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Title: A new species of Schinia Hübner from the Southeastern United States (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae: Heliothinae)

Author
item Pogue, Michael

Submitted to: ZooKeys
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/29/2010
Publication Date: 7/30/2010
Citation: Pogue, M.G. 2010. A new species of Schinia Hübner from the Southeastern United States (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae: Heliothinae). ZooKeys. 52:57-64.

Interpretive Summary: Cutworm moths are major agricultural pests causing billions of dollars of damage annually. Species such as the corn earworm and tobacco budworm destroy millions of dollars of corn, cotton, and tobacco. Many species of these and related groups of moths are difficult to distinguish. This research describes a new species from sand dune habitats in Georgia, Alabama, and Florida. This will make the name available for future work on this economically important subfamily in North America. The results will be important to scientists, ecologists, economic entomologists, and those interested in biodiversity studies, and APHIS, PPQ inspectors and identifiers will use this information.

Technical Abstract: Schinia psamathea, new species is described from the Southern Coastal Plain in Georgia and the East Gulf Coastal Plain in Florida and Alabama in habitats associated with sandy soil or dunes. Adult males and females and their genitalia are described and illustrated. Schinia psamathea is compared to Schinia saturata (Grote).