Yellow Striped Armyworm Moth

Spodoptera ornithogalli (Guenee)
Figs. 35, 81, 128, 154, 157, 296-299, 335, 365, 397, 429, 461, 516-518, 542
Prodenia ornithogalli Guenee in Boisduval & Guenee 1852a: 163; Walker 1856: 193; Smith 1891: 45; Smith 1893: 169; Grote 1895: 42; Dyar 1903: 123; Barnes & McDunnough 1917: 67; Draudt 1926: 256; McDunnough 1938: 96.
Prodenia eudiopta Guenee in Boisduval & Guenee 1852a: 164; Walker 1856: 193.
Prodenia flavimedia Harvey 1875: 274 [synonymized by Hampson 1909: 248].
Prodenia lineatella Harvey 1875: 275.
Prodenia praefica form eudioptoides Barnes & Benjamin 1923: 81; [synonymized by McDunnough 1943: 1].
Spodoptera ornithogalli; Todd and Poole 1980: 728; Franclemont & Todd 1983: 141; Poole 1989: 925; Poole & Gentili 1996: 774.
Diagnosis. — Similar to S. latifascia, S. marima, and S. pulchella, but S. ornithogalli is sexually dimorphic. Can be confused with the female of S. latifascia, but forewing with crescent-shaped spots of adterminal line not joined with adjacent spots to form spindle-shaped spots as in S. latifascia. Length to width ratio of forewing is less than 2.5, in S. latifascia ratio is greater than 2.5. Lacks well defined white line along Cu vein from antemedial to postmedial line as in S. pulchella (compare Figs. 296-299 and 300). Spodoptera marima is smaller, not sexually dimorphic, its hindwings are pure white, and it is geographically isolated from S. ornithogalli. Male genitalia of S. ornithogalli resemble those of S. marima, but in S. ornithogalli the apex of valvula is truncate and in S. marima it is more pointed (compare Figs. 364 and 365). Female genitalia of S. ornithogalli resemble those of S. marima, but in S. ornithogalli striations in corpus bursae are less convoluted, the signum is shorter (compare Figs. 428 and 429), and fine dense scales on 8th segment are black.
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 cream; long scales rufous; lateral spots at eye margin black (can form into a bar); vertex rufous (variably mixed with brown). Antenna filiform; scape cream; flagellum cream.
Thorax: Patagium light brown mixed with brown scales, some tipped white, transverse rows of black scales (dark scales can be replaced bywhite ones in some specimens). Tegula light brown and brown (dark scales can be absent). Mesothorax light brown (dark scales can be absent). 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 absent; tarsal segments fuscous with cream apical rings.
Mesothoracic femur fuscous and cream; 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. Metathoracic femur fuscous and cream; tibia fuscous and cream; tarsal segments fuscous with cream apical rings.
Forezving: Length, 15-17 mm; ground color 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, cream, with a light brown center bordered by light brown to black; reniform spot black to brown outlined in white on proximal border, distal apex is a triangular 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 pale gray to gray with an elliptical gray to brown spot along subterminal line; black scale patches in middle of cells M2 to CuAl in postmedian area; subterminal line white, curved; apex with a white patch; black crescent-shaped spots along outer margin; fringe gray. Underside ground color pale gray; outer margin with black crescent-shaped spots; reniform spot gray.
Hindwing: Ground color white; apex, outer
margin, and veins with light brown scales; fringe white (some specimens have a line of light brown running through fringe). Underside ground color white; costal cells C and Sc white speckled with gray scales; outer margin with gray triangular spots in middle of cells Sc to CuAl; no spot on underside.
Abdomen: Dorsum pale gray to cream; venter cream and rufous; 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 (Figs. 335, 365). Costal process, elongate, narrow; at base of costa on inner edge; perpendicular 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. 335, 365). Clasper proper absent. Clavus short, round, covered with setae. Sacculus widest at one-third its length, distal half narrow, uniform in 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:
Forezving: Length, 14-19 mm. R vein not a contrasting color; basal half circle scale patch below Cu vein gray bordered by black; gray patch covering anal cell and half of cell CuA2 absent; curved white line from antemedial line to postmedial line
absent; 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 more gray with a light brown to gray apical spot outlined in white; postmedian band less distinct and tends to be more brown; 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.
Abdomen: Fine dense scales on 8th segment black.
Genitalia: Ventral plate of ostium bursa with height greater than width; distal margin Ushaped; ventrolateral invaginated pocket of 8th sternite large, well developed laterally. Ductus bursae short (length less than twice width); completely sclerotized. Appendix bursae partially sclerotized. Corpus bursae bulbous, length less than twice width; a few striae. Signum at middle of corpus bursae; moderately elongate, length between 0.66-1.1 mm; almost vertical.
Larva. — See description, p. 114.
Type material. — Prodenia ornithogalli Guenee. The holotype 9 [USNM] labeled: "Ex. Musaeo, Ach. Guenee; Oberthur Collection (yellow label, red rectangle with red letters); 1.2 Pr. Ornithogalli Gn., Spec. 258., l.Amer. Sept. Jounce par M. Bdval., 2. Bresil ?, [next 3 lines illegible] (hand written label)"; North America. Type locality: North America.
Prodenia eudiopta Guenee. The type repository is unknown. Type locality: North America.
Prodenia flavimedia Harvey. The lectotype 6 [BMNH, here designated] is labeled: Syntype, Grote Coll. 82-54; U. S. America; Prodenia, flavimedia, Type Harvey; Noc. gent, slide No. 3943 S . The lectotype is designated to ensure nomenclatural stability in this confusing group of species and is illustrated in Fig. 298. Type locality: USA.
Prodenia lineatella Harvey. The lectotype 9 [BMNH, here designated] is labeled: Syntype, Grote Coll. 82-54; U. S. America; Prodenia, lineatella, Type Harvey; Noc. gent, slide No. 3942 $ . The lectotype is designated to ensure nomenclatural stability in this confusing group of species and is illustrated in Fig. 299. Type locality: USA.
Prodenia praefica form eudioptoides Barnes & Benjamin. The holotype 6 [USNM] labeled: San Diego, Calif.; Aug. 26 '21 (hand written); P. praefica, eudioptoides, Holotype 6 B & Benj. (hand written, bordered with red and with red lines). Type locality: San Diego, California, USA.
Material Examined. — Specimens were examined from the following countries: Antigua, Bermuda, Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Puerto Rico, United States.
Distribution (Fig. 542). — This species has been collected throughout North America from southern Canada to Florida and west to California. Data in the USNM report it from 34 of the 48 continental states. It probably occurs in the other 14 states, but has not been collected. Numerous specimens were collected in Bermuda (Ferguson et al. 1991). It is found in the Greater Antilles, except Jamaica, and in the Lesser Antilles to Dominica. Spodoptera ornithogalli occurs in Mexico south to Guatemala and Costa Rica.

