Larva and pupa of Amyna axis (Guenee, 1852) and affirmation of its taxonomic placement in Bagisarinae (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae)

By

Wagner, David L., 1956-
Binns, Shawn

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2010

Original Publication

ZooKeys

Volume

39

Pages

107-116

Subjects

Acontiinae , Amyna axis , Anomis , Bagisarinae , frass flicking , larval melanism , Larval polyphenism , thrashing behavior

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.39.435

 

Abstract

The larva and pupa of Amyna axis (Guenee, 1852) are described and illustrated, and observations are provided on the insect’s life history and larval biology. Larval, adult, and life history characters support the transfer of Amyna Guenee from Acontiinae Guenee, 1841 to Bagisarinae Crumb, 1956. The phylogenetic placement of the Bagisarinae is enigmatic; some adult and larval features indicate that the subfamily is a basal trifid proximate to Acontiinae, whereas other larval and life history characters suggest an association with Scoliopteryginae, a basal quadrifid group. Larvae exhibit a green-to-black color polyphenism presumably linked to larval density, with darker phenotypes occurring during outbreak densities. Parallel color shifts that occur in other Lepidoptera are briefly discussed.