Mythimna (Pseudaletia) sequax Franclemont, 1951

Madruga, Janaína, Specht, Alexandre, Blas, German San, Mielke, Olaf H H & Casagrande, Mirna M, 2022, Revision of the species of Mythimna Ochsenheimer, 1816 (Pseudaletia Franclemont, 1951) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae: Noctuinae: Leucaniini) occurring in Brazil, Revista Brasileira de Entomologia (e 20220026) 66 (3), pp. 1-21 : 12-14

Mythimna (Pseudaletia) sequax Franclemont, 1951 ( Figs. 10 , 11 )

Pseudaletia sequax Franclemont, 1951 . Proc. Ent. Soc. Wash. 53(2), 70, figs 18, 18a (male gen.) e 38 (female gen.).- Biezanko and Ruffinelli, 1971. Centro Invest. Sanid. Veg. Montevidéo, Ser. Zool. Agric., Publ. Técn. 2, 17; apl., host plant., inv., parasit.- Carvalho et al., 1971. Rev. Centro Ciências Rurais 1(3), 17; inv.- Biezanko et al., 1974. Rev. Centro Ciências Rurais 4(2), 118; host plant.- Hayes, 1975. Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci. 40(7), 150, fig. 44 (male dorsal); syst.- Chang and Sales, 1977. J. Insect Physiol. 23, 159; biol.- Franclemont and Todd, 1983. Check List Lep. Amer. N. Mexico, 150.- Gonçalves, 1985. Rev. Bras. Ent. 29, 31, figs 1, 2 (digestive tube); morph. - Poole, 1989. Lep. Cat. (n.s.) 118, Noctuidae 2, 844.- Buainain and Silva, 1990. Pesqui. Agropecu. Bras. 25(2), 229; biol., host plant.- Salvadori and Parra, 1990a. Pesqui. Agropecu. Bras. 25(12), 1693; apl., biol.- Salvadori and Parra, 1990b. Pesqui. Agropecu. Bras. 25(12), 1679; apl., biol.- Salvadori and Parra, 1990c. Pesqui. Agropecu. Bras. 25(12), 1701; apl., biol.- Dickel, 1991. Tropical Lep. 2(1), 57, fig. 26 (male); geogr. distr.- Frank and McCoy, 1992. Florida Entomologist 75(1), 12; geogr. distr.- Giannotti et al., 1995. An. Soc. Ent. Brasil 24(3), 460; parasit.- Foerster, 1996. An. Soc. Ent. Brasil 25(1), 27; biol.- Specht and Corseuil, 1996. Biociências 4(2), 146; inv., syst.- Matrangolo et al., 1997. Pesqui. Agropecu. Bras.. 32(8), 773; host plant.- Polaszek and Foerster, 1997. An. Soc. Ent. Brasil 26(1), 180; parasit.- Doetzer and Foerster, 1998. An. Soc. Ent. Brasil 27(2), 255; apl., parasit.- Ferreira, 1998. EMBRAPA-CNPAF, 80, figs 73 (adult), 75 (larva); apl.- Fontana et al., 1998. Appl. Biochem. Biotech. 70-72, 74; apl.- Yamamoto et al., 1998. Acta Biol. Par. 27(1-4), 85; parasit.- Foerster et al., 1999a. An. Soc. Ent. Brasil 28(2), 243-249; apl., parasit.- Foerster et al., 1999b. An. Soc. Ent. Brasil 28(3), 485; apl., parasit.- Specht and Corseuil, 2002a. Pesqui. Agropecu. Bras.. 37(1), 1; inv., host plant.- Specht and Corseuil, 2002b. Rev. Bras. Zool. 19(Supl.1), 286; inv.- Bittencourt et al., 2003. Arq. Inst. Biol. 70(1), 86; inv.- Ohashi and Urdampilleta, 2003. RIA 32(2), 121; ecol., parasit.- Specht et al., 2004. R. Bras. Agrociencia 10(4), 398; inv., host plant.- Specht et al., 2005. Rev. Bras. Ent. 49(1), 136; inv.- Grego et al., 2006. Sci. Agric. 63(4), 321; ecol., apl., host plant.- Torres et al., 2006. CAB Reviews 1(15), 5; apl.- Almeida et al., 2008. Ethol. 114:,449; biol.- Fritz et al., 2008. Oecol. Bras. 12(4), 723; apl., host plant.- Pereira et al., 2008. Braz. Arch. Biol. Technol. 51(2), 259, fig. 1b (parasitismo).- Conceição and Silva, 2011. Campo Digit@l 6(1), 23; apl.- Marchioro and Foerster, 2012a. Agr. For. Entomol. 14, 29; apl., biol., host plant.- Marchioro and Foerster, 2012b. Neotrop. Entomol. 41, 288; apl., biol.- Queiroz et al., 2012. Rev. Bras. Zootec. 41(2), 273; host plant.- Fritz et al., 2013. Inter. Jour. Trop. Ins. Sc. 33(3), 179; apl.- Almeida et al., 2014. Braz. J. Biol. 74(4), 985; inv.- Foerster et al., 2015. BioControl 60, 9; apl., parasit.

