Spodoptera marima Schaus 1904

Spodoptera marima (Schaus)
Figs. 293-295, 334, 364, 396, 428, 460, 542
Prodenia marima Schaus 1904: 150; Draudt 1926: 256. Spodoptera marima; Todd & Poole 1980: 728; Poole 1989:
Diagnosis. — Resembles females of S. ornithogalli, but S. marima is not sexually dimorphic; and the forewing length is shorter. Male genitalia with costal lobe of sacculus less robust with a more pointed apex than in S. ornithogalli (compare Figs. 364 and 365). Female genitalia with fine dense scales on 8th segment gray to brown.
Description. Adult Male. — Head: Basal segment of labial palpus cream with median patch variably mixed with black and rufous scales; median segment cream with black median band variably mixed with rufous scales; apical segment black, apex cream. Frons with short scales rufous and cream; long scales cream; lateral spots at eye margin black; vertex cream, light brown, and brown. Antenna filiform; scape cream to light brown; flagellum cream annulated brown, becoming completely cream toward apex.
Thorax: Patagium light brown mixed with white scales to brown with scales tipped white, a basal patch, thin median band, and subapical scales black, thin apical margin white. Tegula light brown to brown (fuscous and black scales forming indistinct transverse banding). Mesothorax light brown to brown with variable mix of white and fuscous scales. Underside of thorax white. Prothoracic femur fuscous and cream; tibia with lateral scale tufts not extending beyond first tarsal segment, cream and fuscous, subapical spot black; tarsal segments 1-2, 5 cream, segments 3-A fuscous. Mesothoracic femur cream and fuscous; tibia fuscous and cream, inner spur more than twice length of outer spur, mediolateral surface broadly devoid of scales on both spurs; tarsal segments fuscous with cream apical rings. Meta thoracic femur cream and fuscous; tibia cream and fuscous; tarsal segments cream, segments 2-5 pale fuscous at base.
Forewing: Length, 12-14 mm; ground color dark brown; basal line absent; longitudinal black dash at base absent; R vein from base to reniform spot gray; basal elliptical scale patch between R and Cu veins centered with gray; basal half circle scale patch below Cu vein brown bordered by black; antemedial line black, indistinct; claviform spot absent; basal scale patch gray from costa to anal vein (indistinct above Cu vein); gray patch covering anal cell and half of cell CuA2 absent; oblique brown mark from fifth outer marginal spot to vein CuA2 absent; curved white line from antemedial line to postmedial line absent (only a
few scales near reniform spot); orbicular spot an oblique trapezoid, white to cream, with a light brown to pale gray center, bordered by a thin line of black scales distally; reniform spot black outlined in white on proximal border, distal apex is a triangular gray to light brown spot outlined in white, a white distal border extending to middle; white scales along Cu vein from orbicular spot to junction of veins M3 and CuAl which extend down veins M3, CuAl, and CuA2 to postmedial line; postmedial line indistinct, black bordered by white below M3 vein; postmedian band gray; black scale patches in middle of cells R4 to CuA2, patch in R4 basal to other patches, patch in R5 consisting of only a few scales in postmedian area; subterminal line white, curved; apex with a few white scales, no distinct patch; black crescentshaped spots along outer margin (some specimens are more square to spindle-shaped); fringe gray. Underside ground color pale gray; outer margin with black crescent-shaped spots; reniform spot gray.
Hindwing: Ground color white; a small patch of gray scales at apex; fringe white. Underside ground color white; costal cell C cream and Sc cell white, speckled with gray scales; outer margin with a few faint gray spots in middle of cells Sc to CuAl; no spot on underside.
Abdomen: Dorsum cream to pale gray; venter cream and gray; disto-lateral black spots on sternites; 8th tergite with spiculate patches present on caudal margin.
Genitalia: Uncus curved in apical half; slender, gradually narrowing toward pointed apex; setae absent or few. Scaphium elongate, weakly developed. Tegumen lacking a pair of projecting arms on upper third. Costa slightly bent at middle
at base of costa on inner edge; parallel to costa of valve. Cucullus apex truncate; not produced. Anellifer with lightly sclerotized plate bearing setae present. Ampulla elongate, slightly curved with a decurved apex; extending to just below apex of valve (Figs. 334, 364). Clasper proper absent. Clavus short, round, covered with setae. Sacculus widest at one-third its length, distal half narrow, constant width; apex truncate. Valvula wider than valve; well differentiated from valve, apex free; apex truncate; indentation small, ventral margin slightly curved. Coremata elongate, more than 0.5 length of valve; in form of a double lobe.
Juxta a narrow rectangular band, median process moderately broad at base and elongate, ventral margin broadly concave. Anellus with minute granules. Vinculum U-shaped with parallel arms and a robust base. Aedoeagus straight; coecum smaller in diameter than shaft; patch of spines absent on apex of membranous sheath surrounding aedoeagus. Vesica perpendicular to aedoeagus; moderately elongate, 0.75-1.0 length of aedoeagus; apicobasal cornutal patch quadrate; short, extending just beyond apex of aedoeagus; cornuti composed of short spines; lateral cornutal patch absent; dense cornutal patch dorsolaterally; distal cornutus an ovate plate with large spines at apex.
Adult Female. — Essentially as described for male except:
Forewing: Length, 13-15 mm.
Abdomen: Fine dense scales on 8th segment cream.
Genitalia: Ventral plate of ostium bursa with height greater than width; distal margin Ushaped; ventrolateral invaginated pocket of 8th sternite absent. Ductus bursae short (length less than twice width); completely sclerotized. Appendix bursae completely sclerotized. Corpus bursae bulbous, length less than twice width; smooth. Signum in apical half of corpus bursae; short, length less than 0.65 mm; almost vertical.
Larva. — Unknown.
Type material. — Prodenia maxima Schaus. The holotype 8 [USNM] is labeled: Parana, Castro; Collection, Wm Schaus; Type, 10527, U.S.N.M. [red label]; Prodenia, marima, Type Schs [hand written]; USNM ENT 00142009 [bar code label]. Type locality: Castro, Parana, Brazil.
Material Examined. — Specimens were examined from the following countries: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Venezuela.
Distribution (Fig. 542). — Spodoptera marima ranges from Colombia, Venezuela, and French Guiana, south to Amazonian Ecuador and Parana, Brazil.