Run Tower, USNMENT 144038, aedoeagus, genitalia slide MGP 1219.

FIGURES 26 – 28. Female Genitalia. 26, Psectrotarsia flava, Peru, Trujillo, USNMENT 147709, genitalia slide USNM 49761; 27, P. s u a v i s, Texas, Brewster Co., Alpine, USNMENT 147676, genitalia slide USNM 49743; 28, P. hebardi, Ohio, Sciota Co., Shawnee State Forest, in a clear cut, USNMENT 144036, genitalia slide MGP 1209.

FIGURES 31 – 35. Papillae anales of female Genitalia. 31, Psectrotarsia flava, same data as Fig. 26; 32, P. s u a v i s, same data as Fig. 27; 33, P. h e b a rd i, same data as Fig. 28; 34, P. euposis, same data as Fig. 29; 35, P. rhodophora, same data as Fig. 30.