Polymixis serpentina serpentina (Treitschke, 1825)

Pekarsky, Oleg, 2012, Taxonomic overview of Polymixis serpentina (Treitschke, 1825) species-group, with the description of a new species (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Xyleninae), ZooKeys 201, pp. 15-26 : 19

Polymixis serpentina serpentina (Treitschke, 1825) Figs 3, 4

Material examined.

Slovenia, slide Nos: ♂ OP0939m, ♀ OP0940f; Croatia, slide Nos: ♂ OP1333m, ♀♀ OP1334f, RL7061f; Macedonia, slide Nos: ♂ OP1445m, ♀ OP1446f; Bulgaria, slide Nos: ♂OP1455m, ♀ OP1335f; Greece, slide Nos: ♂♂ OP1014m, OP1336m, OP1338m, ♀♀ OP1015f, OP1337f, OP1339f; Italy, Puglia, slide Nos: ♂♂ OP1443m, OP1452m ♀♀ OP1444f, OP1453f; Greece, Rodos, slide No: ♂ OP1038m, ♀ OP1039f; Turkey, Nos: ♂♂ OP1035m, OP1037m, ♀♀ OP1028f, OP1036f.

Male genitalia

(Figs 13-20). A detailed description of genitalia of this taxon is given by Ronkay et al. (2001). To this text it is possible to add only some more details of the characteristic structure of the juxta. In the typical populations of Polymixis serpentina serpentina from Croatia the juxta has a wide posterior extension and medial part has a posterolaterally directed lobe or lateral arm on each side without any serration.

Female genitalia

(Figs 28-36). Described by Ronkay et al. (2001). In addition that description, it is worth highlighting the importance of the shape of the posterior margin of the antrum, which has only a slight, rounded concavity in the middle. This shape of antrum is characteristic for the Polymixis serpentina serpentina populations from Croatia (type locality) and adjacent areas (Slovenia, Bulgaria) (Figs 28-30). Females from the more eastern areas (north and central Greece, central and south Turkey) have the posterior margin of antrum more deeply incised (Figs 31-36). It should be noted that the genitalia figure in Noctuidae Europaeae 5 (fig. 141) shows the male genitalia of Polymixis serpentina minoica , whereas fig. 335 illustrates the female genitalia of the nominate subspecies.

Note.

Moths from Rhodes Island have some slight differences in male genital structure; further studies on a larger sample of material are needed to clarify the taxonomic situation of this insular population. It is not impossible that this population represents another, as yet undescribed, subspecies of Polymixis serpentina .