Gayana 69(2): 409-410, 2005 ISSN 0717-652X

Comunicaciones breves

TWO LARVAL CHARACTERS TO SEPARATE COPITARSIA INCOMMODA (WALKER) FROM C. DECOLORA (GUENÉE ) (LEPIDOPTERA: NOCTUIDAE)

DOS CARACTERES LARVALES PARA SEPARAR A COPITARSIA INCOMMODA (WALKER) DE C. DECOLORA (GUENÉE ) (LEPIDOPTERA: NOCTUIDAE)

Andrés O. Angulo¹ & Tania S. Olivares²

¹Casilla 160-C. Departamento de Zoología. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Oceanográficas. Universidad de Concepción. E-mail: aangulo@udec.cl
²Casilla 4040 correo 3. Concepción. Chile.

RESUMEN

Se entregan caracteres taxonómicos de las larvas de Copitarsia decolora (Guenée) y C. incommoda (Walker), que permite la diferenciación entre ellas. Ambas especies tiene importancia cuarentenaria para los exportadores en Chile.

Palabras claves: Copitarsia, Cucullinae, larvas, taxonomía.

ABSTRACT

Diagnostic larval features of Copitarsia Hampson, C. decolora (Guenée) and C. incommoda (Walker) involving spinneret and pinnaculae are given. Both species are importance quarantine pest for chilean exporters.

Keywords: Copitarsia, Cucullinae, larvae, taxonomy.

Copitarsia Hampson, 1906, consists of twenty-one species distributed from México to the Patagonia (Angulo & Olivares 2003); some species are severe pests in agriculture and quarantine procedures. Copitarsia decolora (Guenée), Copitarsia incommoda (Walker) are two of these species injuring the aspa-ragus.This suggests the importance of the differential features given here.

Larvae were brought from Mexico and Colombia following careful examination the exoeskeleton was prepared and submitted to quetotaxy analysis.

Larval features of Copitarsia are four pairs of abdominal prolegs and one anal pair; adfrontal suture do not reach the occipital sein; smooth epidermis without ornamental structures; the two dorsal thoracic pinnaculae with a ligth area contrastig with the background colour.

FEATURES OF PINNACULAE AND SPINNERET

C. incommoda: The two dorsal thoracic pinnaculae are separed (at least twice their lenght) and are sorrounded by a dark pigmentary area with "sand clock" form (Fig. 3); spinneret: border of one lip with ca. 8 regular spines (Fig. 1).

C. decolora: The two dorsal thoracic pinnaculae are aside and sorrounded by a dark circular pigmentary area (Fig.4); spinneret: border of one lip with many irregular spines (more than 8) (Fig.2).

FIGURAS 1-4. Copitarsia decolora (Guenée): 1. spinneret 3. pinnaculae in 1st-2st abdominal segment. Copitarsia incommoda (Walker): 2. spinneret 4. pinnaculae in 1st-2st abdominal segment.

Remarks: no differences were found in pupal features of both species; but it may possible to find some of them under the ultrastructural scope. The pigmentary exoskeleton of larvae usually varies from dark to green light colour.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Thanks to Dr. Néstor Bautista and Mr. Roberto Flores for the larval and pupal material from México. Also we thank the Project Nº 203.113.060-1.0 from Research Direction of the University of Concepción. Concepción, Chile.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Angulo, A.O. & T.S. Olivares. 2003. Taxonomic updated of the species of Copitarsia Hampson, 1906 (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae: Cucullinae). Gayana 67(1):33-38.        [ Links ]

Fecha de recepción: 05/10/04
Fecha de aceptación: 17/08/05