Cirphis sequax ; Corseuil and Cruz, 1975. Rev. Facul. Agron. UFRGS 1(1), 19; inv.- Specht and Corseuil, 1996. Biociências 4(2), 146; inv., syst.

Mythimna (Pseudaletia) sequax ; Foerster et al., 2001. Acta Biol. Par. 30(1-4), 139; apl., parasit.- Foerster and Doetzer, 2002. Neotrop. Ent. 31(3), 405; apl., parasit.- Hacker et al., 2002. Noctuidae Europaeae 4, 168.- Foerster and Doetzer, 2003. Neotrop. Ent. 32(1), 81; apl., parasit.- Yamamoto and Foerster, 2003. Neotrop. Ent. 32(3), 481; parasit.- Barbut and Lalanne-Cassou, 2010. L’Ent. 66(3), 117, figs 3, 4 (male, female), 6, 8 (male and female gen.); syst.- Soria and DeGrande, 2011. Rev. Bras. Milho Sorgo 10(2), 96; inv., host plant.

Mythimna sequax ; Lafontaine and Schmidt, 2010. Zookeys 40,

91; syst.- Bortolotto et al., 2015. Cienc. Rural 45(12), 2121; host plant.

Systematic history

Described in Pseudaletia by Franclemont (1951), as it has been most often cited until now.

Type material

Pseudaletia sequax Franclemont, 1951 . Species described based on the male holotype from Jalapa, Veracruz, Mexico, deposited at the USNM , with the following labels: /Jalapa, Mex[ico], W. Schaus. / HOLOTYPE Pseudaletia sequax J. G. Franclemont / USNMENT 00973327/.

Diagnosis

Both sexes with forewings beige or orange-beige, mixed with dark scales similar to those of Mythimna (P.) unipuncta , differing from the latter in the genitalia. In males, the distal third of the cucullus with dorsal margin bent toward the dorsum, ending in a unique scythe-shaped distal process, vesica with basal diverticulum bearing one apical cornutus, raely up to four cornuti apart from each other.

