Argyriini (Lepidoptera : Crambidae) of Mississippi and Alabama with a redescription of Argyria rufisignella (Zeller)

2007·2.2 MB·

78 Journalofthe Lepidopterists' Society
JournaloftheLepidopterists'Society
61(2),2007.78-83
ARGYRIINI (LEPIDOPTERA: CRAMBIDAE) OF MISSISSIPPI AND ALABAMAWITH A
REDESCRIPTION OFARGYRIARUFISIGNELLA (ZELLER)
Edda L. Martinez
And
Richard L. Brown
MississippiEntomologicalMuseum,Box9775, MississippiState, MS39762,USA email:[email protected]
Abstract:ThetribeArgyriini(Lepidoptera:Crambidae)isrepresentedinAlabamaandMississippibysevenspeciesatArgyriaandUrola,all
ofwhichareassociatedwithgrasslandsandotiieropenhabitats. ArgyriarufisignellaisararelycollectedspeciespreviouslyreportedfromTexas,
Florida, andNorthCarolina. Aseriesofthisspeciesrecentlywascollectedat BibbCountyGlades Preserve,Alabama, afloristicallyunique
habitat. Theimago,wingvenation,andgenitaliaofA. mfisignellaareillustratedforthefirsttime,andnewdistributionalrecordsarereported.
Diagnoses,distributionmaps,andphotographsareprovidedaswellfortheotherArgyriinithatoccurinAlabamaandMississippi.
Additionalkeywords: Urola,distribution,grasslands, BibbCountyGladesPreserve.
Argyria Hiibner and related genera in the Argyriini History (USNM). Only two other specimens of A.
(Crambidae: Crambinae) are considered to be rufisignella are in the USNM, both collected at
restricted to the New World (Landry 1995). Argyria Southern Pines, North Carolina. Kimball (1965) listed
includes 38 species, ofwhich seven occur in America a single record ofA. rufisignella (as A. rileyella) from
north of Mexico, primarily in the eastern states and Myrtle Grove, Florida, but this specimen could not be
provinces (Klots 1983, Landry 1995, Landry 2003, located in the Florida State Collection of Arthropods
Munroe 1995). The only odier species ofArgyriini in (FSCA). Ed Knudson (personal communication) has
Americanorth ofMexico is Urola nivalis (Drury). collected a few specimens in Texas at Jeff Davis Co.,
Argyria species in America north of Mexico have Davis Mts. State Park, and Tyler Co., Big Thicket
been divided into three groups (Munroe 1995): one Nature Preserve, and Bernard Landry (personal
includingA. lacteella (F), one includingA. nummulalis communication) has a few specimens in his collection
Hiibner, A. subaenescens (Walker), and A. rufisignella from Wisconsin at Burnett Co., Minnesota at Orrock,
(Zeller), and one including A. auratella (Clemens), A. Sherburne CO., and Ontario, Canada at Grand Bend,
critica Forbes, andA. tripsacas (Dyar), the latter three but thesewere notexamined.
formerly assigned to Van (Klots 1983). Hosts and A series of nine specimens of A. mfisignella was
immature stages areunknownforall species ofArgyria, collected with blacklights recently in the Bibb County
although most other Crambinae feed on grasses Glades, a Nature Conservancy Preserve in western
(Poaceae) (Landry 1995). Alabama (Fig. 1). The uniqueness of these glades,
Argyria species and U. nivalis have short labialpalpi, which are formed on Ketona Dolomite, has been
forewings dominated by a satiny-white color, and documented in a treatment of the vascular flora that
females with segment VIII dorsally shortened and includes descriptions of eight new endemic taxa, one
bearingshortanteriorapophyses. Argyria species differ species, Solarium pumilum Dunal (Solanaceae),
from U. nivalis in having male genitalia with a long, previouslythoughttobeextinct, andmorethan60plant
narrow uncus, rather than short and rounded, and a taxaofconservationconcern (AllisonandStevens2001).
vinculum without an arm projecting posteriorly. The The purpose of this contribution is to provide new
female ductus bursae is long and unsclerotized in distributional records forA. rufisignella inAlabamaand
Argyria species, and short and heavilysclerotized in U. other localities, to describe the male and female
nivalis. genitalia ofthis rarely collected species, and to provide
Argyria rufisignellawas describedbyZeller(1872) as distributional records for other species ofArgyriini in
aspeciesofCatharylla Zellerbasedonamalespecimen Mississippi and Alabama.
collected byJacob Boll in Texas (Landry, 1993). Dyar
Materials and Methods
(1913) describedArgyria rileyella, ajunior synonym of
A. rufisignella, from a male specimen, which was Descriptions offemale and male genitaliaofArgyria
collected by C. V. Riley at an unknown locality and rufisignella are based on material in the Mississippi
deposited at the U.S. National Museum of Natural Entomological Museum (MEM) at Mississippi State
Volume 61, Number2 79
University. Distribution records are based on material
in dieAmerican Museum ofNatural History (AMNH),
Cornell University Insect Collection (CUIC), FSCA,
MEM, USNM, and die private collections of Edward
Knudson and Bernard Landry. Dissections ofmale and
femalegenitaliaandpreparation oiwingvenation slides
follow Landry (1995) widi some modifications. Euparal
was used as the mounting medium and Safranine and
Chlorazol Black were used for staining genitalia.
