Feltia gypaetina
Creators: name: Dias, Fernando Maia Silva
name: Blas, German San
name: Specht, Alexandre
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2025
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Noctuidae
Feltia
Feltia gypaetina

description: Redescription of Feltia gypaetina (Guenée, 1852)
(Figs 32–58)
Agrotis gypaetina Guenée, 1852: 290; Walker, 1856: 337; Berg, 1882: 281 (Agrotis pseudoplecta Snellen, 1879, syn.); Snellen, 1885: 49; Viette, 1951: 160 (lectotype designation); Bertholdi & Biezanko 1950: 304 (pests); Bertels 1956: 342 (Brazil); Biezanko et al., 1957 (host plants): 58; Biezanko et al., 1974: 118 (host plants); Poole, 1989: 49 (world noctuid checklist); Specht & Corseuil 1996: 149 (occurrence in Brazil); Baudino, 2004: 35, 37, 39 (in alfalfa, Argentina); Specht et al., 2004: 400 (occurrence in Brazil); Baudino, 2005: 411–412 (parasitoids); Urretabizkaya et al., 2010: 45 (pests).
Porosagrotis gypaetina: Hampson, 1903: 143, Pl. 59, Fig. 24 (male dorsal); Draudt, 1924: 35; De Santis, 1938: 273 (parasitoids); Molinari, 1942: 330; Köhler, 1945: 76, Fig. 5g (male genitalia); Aragón, 1992: 146 (biology, in soybean); Igarzábal et al., 1994: 109; De Cap, 1995: 15–22, Figs. 1A,B (egg and micropyle, dorsal), 2 (thorax and abdome chaetotaxy of the last instar, lateral), 3A, B (male and female pupa, ventral); Rizzo et al., 1999: 159; Aragón, 2000a: 3 (biology and control); Aragón, 2000b: 3; Pastrana, 2004: 159 (host plants).
Porosagrotis gypaëtina [sic]: Draudt, 1924: pl. 7, Fig. 5i (male dorsal).
Agrotis gypaëtina [sic]: Biezanko & Bertholdi 1951: 239, 241–242, Fig. 6 (male dorsal) (pests).
Scotia gypaetina: Köhler, 1967: 305, Fig. 41 (male dorsal) (Argentinean noctuins checklist).
Feltia gypaetina: San Blas, 2014: 9 (new combination); San Blas, 2015: 156 (phylogeny).
Diagnosis. Feltia gypaetina can be distinguished from other South American species of Feltia by the following combination of characters: the forewing ground color varies from reddish brown to grayish brown, but with a remarkable light brown area along the subcostal margin (Figs 32–33); postmedial line is present as a light brown band bordered by two dark brown sinuate lines (Figs 34–35); the male antennae are slightly bipectinate and bifasciculate, with anterior rami two times longer than posterior rami (Figs 43–44); the male genitalia vesica is between two and two and a half times as long as the aedeagus, with a basal twirl and one apical diverticulum (Figs 47, 52); the female genitalia appendix bursae is tubular and distally tapers, being slightly longer than the corpus bursae (Figs 54–55); and the corpus bursae is oval and without signa (Figs 54–55).
Redescription. Head. Vertex and frons reddish brown to grayish brown (Figs 38–39); frons dorsal half slightly darker than ventral half, frontal tubercle naked, rounded, with raised edges and rough central area (Figs 38–39); compound eyes naked, mostly dark brown (Fig. 38); male antenna about three fifths the length of the costal margin, scape and pedicel similar grayish brown (Figs 38–39), flagellum dorsally covered by grayish brown and creamy white scales, ventrally without scales (Figs 43, 45); slightly bipectinate, anterior rami two times as long as posterior, rami with tiny ventral chemoreceptive trichoid sensilla, one eighth the width of the flagellomere, concentrated in the center of the flegellomere (Fig. 44); bifasciculate, two rows of chemoreceptive trichoid sensilla (fascicles), almost half the width of the flagellomere (Fig. 44); labial palpus first and second segments with ventral long and thin scales and lateral and dorsal wide and short scales, third segment only with wide and short scales, segments with yellowish brown to grayish brown with creamy white scales (Fig. 38–39). Female as in male, but slightly darker in general (Figs 33, 39); antenna filiform with ventral chemoreceptive trichoid sensilla only (Fig. 45).
