RE-EVALUATION OF THE ELAPHRIA FESTIVOIDES (GUENEE) SPECIES CONPLEX (LEPIDOPTERA: NOCUTIDAE)

Authors: Pogue, Michael; SULLIVAN, J. - BEAUFORT, NC

Submitted to: Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/22/2002
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Cutworm moths in the family Noctuidae are major agricultural pests causing billions of dollars of damage annually. Many species are difficult to distinguish. Study of a large number of specimens of what was considered a single species feeding on maple revealed that two species are actually involved. Structural and geographical differences were discovered to support the existence of two species. A new species is described, and the two are differentiated by descriptions and illustrations. Also, misidentifications in the literature are clarified. The results of this paper will be important to scientists, ecologists, biodiversity surveys and economic entomologists. Also, APHIS, PPQ inspectors and identifiers will use this information.

Technical Abstract: A new species, Elaphria alapallida, is described and illustrated. Elaphria festivoides (Guenee) is re-evaluated and distinguished from E. alapallida by the structures of the male vesica and female appendix bursa. In the male genitalia of E. festivoides, the cornuti in the vesica are larger and more numerous than in E. alapallida. In the female genitalia of E. festivoides, the appendix bursa is curved behind the corpus bursa and i E. alapallida it projects vertically from lateral margin of corpus bursae. The distribution of collecting dates indicates that E. festivoides is at least double brooded and E. alapallida is single brooded.