Proceedings of 

 the United States 

 National Museum 



SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION • WASHINGTON, D.C. 



Volume 112 I960 Number 344-4 



NOCTUID MOTHS OF THE SCOPULEPES GROUP 

 OF HEMEROPLANIS HUBNER 



ByE. L. Todd 



Three distinct species of the American genus Hemeroplanis Hiibner 

 (family Noctuidae) have been confused in the literature and in collec- 

 tions for more than 50 years, the specimens being identified as Hemero- 

 planis scopulepes (Haworth) or as one or another of its s3monyms. 

 Specific differences exist, however, in the legs and genitalia of the 

 males and in the maculation of the wings of the females. These 

 differences are discussed and illustrated in this paper. 



The three species — H. scopulepes (Haworth) (=H. pyralis Hiibner, 

 the only originally included species, and therefore the type of the 

 genus), H. aurora (Walker), and H. zayasi, new species — are treated 

 herein as the scopulepes group. The males of the species of this group 

 have the tibiae of the hindlegs modified — each is decurved toward 

 the apex and bears prominent dorsal hair tufts — -while in the other 

 species presently placed in the genus, the hindlegs are not so modified. 

 In addition, in males of the scopulepes group (except males of the 

 geometralis form of scopulepes) the coloration of the forewing basad 

 of the postmedial line is some shade of j^ellow, 2 whereas in the other 



1 Entomology Research Division, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. 

 ' The author has seen specimens indicating that at least In some specimens this color may be some oliva- 

 ceous shade, which fades after the specimens are killed. 



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