A new species of Chaetaglaea (Lepidoptera,Noctuidae, Noctuinae,Xylenini), from eastern North America

Chaetaglaea tremula (Harvey) occurs through the Gulf States, from southern Florida, west to eastern Texas. Coastal populations, previously referred to Chaetaglaea tremula occurring from the Carolinas, at least as far north as Massachusetts and shoreline dunes in southwestern Ontario are recognized as distinct and described here as Chaetaglaea rhonda. Adults and genitalia are illustrated for Chaetaglaea rhonda and Chaetaglaea tremula.     

A new apameine genus and species from the southern Appalachian Mountains,USA (Lepidoptera,Noctuidae, Noctuinae)

Cherokeea gen. n. is proposed for a rarely collected apameine moth species from the southern Appalachian Mountains, C. attakullakulla sp. n. It is recorded from foothills and lower montane habitats of North Carolina and Georgia where hill cane, Arundinaria appalachiana Triplett, Weakley & L.G. Clark is found. Adults and their genitalia are figured and a mtDNA barcode sequence is given.     

Conventional resistance of experimental maize lines to corn earworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), fall armyworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), southwestern corn borer (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), and sugarcane borer (Lepidoptera: Crambidae)

Plant resistance is a useful component of integrated pest management for several insects that are economically damaging to maize, Zea mays L. In this study, 15 experimental lines of maize derived from a backcross breeding program were evaluated for resistance to corn earworm, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie); fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith); southwestern corn borer, Diatraea grandiosella Dyar; and sugarcane borer, Diatraea saccharalis (F.). Experimental line 100-R-3 was resistant in the field to leaf feeding by fall armyworm and line 116-B-10 was resistant in the field to leaf feeding by fall armyworm and leaf and stalk feeding by southwestern corn borer. When corn earworm larvae were fed field harvested silks from experimental line 81-9-B in the laboratory, their pupal weights were significantly lower than the pupal weights of larvae that were fed silks from the resistant control, Zapalote Chico. Maysin levels lower than those commonly associated with corn earworm resistance were present in the resistant experimental line, 107-8-7, indicating a new basis confers resistance to corn earworm in this line. These resistant experimental lines will provide plant breeders with new sources of resistance to lepidopterous insects for the development of improved maize breeding populations.     

Eucoptocnemis tischendorfi (Püngeler) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae: Noctuinae): New record for Iran with description of female of Brachygalea miskoi Ronkay (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae: Oncocnemidinae)

A noctuid species, Eucoptocnemis tischendorfi (Püngeler, 1915) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is first reported for the fauna of Iran and the female of Brachygalea miskoi Ronkay, 1997 is first described. Adults including genitalia of both species are illustrated.     

Sex pheromone composition of the variegated cutworm,Peridroma saucia (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), in Korea

This study was conducted to investigate the sex pheromone composition of the variegated cutworm (Peridroma saucia Hübner) in Korea. The sex pheromone components of P. saucia were identified as (Z)-9-tetradecenyl acetate (Z9-14:Ac) and (Z)-11-hexadecenyl acetate (Z11-16:Ac) through GC-EAD and GC–MS analysis. EAG tests of the male antennae revealed that the Z9-14:AC exerted significantly larger responses than other compounds. The female moths primarily called and copulated between 6 h and 7 h after the lights off, and the ratio of two pheromone components, Z9-14:Ac and Z11-16:Ac, in the sex pheromone gland during this period was 1:2.1 to 1:2.4. In the field trapping studies, a large number of male moths were caught in the traps baited with the mixtures of Z9-14:Ac and Z11-16:Ac at the ratios ranging from 2.3:1 to 1:4, with the highest trap catches at 1:1 to 1:2.3 ratios of the two components. The seasonal flight activities of P. saucia monitored by using pheromone lures revealed complicated patterns in Korea. Specifically, the first flight period was spread over a long period and irregular, while the second flight period differed among the localities examined.     

Immature stages of Adelpha malea goyama Schaus (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae, Limenitidinae)

The immature stages of Adelpha malea goyama Schaus are described from the Esta??o Ecol6gica do Caiuá, Paraná State, Brazil. The species uses the native liana Arrabidaea mutabilis Bur. & K. Schum. (Bignoniaceae) as larval hostplant in the study site. Isolated eggs are laid on leaf tips, and are similar in shape to those described for other species of Adelpha Hübner. Larvae pass through five stadia during 21 days, and first to third instars construct frass chains. Later instars rest on the upper leaf surface, and their body is covered by rigid branched scoli. The general profile of the pupa is elongated, with short head horns projecting laterally and with segment A2 projecting and curved anteriorly. Comparisons with closely related species of Adelpha are not conclusive, and more species in the genus need to be reared before a clear pattern of the variation in immature morphology becomes evident.     

