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Journal of the Lepidopterists" Society 32(2), 1978, 86-87
LARVAL FOODPLANT, LIFE HISTORY NOTES AND TEMPORAL
DISTRIBUTION FOR SPLENDEUPTYCHIA KENDALLI
(SATYRIDAE) FROM MEXICO1
Roy O. Kendall2
Route 4, Box 104-EB, San Antonio, Texas 78228
ABSTRACT. Larval foodplant, Bambusa aculeata, Gramineae, rearing notes, ecologic and temporal distribution at its northern distributional limit, are recorded for Splendeuptychia kendalli Miller.
Field-collected adults of the satyrid, Splendeuptychia kendalli Miller, were found at 2 locations: 1) along the Rio Sabinas at Rancho Pico de Oro near Ciudad Mante, Tamaulipas, and 2) along the Rio Salto at El Naranjo, San Luis Potosi. This species is closely associated with its larval foodplant, Bambusa aculeata (Ruprecht) Hitchcock, Gramineae. It is doubtless that this insect will be found at other locations along water courses where its larval foodplant grows. Adults were taken in January, February, July, October, November, and December over a 4-year period. The areas were not visited during the other months. It is therefore unknown whether this multivoltine species is continuous brooded; it may have a reproductive diapause.
Rearing. At Rancho Pico de Oro, 21 December 1972, I observed a 9 deposit a single egg on a juvenile leaf of B. aculeata. The 9 was not captured, but the egg was recovered and preserved.
Again at this location on 22 January 1974, two females were collected and kept for egg production. Between 23 January and 2 February, 51 eggs were deposited in confinement on B. aculeata. Most of the eggs were deposited by 1 female which died 2 February. The other female was killed at this time, and both adults were preserved in alcohol together with 6 eggs. The remaining eggs hatched between 28 January and 7 February. Larval losses were rather high resulting from an inadequate supply of fresh food. Attempts to keep the plants fresh in a refrigerator were only moderately successful. Earlier, several specimens of the foodplant were transplanted to the Los Arcos Courts gardens at Ciudad Mante, our field headquarters, but they did not survive. In an attempt to circumvent a 60-mile trip every few days for larval food, the larvae were offered bermuda grass, Ctjnodon dactylon (L.) Pers. The
1 Contribution No. 380, Bureau of Entomology, Division of Plant Industry, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Gainesville 32602.
2 Research Associate, Florida State Collection of Arthropods, Division of Plant Industry, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
Volume 32, Number 2 87
larvae ate the bermuda grass, and it was thought a laboratory solution had been found for rearing this species. However, the larvae soon began to die. The bermuda grass may have been toxic to the larvae, but the lack of proper nourishment in the grass was suspect. On 6 April 1974 all remaining larvae (24) were preserved.
Once again a $ collected 23 November 1974 from this location deposited 27 eggs between 24 and 29 November and died 3 December 1974. These eggs hatched between 28 November-11 December, and a maximum effort was made to rear them. Numerous trips were made to the collection site for fresh bamboo. Even so, there were several larval casualties attributed to rapid desiccation of the cut bamboo. Eleven larvae pupated between 27 December 1974 and 12 January 1975. Adults emerged (2 3,7$) between 7 and 23 January 1975. Two larvae and 2 pupae (one deformed) were preserved.
Field-Collected Adults. In addition to the above, other field collections include: Rancho Pico de Oro, 21 December 1972 (2#, 19 ), 9 January 1974 (3 9 ), 22 January 1974 (1$), 22 February 1974 (1$), 23 November 1974 (4$, 1$), 4 December 1974 (1$ ), 6 December 1974 (3$ ), and 8 January 1975 (1$ ), all leg. Roy O. and C. A. Kendall. At the same location, 27 December 1972 (1 $ ), 18 July 1973 (1$ ), 20 July 1973 (2$ ), 22 October 1973 (17$, 8$ ), 25 October 1973 (3$, 29 ) all leg. W. W. McGuire. At El Naranjo, 13 February 1976 (1$ ), 14 February 1976 (2$), and 29 February 1976 (1$) all leg. Roy O. and C. A. Kendall.
Acknowledgments
Mrs. Kendall and I wish to thank Sr. and Sra. Carlos Gonzales for permission to conduct field research at their rancho, and for their warm hospitality. To Sr. and Sra. Fernando Reyes Bugarin and their family we are most grateful for the comfortable field headquarters provided and for the use of their botanical gardens in our research.