Description

MALE. Head: From beige to orange-neige, mixed with dark scales of different hues. Eyes brown, pilose. Antenna filiform, triangular in cross section, covered dorsally with beige scales, ventrally naked, with tiny chemoreceptive trichoid sensilla, more concentrated in the central part of the antennomer, and with longer lateral chemoreceptive trichoid sensilla, almost as long as antennomer width. Thorax: Ground color as head; patagium with dark subapical line. Forewing: length 1.5- 2.2cm (n=51). Ground color from beige to orange-beige, mixed with dark scales of different hues; postmedial line as dark spots over the veins and terminal line as dark spots between veins, other transversal lines absent; with an oblique line of dark scales from the apex to M 2; a dark patch with a spot of central white scales next to the bases of M 2 and M 3; dark patch covering cubital veins absent on most specimens orbicular and reniform spots circular, inconspicuous, orange with smooth darker center; subterminal area of the wing with white or light beige scales over the veins; fringe beige with dark medial and terminal lines. Hindwing pale, with marginal brown shading toward the base, fringe pale.Abdomen: Greyish-beige dorsally; ventrally as head, with two black transversal lines subventral. Genitalia: Tegumen and uncus fused, the former wider than the base of uncus; ventral arms slim in posterior view, covered with setae near the articulation with the dorsal arm of saccus. Saccus bent toward the ventral arms of the tegumen, irregular distally, twisted toward its inner surface. Uncus elongated, flat, and bent ventrally, widened on medial area, apical half abruptally narrowed to 1/5-1/6 of its width, covered with setae dorsally. Valva subtriangular; sacculus projected ventrally, forming an oval lobe; cucullus elongated, apical third with the dorsal margin bent dorsally and ending in a unique scythe-shaped distal process, corona present, with multiple rows of spines; clasper long and oval; ampulla distinct as a digitiform posterior projection; digitus slim, one third or less as long as clasper. Fultura inferior (=juxta) subtriangular, approximately one third the length of the ventral arms of the tegumen and aproximatelly seven times as long as its smallest width, distal portion bifid.Aedeagus pipe-shaped; vesica tubular and elongate, of similar width throughout its length, with a continuous band of cornuti from the opposite side of the diverticulum to subapical area, basal diverticulum elongate, with a single cornutus, rarely with two, three, or four cornuti spaced among them.

FEMALE. Similar to male, but antenna with tiny chemoreceptive trichoid sensilla only, longer lateral chemoreceptive trichoid absent. Forewing length 1.6-2.2cm (n=40).Abdomen: Genitalia almost entirely sclerotized. Eighth tergite straight and narrow. Papilla analis subtriangular covered with setae.Lamella antevaginalis subrectangular. Ductus bursae sclerotized, with a narrow bifurcation at its middle portion, conducting to appendix bursae; corpus bursae membranous and round; appendix bursae with approximately twice the length of ductus bursae, but with the same width; sclerotized basally and with membranous apex. Ductus seminalis originating on appendix bursae apex.

Geographic distribution

Mythimna (P.) sequax is common in the American tropics and subtropics, occurring from Southern U.S.A. to Northern Argentina ( Franclemont, 1951) and Uruguay ( Biezanko and Ruffinelli, 1971). In Brazil, there are records for most states: Roraima: Alto Alegre; Acre: Rio Branco ; Mato Grosso: Sinop ; Mato Grosso do Sul; Chapadão do Sul and Miranda; Tocantins: Porto Nacional; Distrito Federal: Planaltina ; Pernambuco: Petrolina ; Bahia: Correntina and São Desidério ; Minas Gerais: Santana do Riacho and Uberaba ; Espírito Santo: Alegre and Domingos Martins; Rio de Janeiro : Cachoeiras de Macacu, Itatiaia, Petrópolis and Rio de Janeiro ; São Paulo : Cajati, Campos do Jordão, Jundiaí and São Bernardo do Campo; Paraná: Cornélio Procópio, Curitiba, Londrina, Morretes, Ponta Grossa and Quatro Barras ; Rio Grande do Sul: Bagé, Passo Fundo, Salvador do Sul and Vacaria.

Host plants

Native and cultivated grasses ( Poaceae ) such as rice, oat, barley, wheat, corn, canary grass, annual ryegrass, rye, sugar cane, sword grass and other grasses ( Biezanko et al., 1974; Buainain and Silva, 1990; Matrangolo et al., 1997; Specht and Corseuil, 2002a; Specht et al., 2004; Fritz et al., 2008; Bortolotto et al., 2015).

Discussion

The coloration of Mythimna (P.) sequax is variable; the dorsal forewing may be beige to orange-beige, variably mixed with dark scales. This species has been frequently confused with Mythimna (P.) unipuncta and Mythimna (P.) celiae sp. nov., but it can be distinguished by the genitalia structures, especially the male genitalia. The vesica has also a basal elongate diverticulum, but in the former it bears a single cornutus or rarely two, three or four, spaced among them, while in the other two it has more than four cornutus.