Thorax. Patagium grayish brown, with a dark brown middle line and a reddish brown marginal line (Figs 36– 37); tegula creamy white proximally, grayish brown distally (Figs 36–37); meso- and metathorax dorsally reddish brown to grayish brown, speckled with creamy white scales (Figs 32–33, 36–37); thorax slightly lighter brown ventraly. Female slightly darker than male, tegula proximal creamy white area speckled with grayish brown scales (Fig. 37).
Legs. Generally reddish brown to grayish brown, with scattered creamy white scales, with a ring of creamy white scales on apex of femur, tibia and each tarsi; femur inner margin with long creamy white scales; midleg tibia outer margin proximally with long reddish brown to grayish brown scales; hindleg tibia outer margin proximally with long creamy white scales; foreleg tibia dorso-ventrally flattened, about half the width of the femur, wider in anterior view, with lateral and distal spines; foreleg epiphysis 2/3 the length of the tibia; mid- and hindleg tibiae and all tarsi with three somewhat regular rows of ventral spines, tibiae and first tarsomere with sparse additional outer spines, mid- and hindlegs with a pair and two pairs of spurs, respectively; tarsal claws bifid, with small medial ventral endodont. Female as in male.
Wings. Size, shape and venation. males 14.3–18.5 mm, females 13.8–18.9 mm (lectotype: 14mm); wings shape and venation similar to F. pala sp. nov.
Forewing upper side ground color mostly reddish brown to grayish brown, with lines of dark grayish brown scales on veins and slightly darker towards the apex and the outer margin; apical area along the costal margin slightly lighter (Figs 32–35); area between the base of the wing and the basal line and between the basal line and the antemedial line anterior to R along the costal margin (i.e. proximal part of the subcostal band) lighter grayish brown; area between antemedial line and postmedial line anterior to R along the costal margin (i.e. distal part of the subcostal band) light brown; light brown lines along Sc, R, R1 and Cu, from the base of the wing to the postmedial line; discal cell with grayish brown areas along R and Cu, with a light brown area from the base of the wing to near the orbicular spot and dark brown areas basal to, between and distal to the orbicular and reniform spots; orbicular and reniform spots grayish brown bordered by a thin lighter grayish brown line and a thin dark brown line; orbicular spot fused to the anterior grayish brown areas of the discal cell; basal and antemedial line light brown, bordered by proximal and distal dark brown lines, from the costal margin to R, and from Cu to 1A+2A, less distinct from 1A+2A to the inner margin; claviform spot dark grayish brown, proximally attached to the antemedial line and bordered by dark brown scales; area between Cu and A proximal to the antemedial line anteriorly dark brown (basal dash); medial line indistinct; postmedial line light brown, sinuous, bordered by marked proximal and faint distal dark brown lines, curved from about the distal third of the costal margin to the distal third of the inner margin; subterminal area uniformly grayish brown, speckled with lighter grayish brown and dark brown scales in some spaces; subterminal line indistinct, separating the subterminal area from the terminal area; terminal area uniformly grayish brown, sinuous, from the apex to the tornus; terminal line thin, darker grayish brown bordered by a light brown line, along the outer margin, from the apex to the tornus; fringe mostly grayish brown, speckled with lighter brown scales. Female as in male, but ground color usually darker and more uniform and lines more marked (Figs 33, 35); claviform spot less evident (Fig. 35). Forewing underside mostly grayish brown, darker along the costal margin; terminal line bordered by a marked lighter brown line; male retinaculum as a patch of densely packed scales on the Radial vein. Female as in male, but retinaculum as a patch of enlarged scales on the Cubital vein.
