Noctuidae - Agaristinae

 

 

 

Eudryas new species 1

Diagnosis: Eudryas new species 1 is the smallest of the three known species of Eudryas. The central region of the forewing is pure white, the white extending from the base of the forewing to the postmedial line, extending to the costa only between the reniform and the postmedial line. The costal region between the forewing base and the reniform is covered with a red-brown band. The orbicular mark is a simple olive-green oval without a central dot or outer defining band as in grata and the dorsal half of the orbicular mark is not distinct from the dark costal band. The antemedial line is at most a vague greenish-yellow band in the red-brown costal band. The reniform mark is a kidney-shaped mark with a slightly lighter band stretching across is middle. The reniform mark is followed by two olive-green spots, one opposite the upper half of the reniform mark and the other opposite its lower half. A dark, rectangular patch is present on the inner margin, tapering to a point toward the forewing base. This rectangular patch is dusted with blue-white scales, but not as strongly as in unio. The postmedial line is an olive-band, slightly crenulate, but not nearly as strongly as in unio. The dark red-brown outer band from the postmedial line to the outer margin is the same as in unio and grata. The hindwing is the basically the same as in unio, but the red-brown band along the outer margin is not as well defined and the dark, separate spot in the tornus is slightly better developed. A discal dot is absent. The red-brown band is absent from the ventral surface of the hindwing, but is distinctly present in unio. The red-brown band along the outer margin of the ventral forewing is present, but weakly developed, much weaker than in unio. The male genitalia of the Eudryas new species 1 and unio are similar, but distinctly different. The saccular projection of the valve is at least five times longer than wide in unio, but only about twice as long as wide in Eudryas new species 1. The ventral-basal projection of the cucullus is well developed and hooked in unio, but triangular and much weaker in minigrata. The ductus bursae of unio is twice as long as in minigrata and the ostium is deeply triangular in unio, but not in minigrata. Wing length: mean = 13.30 mm, standard deviation = 1.54 mm, n = 5.

Distribution (See Map on Left): Eudryas new species 0001 is known from a zone including extreme southeastern Texas in the Brownsville region and the states of Nuevo Leon and San Luis Potosi in northeastern Mexico. The species is variable in size, but too few specimens are available to make any more concrete statement. Otherwise the species does not appear to be variable.

The adult flies from September to December in southern Texas and has been collected in June in Mexico. The species may be double brooded

Identification Quality: Excellent

Larva: Unknown

Foodplants: Unknown

 

Eudryas new species 1

Eudryas unio is sympatric with Eudryas new species 1 in southern Texas and Mexico. The two species can be difficult to separate. Eudryas new species 1 is a smaller species than unio; the forewing length from the base of the wing to its apex averages 14.7 mm in unio, but only 13.3 mm in new species 1. Some overlap in size is present between the largest specimens of Eudryas new species 1 and the smallest specimens of unio however. Two features of Eudryas new species 1 will always distinguish it from unio. First two olive-green spots are present in the forewing of Eudryas new species 1 following the reniform mark. These spots are absent in unio. Secondly, red-brown bands are present along the outer margins of both the forewing and hindwing ventrally in unio. A red-brown band is absent on the ventral hindwing of Eudryas new species 1, but is weakly, not distinctly, present, on the ventral forewing. The male genitalia of the two species are similar, but distinctly different. The saccular projection of the valve is at least five times longer than wide in unio, but only about twice as long as wide in Eudryas new species 1. The ventral-basal projection of the cucullus is well developed and hooked in unio, but triangular and much weaker in Eudryas new species 1. The ductus bursae of unio is twice as long as in Eudryas new species 1 and the ostium is deeply triangular in unio, but not in Eudryas new species 1.

Similar Species

Eudryas unio

Eudryas grata