Material examined

BRAZIL - Roraima: Alto Alegre - 2°56’18.1”S, 61°00’18.0”W , 87m, 1 male, 14-VII-2015, E. G. F. de Morais leg., DZ 39.946 ( DZUP) . - Acre: Rio Branco - 10°01›57.13”S, 67°37›36.87”W, 207m, 2 males, 16-VII-2015, M. Fazolin leg., DZ 37.899 ( DZUP, CPAC) , 10°01’58.09”S, 67°42’12.74”W, 183m, 1 female, 5-V-2016, M. Fazolinleg., DZ 39.963 ( DZUP) .- Tocantins: Porto Nacional - 10°30›36.678”S, 48°18›50.886”W, 212m, 1 female, 8-X-2015, B. A. Evangelista & D. B. Fragoso leg. ( CPAC) . - Pernambuco: Petrolina - 9°03’54.2”S, 40°10’23.6”W, 365,9m , 1 female, 9-XI-2015, E. A. dos Santos leg. ( CPAC) , 2 males, 10-XI-2015, E. A. dos Santos leg. ( CPAC) , 1 female, 13-XI-2015, E. A. dos Santos leg., DZ 39.958 ( DZUP) , 09°08’14.4”S, 40°18’07.4”W, 365,5m, 1 male, 12-IX-2015, J. B. G. Santos Filho leg., DZ 39.957, 1 male, 13-IX-2015, J. B. G. Santos Filho leg., DZ 39.954 ( DZUP) .- Mato Grosso: Sinop - 11°52›1.50”S, 55°36›2.19”W, 362m, 1 female, 1 male, 10-VI-2015, A. L. Filipiake, S. M. M. Rodrigues & R. M. Pitta leg. ( CPAC) , 1 male, 11-VI-2015, A. L. Filipiake, S. M. M. Rodrigues & R. M. Pitta leg., DZ 39.951, 1 female, 13-VI-2015, A. L. Filipiake, S. M. M. Rodrigues & R. M. Pitta leg., DZ 39.952 ( DZUP) . - Distrito Federal : Planaltina - 15°36›07.10”S, 47°42›46,67”W , 1007m, 1 male, 02-XI-2013, Specht leg. ( CPAC) , 1 male, 4-XII-2013, A.Specht leg., DZ 39.938 ( DZUP) , 1 male, 2-II-2014, A. Specht leg. ( CPAC) , 1 male, 27-IV-2014, A. Specht leg., DZ 39.934, 1 male, 28-IV-2014, A. Specht leg., DZ 39.947 ( DZUP) , 1 male, 4-V-2014, A. Specht leg. ( CPAC) , 1 male, 17-VIII-2014, A. Specht leg., DZ 39.940 ( DZUP) , 15°36’24.52”S, 47°44’42.45”W, 1169m, 1 male, 10-VI-2015, A. Spechtleg. ( CPAC) , 1 female, 10-III-2016, A. Spechtleg., DZ 39.936 ( DZUP) . - Bahia: Correntina - 13°45’24”S, 46°10’01”W , 970m, 1 male, 15-VI-2015, S. V.Paula-Moraes leg., DZ 39.939, 1 male, 15-IX-2015, S. V. Paula-Moraes leg., DZ 39.942 ( DZUP) ; São Desidério - 13°18’60”S, 45°58’ 24”W, 879m, 1 male, 17-III-2015, C. Ceolin leg. ( CPAC) . - Mato Grosso do Sul: Chapadão do Sul - 18°46›49.6”S, 52°31›1.55”W, 806m, 1 female, 12-VI-2015, T.Taira leg., DZ 39.941 ( DZUP) , 1 female, 10-IX-2015, T. Taira leg. ( CPAC) , 1 female, 5-IV-2016, T. Taira leg., DZ 39.962 ( DZUP) , 1 male, 10-VII-2015, T. Taira leg. ( CPAC) , 18°46’30.09”S, 52°31’04.98”W, 804m, 1 male, 11-VII-2015, T.Taira leg. ( CPAC) ; Miranda - 20°07›24,29”S, 56°37›15,66”W, 122m, 1 male, 12-VII-2015, H. V. B. Concone leg., DZ 39.923 ( DZUP) , 20°06’20,20”S, 56°36’52,62”W, 121m, 1 female, 4-II-2016, H. V. B. Concone leg. ( CPAC) , 1 male, 31-V-2016, H. V. B. Concone leg., DZ 39.945 ( DZUP) , 2 males, 1-VI-2016, H. V. B. Concone leg., DZ 39.960, DZ 46.908 ( DZUP) , 1 male, 2-VI-2016, H. V. B. Concone leg., DZ 39.959 ( DZUP) .