Hind wing upper side ground color creamy white, with grayish brown scales on the veins, at the apex, and along the costal and inner margins, fringe mostly grayish brown, with creamy white scales (Fig. 32); discal spot indistinct. Female as in male, but with more grayish brown scales (Fig. 33). Hind wing underside similar to the upper side; discal spot indistinct or as a light brown blurred spot; male frenulum formed by a single strong bristle. Female as in male, but frenulum formed by three weaker bristles.
Abdomen. Dorsally grayish brown to light brown, speckled with creamy white scales, laterally and ventrally usually lighter brown (Fig. 32); tergum and sternum VIII differently sclerotized (Fig. 56); male coremata and associated structures absent. Female as in male (Fig. 33).
Male genitalia. Tegumen strap-like, laterally swollen and ventrally larger and connected to the dorsal arms of the saccus (Figs 46, 50, 53); saccus stripe-like, with bulbous anterior projection (Figs 53); uncus sinuous dorsally and almost straight ventrally in lateral view, dorsally with hair-like setae, tip slightly ventrally curved and with thick setae, in dorsal or ventral view with a constriction at the basal third and also narrowing slightly at the tip (Figs 46, 50, 53); anal tube formed by two ventrolateral subrectangular sclerites, three times longer than wide (Fig. 53); transtilla as two sclerotized areas basally connected to the valvae, distally free (Fig. 53); fultura inferior (“juxta”, Lafontaine 2004) semicircular, posterior margin straight, anterior margin curved (Fig. 53); valva subrectangular, (Figs 46, 51); clavus as a three times longer than wide slightly sclerotized fold (Figs. 46, 51); costa sinuous, slighlty projected (Figs. 46, 51); cucullus rounded, apex rounded and slightly projected dorsally, with a distal row of spine-like setae (Figs 46, 51); sacculus slightly sclerotized, membranous near the clasper and costa, angled in lateral view (Figs 46, 51); clasper as a ventral sclerotized strap supporting the ampulla (Figs 46, 51); ampulla curved, about one third the length of the valva (Figs 46, 51); digitus and editum absent; aedeagus cylindrical, ductus ejaculatorius opening dorsal, about one third the length of the aedeagus, vesica opening posterior, with a narrow proximal strap-like sclerotization (Figs 47, 52); manica inserted at the second third of the length of the aedeagus (Figs 47, 52); vesica about two to two and a half times the length of the aedeagus, with a proximal twirl, proximal four sixths as wide as the aedeagus, distal two sixths half as wide as the aedeagus, apical diverticulum small, in the fouth sixth of the vesica (Figs 47, 52); other diverticula, spined bands and cornuti absent (Figs 47, 52).
Female gentalia. Abdominal segment VIII not fused ventrally, slightly connected to the lamella antevaginalis (Fig. 49); apophysis anterioris dorsal, thin and long, connected to the abdominal segment VIII, about one and a half times smaller than the apophysis posterioris (Figs 48–49); papilla analis oblong, two times as wide as long in lateral view, slightly sclerotized and with hair-like setae (Figs 48–49, 54–55); antrum membranous with posterior irregular sclerotizations; lamella antevaginalis irregularly sclerotized, strap-like (Figs 48–49, 54–55); lamella postvaginalis membranous; ostium bursa medial (Figs 49, 54); ductus bursa tubular, slightly longer than the apophysis posterioris (Figs 48, 54–55); corpus bursae about two times the length of the apophysis posterioris, oval, apex rounded and directed to the right side, without signa (Figs 48, 54–55); appendix bursae longer than the corpus bursae, tubular, tapering posteriorly to the ductus seminalis (Figs 48, 54–55).