Revision of the genus Aseptis McDunnough (Lepidoptera,Noctuidae, Noctuinae,Xylenini) with a description of two new genera,Paraseptis and Viridiseptis

The genus Aseptis McDunnough (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Noctuinae, Xylenini, Xylenina) is revised to include 15 species based on morphological and molecular data. Several new synonymies are introduced. In addition, two genera are described because of significant morphological differences from Aseptis: Paraseptis gen. n., and Viridiseptis gen. n., resulting in the new combinations Paraseptis adnixa (Grote), comb. n., and Viridiseptis marina (Grote), comb. n. Although this work is primarily based on morphological data, DNA sequence data for the 658-base pair “barcode” segment of the mitochondrial gene for subunit 1 of cytochrome c oxidase was used as a secondary support for taxonomic changes within Aseptis and for the two new genera. Our work should provide clarity and stability in a previously difficult genus.     

The Disphragis notabilis (Schaus) species-group in Costa Rica (Lepidoptera,Notodontidae)

The four described taxa in the Disphragis notabilis (Schaus) species-group are reviewed, including the types and their dissected genitalia. Disphragis hemicera (Schaus), stat. rev., is elevated to species rank, D. normula (Dognin) is retained as a synonym of D. notabilis, D. sobolis Miller is confirmed as distinct from D. hemicera, and D. bifurcata sp. n., is newly described. Both D. hemicera and D. bifurcata occur in Costa Rica. The known ranges of the other species are outlined. Defining characters of each species are presented and a key to species is provided. Unusual variation in the genitalia is noted.     

Revision of the Lacinipolia vicina (Grote) complex (Noctuidae,Noctuinae, Eriopygini)

The Lacinipolia vicina (Grote) species complex, previously consisting of Lacinipolia vicina, Lacinipolia teligera (Morrison), Lacinipolia pensilis (Grote), and Lacinipolia subalba Mustelin is revised to six species: Lacinipolia vicina (eastern USA), Lacinipolia teligera (southern Great Plains), Lacinipolia pensilis (Pacific Northwest and northern Rocky Mountains), Lacinipolia acutipennis (Grote), stat. rev. (= Lacinipolia subalba syn. n.) (western North America), Lacinipolia sareta (Smith), stat. rev. (Canada and western USA) and Lacinipolia dimocki, sp. n. (California and Pacific Northwest). Lectotypes are designated for Lacinipolia vicina, Lacinipolia teligera and Lacinipolia pensilis.     

First report of the fall armyworm,Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), natural enemies from Africa

The fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda, is a major pest of maize in North and South America. It was first reported from Africa in 2016 and currently established as a major invasive pest of maize. A survey was conducted to explore for natural enemies of the fall armyworm in Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania in 2017. Smallholder maize farms were randomly selected and surveyed in the three countries. Five different species of parasitoids were recovered from fall armyworm eggs and larvae, including four within the Hymenoptera and one Dipteran. These species are new associations with FAW and were never reported before from Africa, North and South America. In Ethiopia, Cotesia icipe was the dominant larval parasitoid with parasitism ranging from 33.8% to 45.3%, while in Kenya, the tachinid fly, Palexorista zonata, was the primary parasitoid with 12.5% parasitism. Charops ater and Coccygidium luteum were the most common parasitoids in Kenya and Tanzania with parasitism ranging from 6 to 12%, and 4 to 8.3%, respectively. Although fall armyworm has rapidly spread throughout these three countries, we were encouraged to see a reasonable level of biological control in place. This study is of paramount importance in designing a biological control program for fall armyworm, either through conservation of native natural enemies or augmentative release.     

中国东北目夜蛾科(部分)、尾夜蛾科、瘤蛾科和夜蛾科(鳞翅目)分类学研究进展

通过文献整理和标本材料,根据现行分类系统,综述东北三省夜蛾总科传统夜蛾科的分类学研究进展,直观简要地阐明其自然环境、动物地理、研究简史和夜蛾种类等相关研究的发展过程。     

Larval hemocytes in Noctuidae (Insecta: Lepidoptera)

An attempt was made to relate certain physical characteristics of hemocytes and the taxonomy or ecophysiology of species in one family of insects. Composition of the hemocyte complex and features of the cell types varied widely among larvae of 85 species sampled from the family Noctuidae (Lepidoptera). The complex ranged from a basic one of 4 functioning types, the plasmatocytes, granulocytes, spherulocytes and oenocytoids, to ones that also included extreme variants of the plasmatocyte line. Except for the granolocytes, each type had features of size, form and structure that could vary also with species. Some species can be identified by these characters, but there is no apparent relationship of the characters to species biology and little to present taxonomic arrangements.     

