New synonymies and combinations in Argyrostrotis Hübner (Lepidoptera, Erebidae, Erebinae, Poaphilini).

After examining the type specimens of species in the eastern North American genus Argyrostrotis the number of known species in the genus is reduced from 10 to six through synonymy. A key to species is included along with illustrations of the adults and genitalia of each species. Three Neotropical species currently included in Argyrostrotis (Argyrostrotis eurysaces Schaus, 1914; Argyrostrotis quadrata Dognin, 1910; and Celiptera surrufula Dyar, 1913) are transferred to other genera as Argyrosticta eurysaces (Schaus, 1914), comb. n. [Noctuidae: Bagisarinae], Heterochroma quadrata (Dognin, 1910), comb. n. [Noctuidae: Amphipyrinae], and Ptichodis surrufula (Dyar, 1913), comb. n. [Erebidae: Erebinae: Euclidiini].

Introduction

Currently, there are 10 species of Hübner listed by Lafontaine and Schmidt (2010). An additional three species listed by Poole (1989) from Mexico and South America are transferred to other genera, thereby restricting the geographic range of the genus to eastern and central North America. Examination of the type specimens, and the published illustrations associated with the original descriptions where the types have been lost or destroyed, shows that four of the names recognized as valid species PageBreakshould be placed in synonymy with (Guenée). A key to species and adults and genitalia of each species are illustrated in order to facilitate identification.

Materials and methods

Repository abbreviations

Specimens were examined from the following collections:

AMNH

American Museum of Natural History, New York, New York, USA

BMNH

The Natural History Museum (statutorily, British Museum (Natural History)), London, UK

CNC

Canadian National Collection of Insects, Arachnids, and Nematodes, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

JBS

Personal collection of J. Bolling Sullivan, Beaufort, North Carolina, USA

MNHN

Muséum national d’histoire naturelle, Paris, France

USNM

National Museum of Natural History (formerly, United States National Museum), Washington, District of Columbia, USA

Dissecting methods and terminology

Dissection of genitalia and terms for genital structures and wing markings follow Lafontaine (2004).

Systematics

(Hübner, [1831])

http://species-id.net/wiki/Argyrostrotis_flavistriaria

Figs 1–4 11–15 20 26

Figures 1–10.

adults 1–4 5 6 7 8, 9 10 .

Figures 11–19.

Type material of 11 lectotype, MNHN 12 holotype, BMNH 13 holotype, BMNH 14 syntype, BMNH 15 lectotype, AMNH 16 lectotype, MNHN 17 lectotype, MNHN 18 syntype, BMNH 19 syntype, BMNH.

Figures 20–25.

Male genitalia of 20 21 22 23 24 25 .

Figures 26–31.

Female genitalia of . 26 27 28 29 30 31 .

Crochiphora flavistriaria Hübner, [1831]: 35, pl. [96], figs 555, 556.

Poaphila herbicola Guenée, 1852: 301, syn. n.

Poaphila contempta Guenée, 1852: 302, syn. n.

Poaphila perplexa Guenée, 1852: 302.

Poaphila perspicua Walker, 1858: 1477.

Mocis? diffundens Walker, 1858: 1491, syn. n.

Phurys glans Grote, 1876b: 416.

Phurys carolina Smith, 1905: 68, syn. n.

Type material.

The type material of is lost, but the illustrations (Hübner, 1831, pl. [96], figs 555, 556) are diagnostic and represent the form shown in Fig. 1. The type specimens of and are lost, but the original descriptions are diagnostic and represent the forms shown in Figs 2 and 3 respectively. The female lectotype of in the MNHN labelled “Javana [Savannah] Georgia/ perplexa/ Type/ Museum Paris/ Gn. Vol. 7, 1852, p. 302, n=1755” is shown in Fig. 11. The male holotype of in the BMNH labelled “Type/ .” is shown in Fig. 12 and represents the same form as the original illustration of . The male holotype of in the BMNH labelled “Type/ 8. .” is shown in Fig. 13. A male syntype of in the BMNH labelled “Type/ Grote Coll. 82-54./ 3129/ Grote type” is shown in Fig. 14. The male lectotype of in the AMNH labelled “ Smith % type/ Nth Car., August”/ Coll. J.B. Smith/ Lectotype by E.L. Todd” is shown in Fig. 15.