Spatio-temporal distribution. Feltia gypaetina is distributed in the central eastern part of Argentina (Buenos Aires, La Pampa and Santa Fe provinces), Uruguay, and Southern Brazil (Rio Grande do Sul state) (Fig. 58). This species occurs only in the Pampa biome, characterized by plains, low mountains areas, with 340 to 1200mm of rainfall and annual mean temperature between 13–20ºC. The vegetation consists of xerophytic forests on the west and grasslands in the central and eastern part of the region, with meadows, sandy and high-salt steppes, gallery forests, and diverse types of hydrophilic vegetation. This biome has undergone severe anthropogenic modification in the last few decades, with the majority of its acreage converted to crops of soybeans, sunflowers, and maize, with the remainder used mostly for livestock. The association of F. gypaetina with the Pampa biome is supported by standardized monthly samplings conducted throughout Brazil (see Claudino et al., 2021) and in various habitats of Rio Grande do Sul (see Dias et al., 2017). It is likely that the species has a single generation per year, with adults emerging in the autumn. Standardized monthly sampling using light traps in central Argentina during 2019– 2021 also indicated a single generation, with adults emerging in late March (Fig. 57, light gray). The majority of specimens were collected in April, with the latest specimens of the season collected early in May. In standardized monthly sampling using light traps in southern Brazil, the species was collected from early March to early June, with the majority of specimens collected in May and a single outlier in December (Fig. 57, dark gray). As with F. pala sp. nov., the specimen collected in December probably pupated before the summer rather than undergoing prepupal aestivation. In addition to the specimens listed above under the examined material section, eight specimens from Triunfo, Rio Grande do Sul and four additional specimens from Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, are reported at the MCNZ (Specht & Corseuil 1996) and the MECB (Specht et al. 2004) collections, respectively. The specimens deposited at the MECB are probably lost.
Immature stages. De Cap (1995) described the immature stages of F. gypaetina and provided comments on its biology, host plants, and impact on crops. Molinari (1942) described some general aspects of its biology in Argentina. Aragon (1992) mentioned that remnants of leguminous crops from previous seasons can promote outbreaks. Aragon (2000a) suggested that the biology is similar to that of Agrotis robusta Blanchard, 1852, although he misidentified it as Agrotis malefida Guenée, 1852 (see San Blas & Barrionuevo 2013). According to Aragon (2000a), in Argentina, the larval development is slow during winter and accelerates in spring; the larva reaches the last instar by late October or early November and undergoes aestivation as a prepupa throughout summer, molting to pupa only in March.
Molinari (1942), Biezanko et al. (1974), and Pastrana (2004) cited a number of host plants for this species, including economically important ones such as alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), pepper (Capsicum annuum L.), potato (Solanum tuberosum L.), sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.), tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Specht et al. (2004) cites Plantago guilleminiana Dec. (Plantaginaceae) as a host plant.
Baudino (2005) mentioned two unidentified species of the genus Thymebatis Brèthes, 1909, one of the genus Eutanyacra Cameron, 1903 (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) and Glyptapanteles bourquini (Blanchard, 1936) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) as parasitoids of F. gypaetina. The latter species also is mentioned by De Santis (1938).
Remarks. Guenée (1852) described Agrotis gypaetina as species number 473, based on two male specimens in good condition (“Deux beaux ♂ ”) collected at the same locality (Montevideo, Uruguay) from the collection of Joachim Feisthamel. The specimens are described as having a wingspan of 4 cm (“ 40 mm ”) and agree with the specimen selected as lectotype by Viette (1951) (even though the lectotype has about 3.6 cm of wingspan, Fig. 40). The lectotype has a characteristic handwritten label and a red printed “TYPE” label, included by Viette (1951), and is deposited at the MNHN. This specimen probably was used as reference for the illustrations in Hampson (1904) and Draudt (1924) (Figs 41 and 42, respectively).
