PLusiinae (Excl. Abrostolini) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) of Ethiopia. A faunistical survey with biogeographical comments
Author
Ronkay, Laszlo
Author
Behounek, Gottfried
Author
Müller, Günter C.
text
Zootaxa
2015
4013
2
235
251
journal article
10.11646/zootaxa.4013.2.5
f8f1d32c-90e4-49fc-8a2f-10c616e29a6b
1175-5326
234589
7E00F895-233E-4826-AE45-D1F8AF9E6E1F
Plusiotricha livida
Holland
, 1894
Psyche
, 7: 10,
Holotype
: male,
Gabun
, Ogove River, coll. Pittsburgh Museum, Pennsylvania. (
Figs. 3
a—female, 3b—male, 41, 42, 43)
Synonymy.
Plusia dyscapna
Fletcher, 1963
,
Exploration du Parc National Albert
, 2 (fasc.15): 105, Fig. 26.
Holotype
: male,
Uganda
, Kampala, coll. BMNH, London
Plusia gorilla
Holland
, 1894
,
syn. n.
,
Psyche
, 7: 9.
Holotype
: female,
Gabun
, Ogove, Benito, coll. Pittsburgh Museum, Pennsylvania.
Material examined.
Oromia Region, Jimma.
1900 m
.
V.2009
. Leg. Kravchenko V.; Oromia Region, Shenen.
2500 m
.
V.2009
. Leg. Kravchenko V.
Literature.
Behounek & Ronkay 1989
;
Berio & et al. 1984
;
Dufay 1970
;
Dufay 1972
;
Fletcher 1963
;
Hampson 1913
;
Holland
1894
;
Hebert et al. 2003
;
Ratnasingham & Hebert 2007
;
Ronkay 1987
.
General distribution pattern.
In tropical Africa:
Cameroon
,
Central African Republic
,
Democratic Republic of Congo
,
Equatorial Guinea
,
Ethiopia
,
Gabon
,
Ivory Coast
,
Kenya
,
Nigeria
,
Tanzania
,
Uganda
,
Zimbabwe
,
Madagascar
.
Distribution in
Ethiopia
.
Everywhere excluding highlands above
3.000 m
and deserts. Common.
Taxonomic note.
The new synonymy is based on two series representing both sexes recently collected by Dr. R. Beck and his team (Munich) in
Ethiopia
at Arba Minch (
400 km
SW of Addis Ababa). Dissection of the genitalia made by G. Behounek and L. Ronkay of the
P. li vida
male (slide GB 7183, BC ZSM Lep 40026) and
P. gorilla
female (slides GB 7177, BC ZSM Lep 40025). Totally we dissected seven males and three females. The ductus bursae is extremely long, about five times longer than the abdomen (
Dufay 1970
), corresponding to the very long and narrow vesica of the male. As the first revisers, we designate, among two simultaneously described species,
P. livida
as the valid name, because this taxon is also the
type
species of the genus
Plusiotricha
.
Molecular analysis.
DNA barcoding corrobates the molecular identity of both described species. Full length 658 base pair ‘barcodes’ of the Cytochrome Oxidase Subunit 5’ Region (COI-5P) gene were prepared by the University of Guelph’s barcode of Life
Data Systems
(BOLD) by methods described by in
Hebert et al. (2003)
. Molecular variation base on the Kimura two-parameter distance model for COI DNA barcodes between two specimen of
P. l i v i d a
(male) and
P. gorilla
(female) was exact 0%.
Thysanoplusia (Thysanoplusia) orichalcea
(Fabricius, 1775)
(
Figs. 4
)
Material examined.
Wolaita Zone, Sodo.
2000 m
.
VIII.2011
. Leg. Kravchenko V.; Tigray region, Simien National Park.
3500 m
.
V.2005
. Leg. Kravchenko V.
Literature.
Behounek & Ronkay 1989
;
Behounek
et al.
2010
;
Dufay 1970
;
Dufay 1972
;
Dufay & Laporte 1977
;
Goater
et al.
2003
; Hacker
et al.
2001; Hacker
et al.
1999;
Paulian & Viette 1955
;
Pinhey 1975
;
Ronkay 1987
;
Rougeot 1983
;
Wiltshire 1990
.
General distribution pattern.
Throughout the Indo-Pacific, Ethiopian regions and Southern Europe. Throughout Africa including deserts (in oases).
Distribution in
Ethiopia
.
Throughout country including elevations above
3.000 m
.
Host plants.
Well-known pest of many crops, especially legumes, chicory, sunflower, maize, radish, carrot, lettuce and potato.