Revision of the genus Xylomoia Staudinger (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), with descriptions of two new species

Seven species are included in the genus Xylomoia Staudinger, two of which are new: X. retinax sp.n. from the Novosibirsk area, Western Siberia, and from the Chelyabinsk area, southern Ural Mountains, and X. stangelmaieri sp.n. from Caorle, Venezia Giulia, on the Adriatic coast. A North American species, Chortodes didonea (Smith) comb.n., is removed from the genus. According to a cladistic analysis, the genus Xylomoia comprises one plesiomorphic species group, the chagnoni group, and two apomorphic groups: the graminea and strix groups. The latter are exclusively temperate Palaearctic. Xylomoia chagnoni (Barnes & McDunnough) is the only Nearctic species of the genus, and the loosely related X. apameaoides (Hacker) was recently described from Turkey. In geographical isolation, these two species have retained many ancestral features. In the more central area, the common ancestor of the graminea and strix groups has evolved into at least five species. The locality and rarity of the species of Xylomoia seemingly result from adaptation of the species to moist habitats, the larvae probably bore inside grass stems (the case of X. chagnoni ). What are called lock-and-key mechanisms may lead to the use of non-independent character states in a cladistic analysis; particularly in the case of homoplasy this kind of double-weighting may result in erroneous cladograms. In Xylomoia , deleting female lock-and-keys affected only the number of cladograms produced, whereas omitting the corresponding male characters had profound effects on the cladogram.     

Age-stage,two-sex life table of the tomato looper,Chrysodeixis chalcites (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), on different bean cultivars

The tomato looper, Chrysodeixis chalcites (Esper), is one of the polyphagous pests of several economically crops worldwide. Two-sex life table parameters of C. chalcites reared on eight bean cultivars including white kidney bean (cultivars Daneshkadeh and Dehghan), red kidney bean (cultivars Goli and Naz), common bean (cultivars Khomein, Talash and Sadra) and cowpea (cultivar Mashhad) were studied under laboratory conditions (25 ± 1 °C, 65 ± 5 % RH, a 16:8-h light–dark photoperiod). The shortest larval period of C. chalcites was 14.15 days on common bean Sadra. The longest and shortest development time of total preadult was on white kidney bean Daneshkadeh and common bean Sadra (25.77 and 23.42 days, respectively). The highest total fecundity was on common bean Sadra (674.4 eggs), and the lowest was observed on white kidney bean Daneshkadeh (136.7 eggs). The intrinsic rate of increase (r _m ) ranged from 0.0976 to 0.1599 female/female/day, which was lowest on white kidney bean Daneshkadeh and highest on common bean Sadra. The net reproductive rate (R ₀) was highest on common bean Sadra (265.82 offspring) and lowest on white kidney bean Daneshkadeh (46.88 offspring). The results revealed that the cultivar Daneshkadeh was unsuitable host to C. chalcites in comparison to the other cultivars tested.     

Overseas migration of the common cutworm, Spodoptera litura (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), from May to mid-July in East Asia

Spodoptera litura (Fabricius) males were monitored with sex-pheromone traps from spring to early summer in 1999, 2002, 2003, 2009, and 2010 in four regions in East Asia: western Japan, South Korea, China, and Taiwan. The backward trajectory analysis was conducted to investigate whether any air current arrived over the monitoring sites around the dates when distinguished increases in catches of >100 insects per day occurred. The catch data showed abrupt catch increases. Some of the catch increases coincidentally appeared among monitoring sites several hundreds of kilometers apart. These catch increases were found to coincide with the arrival of southwesterly air currents within 24–36 h from southern China and/or Taiwan. Other evidence related to the overseas migration are discussed in detail. The results of this and previous studies suggest that S. litura males immigrate into western Japan and South Korea in spring to early summer using air currents from southern China and/or Taiwan.     

The courtship behavior of the cabbage moth,Mamestra brassicae (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), and the role of male hair-pencils

The courtship behavior of the cabbage moth, Mamestra brassicae(L.), was studied in moving air conditions in a wind tunnel, using video techniques. Quantitative analyses were undertaken to determine the behavioral sequence occurring in the courtship. Comparison of successful and unsuccessful courtship suggested that courtship success was more dependent on the behavior of the female than that of the male. In an attempt to elucidate the function of the male hair-pencils (HPs), courtships involving males without HPs were also studied. HP removal did not affect the overall courtship success rate of males, but detailed analysis showed significant changes infernale behavior during such courtships. HP removal also affected female behavior following pair formation, with females struggling more when paired with males without HPs. Consequently, it is proposed that the HP volatiles act as an arrestant for the female, both during courtship and after pair formation, to increase female acceptance and to prevent premature termination of copulation. Experiments were also conducted to test previous hypotheses for HP function. However, no evidence was found to suggest that the HP volatiles in M. brassicaeact to attract females, affect female calling behavior, or affect the behavior of other males. A further possible function of HPs in defense is discussed.