Agrotis gypaetina was inconsistently combined with Agrotis, Porosagrotis or Scotia by later authors, until combined with Feltia by San Blas (2014, 2015) based on an extensive taxonomic and phylogenetic study focused on the genus Agrotis. Agrotis pseudoplecta was considered a junior subjective synonym of F. gypaetina by Berg (1882) and all subsequent authors, including San Blas (2014, 2015). However, closer examination of the types revealed that Agrotis pseudoplecta is not conspecific with F. gypaetina, but instead is likely a junior subjective synonym of Euxoa bosqi Köhler, 1945, which is considered as a junior subjective synonym of F. lutescens (Blanchard, 1852) (San Blas et al., unpublished data). Therefore, until more data are available, Agrotis pseudoplecta Snellen, 1879 is removed from synonymy with F. gypaetina and here considered a junior subjective synonym of F. lutescens (syn. nov.), along with Agrotis blanchardii Berg, 1882, Euxoa griseoparsa Köhler, 1945, and Euxoa bosqi, pending further taxonomic assessment of these names.
Feltia gypaetina can be distinguished from other South American species of Feltia by the combination of the following characters: the forewing ground color varies from reddish brown to grayish brown, with the postmedial line sinuate (never serrate), and the anterior rami of the bipectinate antenna are distinctly larger than the posterior rami in males. The species is easily confused with Euxoa bosqi (currently considered a junior subjective synonym of F. lutescens, vide supra) but can be differentiated by the comparatively narrower forewing, bead-like male antenna, and usually lighter forewing ground color (except for some dark females). This species can be distinguished from most congeneric species by the valva which is subrectangular and with the cucullus apex slightly projected dorsally, the ampulla, which is one third as long as valva, and the vesica, which is between two and two and a half times as long as aedeagus and with only one apical diverticulum. Feltia llanoi and F. pala sp. nov. share some of these characters but F. llanoi can be differentiated by the antemedially widened uncus in dorsal view (San Blas et al. 2019), and F. pala sp. nov. by the angled, not rounded, distal part of the cucullus and the longer ampulla. In the female genitalia, the dimensions and appearance of the corpus bursae (twice as long as the posterior apophysis, more or less oval, and with the anterior tip pointing to the right side in dorsal view, the absence of signa, and the appendix bursae slightly longer than the corpus bursae), as in F. pala sp. nov., F. llanoi, F. submontana, and F. carolia (e.g. Dias et al. 2017, 2018, San Blas et al. 2019). In F. llanoi and F. pala sp. nov., the corpus bursae is slightly narrowed medially or pear-shaped, while in F. submontana it is slightly widened and in F. carolia it is rounded distally. Nonetheless, these differences observed in the female genitalia of these species are minor and should be interpreted with caution. Additional characters should be considered for identification.
Etymology. Not provided in the original description by Guenée (1852), but probably meaning “relating to a vulture-eagle”; Latinized from the ancient Greek γυπς (gups), “vulture”, ἀετός (aetós), “eagle” and the Latin suffix -ina, “relating to”.
Type material. Male lectotype, designated by Viette (1951), not examined directly, with at least the following labels: / Agrotis gypaetina G[e]n[ée]. Vol[ume]. 5, 1852 p[age]. 290, no 473 /TYPE / deposited at the MNHN. Viette (1951) indicate the presence of other label (or labels) included by Guenée that could not be transliterated, as the specimen was not directly examined. The paralectotype is probably also deposited at the MNHN, as implicitly acknowledged by Viette (1951).
