Homophoberia australis Troubridge

Troubridge, J. T., 2020, A new genus and 37 new noctuoid species from peninsular Florida and the Keys (Lepidoptera: Noctuoidea), Insecta Mundi 2020 (789), pp. 1-56 : 33-34

Homophoberia australis Troubridge , new species

( Fig. 49a, 49b, 49c , 96 , 135 )

BIN: BOLD:AAE1602

Diagnosis. Homophoberia australis is the sister species to H. cristata Morrison (BIN: BOLD:AAC0091). Due to the variation in habitus of both species, I see no reliable way to distinguish the two species other than by geographical distribution or DNA. Homophoberia cristata occurs from South Carolina, northward into Quebec, whereas H. australis occurs in Florida and extreme southern Georgia. In the male genitalia, the clasper of H. australis ( Fig. 96 ) is narrower at the base and gradually tapers to the terminal spine, whereas in H. cristata ( Fig. 97 ), the clasper is more bulbous at the base, narrowing more abruptly to the terminal spine, and the dorsal diverticulum on the vesica of H. australis is a little longer and narrower than the squat counterpart in H. cristata .

Description. Male antenna pectinate; female antennae filiform, ciliate. Head, vertex, thorax, and abdomen brown to ochre. Dorsal forewing. Forewing length 12–15 mm. Ground color of males tends not to vary and is reliably dark brown; ground color of females varies from dark brown to ochre; basal line somewhat obscure, consisting of scattered black and tan scales; antemedial line jagged, consisting of scattered black scales, bordered by tan scales; postmedial line black, bordered distally by tan scales; orbicular spot oval in shape, composed of a thin outer ring of black scales and a thin inner ring of tan scales; reniform spot with thin inner tan crescent surrounded by tan scales, except in lower half where a patch of black scales obscures tan border; submarginal area of the wing entirely lighter brown than medial and basal areas in most specimens; subterminal line tan, diffuse, bordered basally and distally with brown scales; terminal line a series of black crescents between veins; fringe dark brown. Dorsal hindwing. Ground color tan, heavily suffused with brown scales; discal lunule dark brown; terminal line dark brown; fringe brown, tan at tips of veins. Male genitalia ( Fig. 96 ). Valves symmetrical with dense field of setae on distal ¾; sacculus broad at base, narrows toward apex where clasper arises; curved, spine-like clasper extends from the ventral margin of valve; uncus short, narrow, curved downward with a rounded apex; juxta with a “Y” shaped spine and lateral flaps to form a shield-like support for the aedeagus; aedeagus short, broad with large ventral plate at base of vesica; vesica globular with ductus seminalis distal and dorsal diverticulum narrow. Female genitalia ( Fig. 135 ). Ovipositor lobes with numerous setae; ductus bursae short with sclerite across ventral surface just anterior to ostium bursae; ductus bursae terminates at lower end of large, inverted “J” shaped corpus bursae.

Type material. Holotype male: USA: Florida, Sarasota Co.: North Port , 27°02.5′N, 82°02.0′W, 7.Nov.2012, J. Troubridge, in the CNC . Paratypes: 15♂, 16♀: Alachua Co.: Gainesville , reared on Nuphar luteum , 10.May.1972, D.H. Habeck, slide MGCL 2804 , 1♂ ( FSCA) ; Gainesville , Archer Road Lab., 30.May.1973, J.B. Heppner, 1♂; ( FSCA) ; Gainesville , 29.616°N, 82.299°W, 17. Jun., 13. Sep., 16. Sep., 7.Oct.2005, 25.Apr.2006, G. T. Austin, MGCL #1074745 , 1075011 , 1075163 , 1075194 , 1075584 , 2♂, 3♀ ( MGCL) ; Collier Co.: Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park , 25.98°N, 81.39°W, 11.Mar.2016, J. Troubridge, 1♂ ; Desoto Co.: Nocatee , 27°10.07′N, 81°54.63′W, 14.Apr.2010, J. Troubridge, 1♀ ; Hernando Co.: Brooksville , Withlacoochee Training Center , Childs Road, 19.Apr.2016, J.E. Hayden and K. Schnepp, slide MGCL 4554 , 1♂ ( FSCA) ; Highlands Co.:, Archbold Biological Station , 27.188°N, 81.336° W, 1.Apr.2016, 1♂ ; 18.Mar.2018, 1♂ ; all J. Troubridge; Hillsborough Co.: Tampa , University of South Florida, 17.Mar.1982, W.L. Adair, 1♀; ( FSCA) ; Martin Co.: Jonathan Dickenson State Park , 8-–9. Aug. 999, J.B. Heppner, 1♀ ( FSCA) ; Orange Co.: Orlando , 21.Mar.1986, L.C. Dow, 1♀ ( FSCA) ; Putnam Co.: Palatka , 17.Apr.1991, H.D. Baggett, slide MGCL 2805 , 1♀ ( FSCA) ; Welaka State Forest , 17–21.Mar.1986, J.B. Heppner, 1♂, 1♀ ( FSCA) ; Sarasota Co.: North Port , 27°02.5′N, 82°02.0′W, 24.Nov.2009, 1♀ ; 16.Nov. 2011, 1♂ ; 13.Dec.2011, 1♀; 12.Apr.2011, 2♂, 2♀; 27.Jul.2016, 1♂; 12.Mar.2012, 1♂, 1♀; 24.Apr.2011, 1♀; 7.Feb.2010, 1♂, 1♀ all J. Troubridge.

Etymology. From Latin, australis refers to the southern range of this species.

Distribution. This species has been collected in Florida and southern Georgia. It has been reared on yellow water lily, Nuphar luteum (L.)

Remarks. The DNA of H. australis was analyzed and the 658 COI base pairs compared with those of specimens of H. cristata . The results show an 8.7% difference between H. australis and H. cristata .

Noctuidae : Condicinae : Leuconyctini

Figures

Figures 49–54. Adults. 49a) Homophoberia australis ♂, holotype, North Port, FL. 49b) Homophoberia australis ♀, paratype, North Port, FL. 49c) Homophoberia australis ♀, paratype, North Port, FL. 50) Leucania elephas ♂, paratype, Bahia Honda, FL. 51) Euscirrhopterus poeyi ♀, No Name Key, FL. 52) Euscirrhopterus argentata ♀, Sonora, MX. 53) Pyreferra slotteni ♂, holotype, Gainesville, FL. 54) Pyreferra pettiti ♂, Cayuga, ON.

Figures 93–99. Male genitalia. 93) Catabenoides insularis, holotype, Key Largo, FL. 94) Catabenoides vitrina, Key Largo, FL. 95) Condica collaris, holotype, Bahia Honda, FL. 96) Homophoberia australis, holotype, North Port, FL. 97) Homophoberia cristata, Cayuga, ON. 98) Diastema leo, paratype, Highlands County, FL. 99) Neogalea caracara, holotype, Key Largo, FL.

Figures 132–138. Female genitalia. 132) Litoprosopus linea, Islamorada, FL. 133) Tripudia calusa, paratype, Islamorada, FL. 134) Catabenoides insularis, paratype, Key Largo, FL. 135) Homophoberia australis, paratype, Highlands County, FL. 136) Diastema leo, paratype, Highlands County, FL. 137) Leucania elephas, paratype, Bahia Honda, FL. 138) Pyreferra slotteni, paratype, Grenada County, MS.