Genitalia and wings were illustrated and measured
MZ
using a Leica 12.5 stereomicroscope, a drawing
tube, andamicrometer. Specimenswerephotographed
and forewing lengdis (FWL) were measured with the
use of a Media Cybernetics Evolution MP digital
camera (5 mega pixels) mounted on a Leica MZ 12.5 FlG. 1. DolomiteoutcropsandvegetationattheBibbCount}'Glades
NatureConservancyPreserve.
stereomicroscope with use of Image Pro Plus auto
formattingsoftware. Terminologyforwingvenationand yellow band from apex to tornus, bordered basally by
genitaliastructures follows Munroe and Solis (1998). line ofdark brown scales; marginal scales short, brown.
Venetation (Fig. 15) with R and R stalked to near
Results costa; M and M, with bases3 approxi4mate; discal cell
9 3
Seven species of Argyriini (Figs. 2-10) have been closed apically
collected in Mississippi and Alabama (Fig. 11-14). Hindwing: White. Venation (Fig. 16) with Sc and Rj
Several of these species are associated with unique stalked to near costa; female frenulum widi three
habitats includingA. nummulalis andA. auratella from spines.
remnants ofBlack Belt Prairie and coastal savannas in Male genitalia (Figs. 17, 18): Intersegmental
Mississippi,A. tripsacas from coastaldunesinAlabama, membrane with large hair pencil arising near base of
and A. rufisignella from dolomite glades in Alabama. tegumen, extendingto more than onehalfdie heightof
Other species have been collected primarily in fields tegumen. Uncus relatively long, narrow, with down-
and other open habitats where grasses and herbs curvedapex, opposingsimilarlyshapedgnadios. Valvae
dominate. Argyria nummulalis varies greatly in the withbasicostalarm, flattened,widenedbasallv, andwidi
color of the hindwing, ranging from almost white to macrotrichiae and small setae; mediocostal lobe
various shades of brown (Figs. 4- 6), in contrast to subquadrate, basal half sclerotized, apical half
species of Argyria having little variation. A membranous and supporting hair pencil consisting of
redescription of A. rufisignella and its distribution five hairs dorsally, cucullus covered widi long setae
follows. directed apically and striate dorsally; sacculus forming
medial ridge. Vinculum broad and convex:
Redescription ofArgyria rufisignella (Zeller) pseudosaccus absent. Aedeagus widi patch of basallv
Figs. 10, 12, 15-19 directedspinuleson dorsoapicalsurface;vessicawidiout
cornuti.
Adult (Fig. 10) Head: Head and appendages dark Female genitalia (Fig. 19): Segment MI widi
yellowexceptfrons,baseofproboscis, andbaseoflabial sternum and tergum smooth, evenly scaled, posterior
palpusyellowishwhite. half of tergum with scales and setae intermixed.
Thorax: Silvery white with dark yellow longitudinal Tergum VIII lacking scales and setae, expanded
stripe medially. ventrolaterally, formingacute medioposteriorangle and
Forewing: Length 6.0-6.72 mm (mean 6.38 mm) in rounded medioanterior lobes projecting over ostium.
female (n = 7), 4.80-5.12 mm (mean 4.96 mm) in male Papillae anales with ventral one-fourth curved
(n = 2). Silverywhite with costal margin from base to ventroposteriorly posterior margin not cleft, widi
near apex lightbrown; two brown spots, one in middle ventral surface moderately rugose, marginal setae long:
of costal margin and one in middle of dorsal margin, apophyses posteriores long. Apophyses anteriores
usually connected by weak yellow line; similar yellow 0.23X length ofapophyses posteriores. Ostium bursae
line present between R, and R on costa, extending forming invaginated and expanded antrum beneath
M 3
weakly to p sometimes extending to dorsal margin sternum VII, posteriorly bordered bv two concave,
and forming spot; submarginal scales forming wide slightly sclerotized depressions. Ductus bursae
80 Journalofthe Lepidopterists' Society
Figs.2-10.SpeciesofArgyriaand UrolainsoutheasternUnitedStates. (2)A.auratella (FWL7.40mm), (3)A. critica (FWL11.43mm),(4)
A. nummulalis(FWL11.17mm),(5)A. nummulalis(FWL12.69mm),(6)A. nummuldis (FWL12.07mm),(7)A. tripsacas(FWL6.28mm),
(8) U. nivalis(FWL10.00mm),(9)A. lacteella (FWL5.47mm),and(10)A. rufisigneUa (FWL9.56mm).