Examined material. (119♂, 26♀). 5♂, no data (MACN); “capital”, 1♂, III.[19]63, Köhler leg. (IFML); ARGENTINA: Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, 1♂, 10.IV.1908, J. Brèthes leg. (MACN), 2♀, 15.III.1923, J. Brèthes leg. (MACN), 1♂, 10.II.1925, J. Brèthes leg. (MACN); General Urquiza, 1♀, 7.V.1926, J. Brèthes leg. (MACN); Tandil, 1♂, no data (IFML); 2♂, 17.III.1953, 3.IV.1953, (IFML), 1♀, 4.IV.1953 (IFML); La Pampa, Anguil, 900m, NE Plaza Central (-36.518778, -64.006608, 162m), 1♂, 14.IV.2016, San Blas leg. (light trap) (UNLPam); General Pico, 1♂, no date, no collector data (IFML); 1♀, IV.1967, Williamson leg. (IFML); Santa Rosa, Universidad Nacional de La Pampa, Campus Universitario (-36.552278, -64.302278, 215m), 1♂, 4.III.2017, 1♂, 18.III.2016, 1♂, 28.III.2017, 1♂, 11.IV.2016, 1♂, 16–17.IV.2016, 3♂, 20.IV.2016, 2♂, 4.IV.2017, 5♂, 11.IV.2017, 2♂, 18.IV.2017, 1♂, 20.IV.2017, 1♀, 9.IV.2018, San Blas leg. (light trap) (UNLPam); Campus Universitario, Pab. Química (- 36.556230, -64.299788, 212m), 1♂, 25.III.2019, 2♂, 26.III.2020, 2♂ & 3♀, 2.IV.2019, 6♂ & 2♀, 3.IV.2019, 1♂, 13.IV.2019, 8♂ & 3♀, 29.IV.2019, 5♂, 5.IV.2020, 2♂, 10.IV.2020, 2♂ & 1♀, 13.IV.2020, 3♂ & 1♀, 17.IV.2020, 5♂, 23.IV.2020, 4♂, 1.V.2020, 2♂ & 1♀, 15.V.2020, 2♂, 16.V.2020, San Blas leg. (light trap); Campus Universitario, Pab. Sur (-36.560734, -64.304972, 212m), 2♂, 20.IV.2018, San Blas leg. (light trap) (UNLPam); Toay, 2♂, III.2019, Lattini leg. (UNLPam); Santa Fe, Arrufó, 2♀, no date, Köhler leg. (MACN), 1♂ (IFML). BRAZIL: Rio Grande do Sul, Bagé, 232m, “ Forest ”, 1♀, 2.V.2016, 1♂, 1.VI.2016, 1♂, 4.VI.2016, 1♂, 5.VI.2016, Sisti, Corrêa, Silva & Ebert leg. (Pennsylvania light trap) (CPAC); 242m, “ Soybean ”, 1♀, 23.V.2017, 1♀ & 2♂, 25.V.2017, 1♀, 5.V.2016, 2♂, 2.V.2016, 2♂, 21.IV.2017, 5♂, 21.V.2017, 1♂, 22.V.2017, 3♂, 6.V.2016, 2♂, 9.III.2016, Sisti, Corrêa, Silva & Ebert leg. (Pennsylvania light trap) (CPAC); Cachoeira do Sul, 4♂, 21.V.1998, Specht leg., 9541[a], 9541[b], 9541[c], 9541[d] (MCTP); Camaquã, 1♀ & 3♂, 11.VI.1999, Specht leg., 9540[a], 9540[b], 9540[c], 9540[d] (MCTP); Encruzilhada do Sul, 400m, 1♀, 26–28.V.2000, Moser leg., 119 (CLAM); Lavras do Sul, 300m, 1♀, 6–7.V.2014, Moser leg. (CLAM); Pelotas, 1♂, 5.IV.1961, Biezanko leg., 10340 (IFML); 1♂, 22.XI.1951, no collector data (CECT); Piratini, 1♀, 3.XII.1999, 2♂, 27.V.1998, 2♂, 30.IV.1998, Specht leg., 15100, 9543[a], 9543[b], 9542, 9546 (MCTP); Santana do Livramento, 2♂, 16.IV.1999, Specht leg., 9539[a], 9539[b] (MCTP).
description: Published as part of Dias, Fernando Maia Silva, Blas, German San & Specht, Alexandre, 2025, A new species of Feltia Walker, 1856 from southern Brazil highlands with a re-description of Feltia gypaetina (Guenée, 1852) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae: Noctuinae), pp. 335-355 in Zootaxa 5609 (3) on pages 345-353, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5609.3.2, http://zenodo.org/record/15215169