Distribution.

North Carolina south to Florida and Texas.

(Guenée, 1852)

http://species-id.net/wiki/Argyrostrotis_sylvarum

Figs 5 21 27

Poaphila sylvarum Guenée, 1852: 300, pl 23, fig 2.

The type material of is lost but the original description and associated illustration are diagnostic.

Virginia south to Florida and Texas.

(Guenée, 1852)

http://species-id.net/wiki/Argyrostrotis_erasa

Figs 6 16 22 28

Poaphila erasa Guenée, 1852: 301.

The female lectotype of labelled “Javana [Savannah] Georgia/ Poaphila erasa Gn./ Type/ Poaphila erasa Gn. Vol. 7, 1852 p. 301, n=1751” in the MNHN is shown in Fig. 16 [forewing length 17 mm].

North Carolina south to Florida and Texas.

(Guenée, 1852)

http://species-id.net/wiki/Argyrostrotis_deleta

Figs 7 17, 18 23 29

Poaphila deleta Guenée, 1852: 300.

Poaphila placata Grote, 1878: 184.

The male lectotype of labelled “Javana [Savannah] Georgia/ / Type/ Gn. Vol. 7, 1852, p. 300, n=1748” in the MNHN is shown in Fig. 17 [forewing length 13 mm]. A female syntype of in the BMNH labelled “Georgia, Grote Coll. 82–54./ Grote Type” is shown in Fig. 18.

Virginia south to Florida and Texas.

(Hübner, [1831])

http://species-id.net/wiki/Argyrostrotis_quadrifilaris

Figs 8, 9 19 24 30

Agronomia quadrifilaris Hübner, [1831]: 37, pl. [98], figs 569, 570.

Poaphila obsoleta Grote, 1876a: 42.

The type specimen of is lost, but the illustrations (Hübner, 1831, pl. [98], figs 569, 570) are diagnostic and represent the form shown in Fig. 8. A female syntype of in the BMNH labelled “Enterprise, Florida, 12.V. Grote Coll. 82-54./ Grote Type” is shown in Fig. 19.

New York and New Hampshire south to Florida and TexasPageBreakPageBreakPageBreakPageBreak.

(Drury, 1773)

http://species-id.net/wiki/Argyrostrotis_anilis

Fig. 10 25 31

Phalaena anilis Drury, 1773: 21, pl. 12, fig. 21.

Agronomia sequistriaris Hübner, [1831]: 10, pl. [73], figs 419, 420.

The type specimen of is lost, but the illustration in Drury (1773) is diagnostic, as are those of in Hübner, [1831].

Southern Canada (Quebec to Saskatchewan) south to Florida and Texas.

Excluded species

Three species included in by Poole (1989) are hereby excluded from the genus.

Schaus, 1914 is hereby transferred to the genus Hübner, [1821] as (Schaus, 1914), comb. n. [Noctuidae: Bagisarinae]. The two genera are not closely related and the association was more likely an error in confusing the two similar generic names by Schaus than an intended placement in .

Dognin, 1910 is hereby transferred to the genus Guenée as (Dognin, 1910), comb. n. [Noctuidae: Amphipyrinae].

Dyar, 1913, included in by Hampson (1913) and maintained there by Poole (1989), is hereby transferred to the genus Hübner, 1818 as (Dyar, 1913), comb. n. [Erebidae: Erebinae: Euclidiini].

1	Forewing with postmedial line straight or evenly curved, usually prominent	2
–	Forewing with postmedial line dentate, usually obscure	5
2	Forewing with postmedial line appearing to extend to apex and usually highlighted by yellow line or spots	Argyrostrotis flavistriaria
–	Forewing with postmedial line subapical and without yellow shading	3
3	Forewing with postmedial line curved toward wing base at costa; basal, medial, and terminal areas may be extensively dusted with white scales	Argyrostrotis sylvarum
–	Forewing with postmedial line straight; ground color brown	4
4	Postmedial line complete	Argyrostrotis quadrifilaris
–	Postmedial line incomplete	Argyrostrotis anilis
5	Forewing length 15–17mm; fringe with white scaling	Argyrostrotis erasa
–	Forewing length 10–13 mm; fringe rarely with white scaling and if so, scaling minute	Argyrostrotis deleta