Description of a New Pachyzancla Species Reared on Sweet Potato in Southern United States (Lepidoptera: Pyraustidae)

Abstract

Male. Alar expanse 23-25 mm. Antenna simple, pubescent. Frons round. Vestiture of head, thorax, patagia, and abdomen straw yellow. Labial palpus with ventral and lateral surface of first, and basal half of second segment white; remainder of second, all of third, and dorsal surface of first segment dark fuscous with a tinge of red. Upper surface of wings straw yellow, with brownish suffusion along costa of forewing and area adjacent to outer margin of fore and hind wings. Forewing with two conspicuous brownish fuscous spots; one on discocellular vein, the other in the cell; that on discocellular about two times as large as the one in cell; non-worn specimens with an additional small fuscous patch on hind margin near base; two transverse lines, well-defined, sinuate; the antemedial line smooth, postmedial distinctly denticulate. Hind wing with postmedial line appearing as a continuation of postmedial of forewing, strongly bent outward between veins 2 and 6; fuscous patch on discocellular vein conspicuous. When discernible, subterminal line of fore and hind wing denticulate; often obscured by brownish suffusion. Hind tibia normal, with two pairs of spurs; outer spurs one-half as long as inner. Third abdominal segment without a pair of subdorsal patches of fuscous scales. Genitalia (Fig. 4, 4a) resembles that of bipunctalis but the harpe more elongate and basal third of costa more strongly arched; uncus longer, slenderer, more attenuate distally; aedeagus wider, longer and cornutus stronger. Female. Alar expanse 21-27 mm. Antenna simple, slenderer than in male. Coloration and maculation similar to male. Genitalia (Fig. 3) of ipomocalis somewhat similar to that of bipunctalis but with ductus bursae much shorter and bursa copulatrix with well-defined longitudinal furrows from signum to junction with ductus bursae (in bipunctalis, the length of the ductus bursae is about equal that of the bursa copulatrix, and the bursa copulatrix is without longitudinal furrows). Type. Male, in U. S. National Museum. USNM Type No. 66606. Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Sept. 29-15. Food plant. Sweetpotato. Paratypes, 24 (date citations as on labels). Alabama: Curley, VII-111905, 1 S. District of Columbia: no date, 1 Y. Florida: Altamont, IX-16, 1 Y; Bradenton, X-26-55, 1 S; Daytona, no date, 1 9; Highlands Co. (Archbold Biological Station), 12-17-59, 1 9; Homestead, X-22-1959, 1 9; Ft. Lauderdale, Mar. 6, 1923, 1 S; Monroe Co., July 22-31, 1 S; Pensacola,