Schinia biforma Smith
Creators: name: Pogue, Michael G.
name: Ouellette, Gary D.
name: Harp, Charles E.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2013
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Noctuidae
Schinia
Schinia biforma

description: Schinia biforma Smith
(Figs. 31–34, 46, 58, 66, 107–108, 111)
Schinia biforma Smith, 1906: 21.—Lafontaine and Schmidt 2010:69.
Diagnosis. Schinia biforma can be separated from the S. volupia complex by the presence of a well-developed corona on the valve in the male genitalia, absent or very small in the S. volupia complex. The apex of the valve in S. biforma is broadly rounded (Fig. 46) and the posterior margin is angulate at distal two-thirds. In the S. volupia complex the apex of the valve is narrow (Figs. 38–40, 44) and the posterior margin is gently curved and slightly concave between the robust setae giving a slightly scalloped appearance. The setae along the posterior margin are thicker in diameter in the S. volupia complex than the thin setae in S. biforma. In the female genitalia the spicules on the ninth segment are very fine in S. biforma and more robust in the S. volupia complex, the corpus bursae is larger and ovate in S. biforma and smaller and rounder in the S. volupia complex, and the signa are shorter in S. biforma than in the S. volupia complex.
In species of the S. volupia complex, S. biforma shares the forewing pattern of S. miniana. Both species have wide white bands representing the antemedial and postmedial lines. They are easily separated from each other by the orange forewing ground color of S. biforma and the ochreous ground color of S. miniana. The hind wing in S. biforma is black and in S. miniana it is mostly pink. Schinia biforma and S. miniana only overlap in distribution in west Texas.
Description. Head: Frons with short pale yellow scales; vertex with narrow yellow to orange scales; labial palp pale yellow with large, flat scales laterally, fringed with narrow scales ventrally; eyes large, round. Thorax: Ground color orange. Foretibia with an elongate, curved apical spiniform seta with 1–2 smaller more slender spiniform setae proximally on inner margin and 3 smaller spiniform setae on outer margin that get progressively smaller proximally; middle and hind legs with numerous large spiniform setae. Forewing (Figs. 31–34, 107–108): Length 8.6–10.2 mm; ground color orange; antemedial line excurved medially, wide white band; orbicular and reniform spots absent; postmedial line sinuate, wide white band; fringe pale yellowish white. Hind wing: Ground color black suffused with some grayish pink scales, in some specimens ground color can be mostly grayish pink; fringe white, orange basally. Abdomen: Variable from black with thin, pale yellow apical margins to pale yellowish orange. Second sternite with well developed hair pencil and associated pocket. Male genitalia (Fig. 46): Uncus length 0.34 X length of valve; valve length 5.55 X width, apex round, robust setae along posterior margin; corona with greater than 10 setae; ampulla large 0.10 X length of valve; saccus V-shaped; vesica with 3 1/2 coils. Female genitalia (Fig. 66): Papillae anales elongate, triangulate, apex narrowly rounded; eighth segment with fine, elongate spicules; seventh segment with very fine spicules extending onto distal margin, an irregular row of fine, elongate setae proximal to fine spicules, and shorter fine setae sparsely scattered on rest of segment; accessory bursae with three coils; corpus bursae ovate; signa consisting of four elongate scobinate ribbons.
Type material. Schinia biforma: Lectotype ♀; five labels: 1) Kerrville, Texas; 2) Barnes Collection (red type); 3) Schinia biforma, ♀ type, Smith (hand written in black ink) [label with red double border; 4) Photograph Pl. 4, No. 4; 5) Lectotype Schinia biforma Smith. Lectotype was designated by Todd (1982). Deposited USNM.