- Minas Gerais: Santana do Riacho - Reserva Vellozia , 19°17’00”S, 43°35’34”W , 1100m, 1 male, 9-III-2017, M. Savaris leg., DZ 39.928 ( DZUP) ; Uberaba - 19°39›45.07”S, 47°57›39.16”W, 784m, 1 male, 9-X-2015, B. M. Moreira leg., DZ 39.950 ( DZUP) , 1 male, 7-I-2016, B. M. Moreira leg. ( CPAC) , 19°39’14.36”S, 47°58’11.45”W, 819m, 1 female, 7-VII-2015, B.M. Moreira leg. ( CPAC) , 1 female, 16-XII-2015, B. M. Moreira leg., DZ 39.948 ( DZUP) . - Espírito Santo: Alegre - 20°45›11,63”S, 41°29›23,28”W, 121m, 1 female, 1 male, 17-VI-2015, L. Mardgan, D. Pratissoli, J. R. Carvalho leg. ( CPAC), DZ 39.961 , 1 female, 9-X-2015, L. Mardgan, D. Pratissoli, J. R. Carvalho leg., DZ 39.930 ( DZUP) ; Domingos Martins - 20°22›17.3”S, 41°03›47.7”W, 950m, 1 male, 8-III-2016, J. S. Zanuncio Junior leg., DZ 39.932 , 1 female, 4-IV-2016, J. S. Zanuncio Junior leg., DZ 39.931 ( DZUP) . - Rio de Janeiro : Cachoeiras de Macacu - 1 female, 16-IX-2012, N. Tangerini leg., DZ 39.964 ( DZUP) ; Itatiaia - 1 male, 12-13-IX-1950, Travassos, Albuquerque & Silva leg. ( IOC) , Parque Nacional do Itatiaia , 840m, 1 male, 8-XI-2011, Expedição Lab. Lep. MZUSP leg., 2410m, 2 females, 1 male, 16-17-III-2013, Silva, Pinheiro & Muñoz leg. ( MZUSP) ; Petrópolis - Independência , 1 female, 1930, Ferreira D’Almeida leg., ex. coll. Gagarin DZ 37.876, 1 female, 19-II-1948, Gagarin leg., ex. coll. Gagarin DZ 37.878 ( DZUP) ; Rio de Janeiro - Tijuca, 1 male, 10-X-1916, Ferreira D’Almeida leg., DZ 37.875 ( DZUP) . - São Paulo : Cajati - Parque Estadual Rio Turvo, Mirante do Aleixo , 24°43’48.081”S, 48°06’29.754”O , 1018m, 1 female, 1-3-XII-2013, Quintero & Silva leg. ( MZUSP) ; Campos do Jordão - Parque Estadual Campos do Jordão, Mirante do Pau Arcado , 22°44’34.322”S, 45°35’46.88”O , 1815m, 1 male, 1 female, 18-19-V-2015, Quintero, Silva & Moraes leg. ( MZUSP) ; Jundiaí - Base Ecológica Serra do Japi , 23°11’8.547”S, 46°53’52.1”W , 3 females, 19-21-X-2012, Expedição Lab. Lep. MZUSPleg. ( MZUSP) ; São Bernardo do Campo – Alto da Serra , 1 female, 1 male, 1927 ( MZUSP) . - Paraná: Cornélio Procópio - Parque Estadual Mata São Francisco , 23°08’59”S, 50°34’19”W , 656m, 1 male, 3-5-V-2016, Santos, Silva & Queiroz leg., DZ 37.884 ( DZUP) ; Curitiba - 900m, 1 male, 1 female, IX-2004, H. A. Vargas leg., DZ 37.887, DZ 37.888 ( DZUP) ; Londrina - 23°11›44.1”S, 51°10›33.5”W, 594m, 1 female, 10- VII-2015, D. R. Sosa-Gomez leg. ( CPAC) , 1 female, 10-VIII-2015, D. R. Sosa-Gomez leg. ( CPAC) , 