Psectrotarsia rhodophora Hampson, new combination
Creators: name: Pogue, Michael G.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2007
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Noctuidae
Psectrotarsia
Psectrotarsia rhodophora

description: Psectrotarsia rhodophora (Hampson), new combination
(Figs. 5, 14–15, 24–25, 30, 35)
Erythroecia rhodophora Hampson, 1910: 58 — Poole, 1989: 380.— Hardwick, 1996: 41.
Diagnosis. The forewing pattern of P. rhodophora is most similar to that of P. euposis, but there is more pink than yellow in the terminal area of P. rhodophora than in P. euposis.
Redescription. Male. Head: Frons with low transverse ridges, minute cream-colored scales between ridges (Fig. 5); vertex with narrow pink scales; labial palp appressed, scales pink with white fringe at base; antenna pink on basal 0.33, gradually changing to white to apex; scape pink dorsally, white ventrally; eyes large, globular. Thorax: Patagium and prothorax with pink hairlike scales; tegula a mixture of yellow narrow and hairlike scales; mesothorax and metathorax pink; foretibia armature absent, pink, tarsi white; middle leg with white femur, pink tibia, and white tarsi; hind leg mostly white with some pink at apices, tarsi white; underside with some buff-colored and pink hairlike scales anteriorly, remainder white. Forewing length 13.0– 17.5 mm (n = 11); ground color yellow; all markings pink; basal costal spot from costa to M vein; claviform spot between M and A veins coalesced with spot below; orbicular spot present; reniform spot present; median line irregular below reniform spot; subterminal area with broad band of pink; fringe pink spotted with yellow; underside mostly gray, orbicular and reniform spots obscure, apical spot pink, terminal area yellow. Hindwing ground color gray, marginal edge pink bleeding onto white fringe. Abdomen: Sternites gray, genital tuft and tergites white. Genitalia (Figs. 24–25) with uncus elongate, approximately 0.34X length of valve, apex pointed; valve broad, length 5.0X width, costal margin straight, posterior margin straight; angulate at distal end to round apex; ampulla elongate, 0.2X length of valve, apex projecting above costal margin of valve; corona with less than ten setae; sacculus with ventral margin slightly produced; juxta rectangulate with dorsal margin excavated, ventral margin straight; saccus V-shaped; aedoeagus slightly bent at middle, apex truncate; vesica Y-shaped, with enlarged bulbous area at junction of Y, bulbous area projecting ventrally with one small cornutis at apex, right diverticulum of Y (when viewed ventrally) with elongate cornuti at apex, left diverticulum lacking cornuti.
Female. Head, Thorax: As in male, except forewing length 13.9–14.8 mm (n = 2). Abdomen: Genitalia (Figs. 30, 35) with papilla analis fleshy, apex rounded; posterior apophysis 0.72X anterior anpophysis, narrow; ductus bursae sclerotized, heavily striated on distal 0.25; appendix bursae present as undifferentiated cephalad extension of corpus bursae; corpus bursae large, kidney-shaped; signa absent.
Holotype. Male, Type [round red bordered label]. Capitello, Guatemala. Rodriguez. Godman-Salvin Coll. 1901-99. Erythroecia rhodophora type m. Hmpsn. [hand written label]. Depostied in BMNH.
Distribution and Biology. Known only from Guatemala (Fig. 36). Psectrotarsia rhodophora was collected during October and November, whereas P. euposis flies from 31 July to September. Larval host is unknown.
Material Examined. 5m, 1f GUATEMALA: QUEZALTENANGO: Volcan Sta. Maria, Oct. (4m, 1f), Nov. (1m), m genitalia USNM 49746, Schaus & Barnes Coll. All specimens deposited in USNM. Discussion. Hardwick (1996) synonymized E. euposis with E. rhodophora without examining the genitalia.
description: Published as part of Pogue, Michael G., 2007, Revision of the Genus Psectrotarsia Dognin, 1907 (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae: Heliothinae), pp. 1-19 in Zootaxa 1637 on pages 8-9, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.179565