moderately long, membranous, with ductus seminalis rufisigneUa, whereas it is rounded or absent in other
originatingnearmiddle. Corpus bursae membranous. species. The female genitalia differ as follows: 1) the
Diagnosis: Forewing veins R„ and R are partly papillae anales have long marginal setae, whereas
4
fused in A. rufisigneUa, A. critica, A. auratella, and U. marginal setae are short or absent in other species; 2)
nivalis, whereas they are completely fused in A. tergum VIII is expanded ventrolaterally, forming an
nummulalis and separate in other species. Vein R. is acute medioposteriorangle and rounded medioanterior
separate from R inA. rufisigneUa and U. nivalis,butit lobes diat project over the ostium, whereas the tergum
3
isfusedwiththebasalportionofR, inA. critica andA. is not expandedin otherspecies; 3) the ductusbursaeis
,
auratella. The male genitalia of Argyria rufisigneUa membranous in Argi/ria species and sclerotized in U.
differfrom otherspecies ofArgyria and Urolanivalisas nivalis, and is relatively short compared to length of
follows: 1) the uncus has a pointed and straight apex, sternum VII in A. rufisigneUa and relatively long in
whereas the apex is rounded or bent in the other otherspecies.
species; 2) the valva has a distinctive form in A. Material examined and distribution: Alabama
:
rufisigneUa differingfrom, otherspecies. In particular, Bibb Co., Bibb Co. Glades Preserve, 33°03'26"N
,
the mediocostal lobe ofthe valvae is rectangular in A. 87°02'02"W, 4 June 2003, R.L. Brown, S.M. Lee, J.A.
Volume 61, Number 2 51
A.nummulalis
A lacteella Atripsacas
A
A.rufisignella
A.critica
A auratella U.nivalis
FIGS. 11-14. Distribution maps ofArgijria species and Urola nivalis in Mississippi andAlabama. (11)A. lacteella, (12)A. nummulalis.A.
tripsacas,andA. rufisignella,(13)A. criticaandA. auratella,and(14) [7. nivalis.
Key to species ofArgyriini in southeastern United States
1. Forewingwithobliquebrownoryellowband 2
1'. Forewingwithoutobliqueband 3
2. Forewingwithobliquebandlightyellow,widenedondorsum A. auratella (Fig.2)
2'. Forewingwithobliquebandyellowishbrowntodarkyellow,notwidenedondorsum A.critica (Fig,3)
3. Forewingdorsumandfringemarginedwithyellow,dorsumwithoutdarkspot A. nummulalis(Fig.4-6)
3'. Forewingdorsumwithoutyellowmargin,fringewithorwithoutyellowmargin,dorsumwithdarkspotnearmiddle 4
4. Thoraxwithtwo,darkyellow,longitudinalstripes A.tripsacas iFig.7)
4'. Thoraxwithone,lightyellow,longitudinalstripe 5
5. Forewingwithoutdarkspotsoncosta,fringebrownn V. nivalis(Fig.8)
5'. Forewingwithtwoormoredarkspotsoncosta,fringeyelloworbrown 6
6. Forewingdiscalcellwithdarkspot,fringebrown A. lacteella(Fig.91
6'. Forewingdiscalcellwithoutdarkspot,fringeyellow A. rufisignella iFig. 10)
82 Journalofthe Lepidofterists' Society
Sc+R,
17
18
Figs. 15-19.Argyria rufisignella. Scalebar= lmm. (15) forewing(female), (16)hindwing(female).(17) Malegenitalia,(18)Aedeagus,(19)
Femalegenitalia, (bca)basicostalarm,(c)cucullus,(db)ductusbursae,(mcl)mediocostallobe,(pa)papillaeanales,(u)uncus,(v)valva,(VIII)
tergumVIII.
MacGown (2 6, 7 9- MEM). Florida Okaloosa Co., Acknowledgments
:
Shalimar, 20 Aug. 1964 (1, sex not recorded). Ocean WediankDavidGrimaldi(AMNH),JamesLiebherr(CUIC),John
City, 7 June 1963 (1, sex not recorded), H.O. Hilton Heppner(FSCA),andAlmaSolis(USNM)forassistanceinexamining
(FSCA). Georgia: [countyunknown] SpringCk., 18-21 AsplemcaimSeonlsisofpArrogvyirdieadaandpEhodtoKgnruadpshonofforthseupphloyliontgypTeexoafs rAercgoyrrdisa.
May 1916, J.C. Bradley, (1 9, genitalia slide A.B. Klots rufisignella forconfirmationofitsidentity. Joe MacGownprovideda
24 Oct. 1965 #2; CUIC). North Carolina Moore Co., photograph of Bibb Co. Glades and guidance in preparing and
ASopurth3e2rn#1P7i,ne1s,9,Augge.ni2t4al-i3a0s(l1id6e, gCenHita2l8ia:Asplri.de3C2H#2228; btfhoyertmhaWetitMliinlsgisaidmsrsaiwpHip.nigsA,CgrrmoiacsupslstuaErxnapdlepdahinotdtiooFgnorraepFshtusrn.yd,ERxepsMeeaSrriUcmhenwDtaesSvtseaultpoipoponmreatnnetdd
USNM). Foundation.
Volume 61, Number 2 83
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