1 female, 15-IX-2015, Sosa-Gomez leg., DZ 39.956 ( DZUP) , 23°11’22.9”S, 51°10’18.7”W, 545m, 1 male, 18-IX-2015, D. R. Sosa-Gomez leg., 1 male, 10-XI-2015, Sosa-Gomez leg. ( CPAC) , 1 male, 6-I-2016, Sosa-Gomez leg., DZ 39.921 ( DZUP) ; Morretes - Parque Estadual Pico Marumbi, Pedra Lascada , 25°26’18,4”S, 48°55’09.6”W , 510m, 2 males, 1 female, 29-IX-3-X-2013, Silva leg. ( MZUSP) , Estrada da Graciosa , 25°20’2.68”S, 48°53’54.44”W , 700m, 2 males, 14-VII-2017, Dolibaina, C. Mielke, Siewert & St Laurent leg., DZ 39.919, DZ 39.917 ( DZUP) ; Ponta Grossa - 1 female, XI-1955, DZ 37.889 , 1 male, XII-1958, ex. coll. F. Justus DZ 37.885 ( DZUP) ; Quatro Barras - Banhado , 1 male, 5-VI-1970, Becker & Larocaleg., DZ 37.883, 1 female, 28-XII-1970, Becker & Laroca leg., DZ 37.882 ( DZUP) ; Tibagi - Parque Estadual do Guartelá , 24°33’44”S, 50°15’33”W , 950-1000m, 5 males, 4 females, 25-27-VII-2017, Dantas, Dias, Dolibaina & Queiroz-S[antos] leg., DZ 39.922,DZ 39.920,DZ 39.933, DZ 39.943,DZ 39.944,DZ 39.916, DZ 39.924, DZ 39.927,DZ 39.937 ( DZUP) . - Rio Grande do Sul: Bagé - 31°21›4.94”S, 54°1›12.51”W, 232m, 1 female, 8-XII-2015, R. N. Systi, J. U. P. Corrêa, M. A. P. da Silva & Harry Ebert leg.( CPAC) ; Passo Fundo - 28°13›50.67”S, 52°24›17.04”W, 671m, 1 female, 6-X-2015, P.R.V.S.Pereira leg., DZ 39.955 , 1 male, 6-XI-2015, P.R. V. S. Pereira leg., DZ 39.926, 1 female, 12-XII-2015, P. R. V. S. Pereira leg., DZ 39.929, 28°13’35.88”S, 52°24’13.05”W, 682m, 1 male, 6-I-2015, P. R. V. S. Pereira leg., DZ 39.949 ( DZUP) , 1 male, 11-X-2015, P. R. V. S. Pereira leg. ( CPAC) , 1 male, 1 female, 9-XII-2015, P. R. V. S. Pereira leg. ( CPAC), DZ 39.720 , 1 male, 14-II-2016, P. R. V. S. Pereira leg., DZ 39.925 ( DZUP) , 1 female, 11-II-2016, P. R. V. S. Pereira leg., 1 female, 11-III-2016, P. R. V. S. Pereira leg., 1 male, 12-III-2016, P.R.V.S. Pereira leg. ( CPAC) ; Salvador do Sul - 1 female, 8-XI-1993, A. Specht leg., 2546 ( MCTP) , 1 female, 4-X-1995, A. Specht leg., 4497 ( MCTP) ; Vacaria - 1 male, 12-II-2009, A. C. Formentini leg. ; 1 male, 25-II-2009, A. C. Formentini leg. ( CEUCS) .

Figures

Figure 10 Mythimna (P.) sequax. a-b: male (DZ 39.925) in dorsal and ventral views; c-d: female (DZ 39.926) in dorsal and ventral views. Specimen deposited at the DZUP.Scale bar = 1cm.

Figure 11 Mythimna (P.) sequax. a, male genitalia in left lateral view; b, aedeagus in left lateral view with the vesica everted; c, saccus in dorsal view; d, detail of the ampulla, digitus and clasper of right valva in inner view; e, fultura inferior in dorsal view; f, female genitalia in left lateral view. Scale bars = 1mm.