Material examined. All specimens are from the National Museum of Natural History (USNM) collection except as noted. (50 ♂, 46 ♀). U.S.A.: COLORADO: BACA CO.: SE of Kim, Rd. #6 just N of Rd. J, 4850 ft., 6 May 2002 (1 ♀), C. Harp (CEH). NEW MEXICO: UNION CO.: E side Clayton, off Hwy. # 87, 5065 ft., 16 May 2000 (1 ♀), C. Harp (CEH). TEXAS: ANGELINA CO.: Zavalla, Nueces River, 28 Apr. 1910 (1 ♂), F.C. Pratt. BEE CO.: Beeville, 26 Mar. 1981, 7 May 1981, D. & V. Hardwick (CNC). BREWSTER CO.: Alpine, 8–14 July 1928 (2 ♂), O.C. Poling. COKE CO.: 3 mi E of Robert Lee, along Hwy. #158 W of Double Barrel Creek, 24 Apr. 2004, C. Harp (CEH). COTTLE CO.: Paducah, 9 July 1967 (1 ♀), A. & M.E. Blanchard. HOWARD CO.: 2 mi E of Big Spring, S of refinery, I-20 at mile marker 180, 2478 ft., 24 Apr. 2002 (3 ♀), C. Harp (CEH); 2 mi S of Big Spring, gas station, roadside along Hwy. # 87, 2667 ft., 24 Apr. 2002 (1 ♂), C. Harp (CEH); 2 mi W of Big Springs, gas station, I-20 at mile marker 174, 2470 ft., 24 Apr. 2002 (9 ♂, 32 ♀), C. Harp (CEH). KERR CO.: Kerrville, (1 ♂, 1 ♀), Barnes Collection. KIMBLE CO.: Junction, 20 May 1966 (3 ♂, 2 ♀), A. & M.E. Blanchard. LA SALLE CO.: Cotulla, 15 Apr. 1906 (1 ♂), F.C. Pratt. LLANO CO.: Llano River, 22 May 1925 (2 ♂), Barnes Collection.
MARTIN CO.: Stanton, gas station, off I- 20, 2660 ft., 24 Apr. 2002 (1f). SAN PATRICIO CO.: Sinton, Welder Wildlife Refuge, 5 Apr. 1972 (2 ♂), 8 Apr. 1966 (1 ♂), 22 Apr. 1964 (11 ♂, 3 ♀), ♀ genitalia slide USNM 49626, 17 May 1977 (1 ♂), A. & M.E. Blanchard, 17 May 1977 (1 ♂), 18 May 1977 (2 ♂), J.C. & K.G. Shafter, 9 Apr. 1981, 21 Apr. 1981, D.F. Hardwick (CNC); Sinton, Welder Wildlife Foundation, 8 Apr. 1966 (9 ♂), genitalia slide USNM 49590, A. & M.E. Blanchard. UVALDE CO.: Sabinal, May 1910 (1 ♂), F.C. Pratt; Welder Wildlife Refuge, 8 mi NE of Sinton, 380 ft., 26 Apr. 1997 (1 ♀), J. Slotten, 13-15 May 1985 (1 ♀), R. Brown and D. Adamski (CEH).
Larval host plant. Huisache Daisy, Amblyolepis setigera DC. (Asteraceae).
Biology. Hardwick (1996) gave a detailed description of the life history and larva of S. biforma. The first and second instars feed on the achenes. Third and subsequent instars feed on the corolla tubes and their contents. The fourth instar forms a feeding shelter by drawing all the rays into a cone above the disc florets. Fifth instars may build a feeding shelter, but not as commonly as the fourth instar. All larvae reared had five instars.
Flight period. Specimens were most commonly collected from late March through May with a few specimens collected in June and July. They may be partially double brooded due to the two week pupation period that produced the specimens appearing in June and July (Hardwick 1996).
Distribution (Fig. 111). Specimens have been collected from scattered localities across Texas covering the southwest in Brewster County, north to Cottle County, the Hill Country, eastern, and southeastern areas. Specimens were recently collected in extreme southeastern Colorado, northeastern New Mexico, and western Oklahoma.
Discussion. The forewing color and pattern is constant in S. biforma with the odd specimen having black scales along the terminal line and at the apex. The hind wing can be completely black to completely grayish pink. Specimens also have a variable amount of grayish pink scales mixed with the black.
description: Published as part of Pogue, Michael G., Ouellette, Gary D. & Harp, Charles E., 2013, A revision of the Schinia volupia (Fitch) species complex (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae: Heliothinae), pp. 157-191 in Zootaxa 3716 (2) on pages 183-187, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3716.2.3, http://zenodo.org/record/248743