Protorthodes ustulata

Protorthodes ustulata
Male
Female
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Noctuidae
Genus:	Protorthodes
Species:	P. ustulata
Binomial name
Protorthodes ustulata Lafontaine, Walsh & Ferris, 2014

Protorthodes ustulata is a moth in the Noctuidae family. It is found from south-eastern Wyoming southward to the Guadalupe Mountains in western Texas and westward to central and south-eastern Arizona and northern Mexico.

The length of the forewings is 12–15 mm. The forewings are burnt-orange colour, tending to be darker toward the costal and outer edge. The subbasal, antemedial, postmedial and subterminal lines are whitish grey, partially bordered by dark-brown scales. The reniform spot has the shape of an eight. The upper part is grey brown and the lower part is blackish grey. It has a contrasting whitish-grey outline. The orbicular spot is slightly darker than the ground colour and is outlined in whitish grey. The terminal line is dark brown. The hindwings are pale fuscous basally with darker fuscous on the discal spot, veins and marginal area. Adults have been recorded on wing from early April to mid-May and again from early August to early October.

Etymology

The species name refers to the burnt-orange colour of the body and forewings and is derived from Latin ustulata.^[1]

References

1. Lafontaine, J.D.; Walsh, J.B.; Ferris, C.D. 2014: A revision of the genus Protorthodes McDunnough with descriptions of a new genus and four new species (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Noctuinae, Eriopygini). ZooKeys, 421: 139-179. doi:10.3897/zookeys.421.6664