Spodoptera ornithogalli (Guenee)
Figs. 154, 157, 516-518 Diagnosis. — Differences between S. ornithogalli and S. praefica were discussed under the latter. In the eastern United States, Mexico, and Central America, S. ornithogalli can be confused with S. latifascia and S. dolichos. The dorsal spot on
the mesothorax can be semicircular, elongateoval, or triangular. The dorsal spot on the mesothorax is semicircular in S. latifascia, and trapezoidal in S. dolichos. In S. ornithogalli a thin white line, either solid or composed of dashes, passes through the dorsal triangular markings on the abdomen.
Description of preserved specimens. — Head: Color brown and black; reticulate; frons black; cutting edge of mandible serrate; P2 setae farther apart than PI setae; ratio ecdysial line: frons height, averages between 0.63-0.84. Thorax: Pronotum with dorsolateral stripe conspicuous, either solid or consisting of closely spaced spots and dashes; middorsal stripe narrower than dorsolateral stripe. Mesothorax dorsolateral marking triangular (more semicircular on younger larvae); with lateral dark spot absent. Metathorax with dorsolateral mark elongate, narrow rectangle (absent on dark form, can be absent on early instar larvae); white spot absent; lateral dark spot absent. Abdomen: Body smooth; setal pinacula minute. Middorsal stripe inconspicuous, narrower than dorsolateral stripe. Dorsolateral abdominal markings uniform in size on abdominal segments 1-8; marks narrow on segments 1-6, extending no more than half the distance between dorsolateral and middorsal stripe; each with a line passing through; mark on 8th abdominal segment larger than on mesothorax. Segment 1 with lateral dark spot present. Segments 2-6 without lateral dark spots in spiracular band. Spiracular band reticulate; spiracular band on segments 1-6 with white or light colored spot caudal to spiracle absent. Spiracles with black border and brown center; not stalked. Subspiracular stripe continuous through abdominal segment 1. Crochets uniordinal; total number on one side of body greater than 107 (range: 111-147; average: 123.3; n=10).
Color description. — Mature larva 20-36 mm in length. Head ground color brown suffused and all but concealed dorsally by deep fuscous, obscurely reticulate laterally; adfrontal areas and adjacent margin of head shield white. General ground color varying from pale gray to jet black. In well marked individuals, dorsal coloration consists of intermingled strands of pale and fuscous. Segmental spots triangular and dark, broadest about midlength, may be conspicuous on all abdominal segments or may be absent on all but segment 8. Dorsolateral stripe bright yellow or
absent. Lateral band pale with pale and fuscous lines medially. Spiracular band fuscous. Subspiracular stripe of white flecks more or less suffused with orange or pinkish. Spiracles brownish with dark rims. Thoracic legs fuscous brown. Prolegs yellow, shields brown to dark fuscous (Crumb 1929, 1932).
Plant hosts. — S. ornithogalli is similar to S. praefica with 59 species of host plants in 21 families. Some of the more importantly affected crops include corn, cotton, lettuce, alfalfa, turnip, beet, bean, pea, and tomato. A single female specimen (USNMENT 142564) was reared from Assateague Island National Seashore, Maryland, on Amaranthus pumilus Rafinesque (Amaranthaceae) a federally listed threatened species.

Spodoptera ornithogalli (yellow-striped armyworm, cotton cutworm) is a moth of the family Noctuidae.

When first discovered this particular species was thought to be the American representative of S. littoralis as the two species have very similar forms. However, S. ornithogalli is known to have much darker color body with sharper markings.