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Journal of
The Lepidopterists' Society
Volume 56
2002
Number 1
Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society 56(1), 2002, 1-4
LIFE HISTORY AND IMMATURE STAGES OF CATOCALA ATOCALA (NOCTUIDAE)
Lawrence F. Gall
Entomology Division, Peabody Museum of Natural History, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA
John W. Peacock
185 Benzler Lust Road, Marion, Ohio 43302, USA AND
Jeffrey R. Slotten
5421 N.W. 69th Lane, Gainesville, Florida 32653, USA
ABSTRACT. The immature stages of Catocala atocala are described and illustrated for the first time. Notes on the biology of the adults and larval foodplants are provided.
Additional key words: underwing moths, Louisiana, Mississippi, nutmeg hickory, Carya (Section Apocarya) myristicaejormis.
Catocala atocala Brou (1985) was recognized only recently as a separate species, having been treated in the literature as a variant of C. agrippina Strecker ever since Strecker (1874) provided the first illustration. Such late recognition of a new Nearctic underwing species is unusual given the longstanding interest in the genus, and the existence of several dozen 19th and early 20th century specimens of both sexes of C. atocala in institutional collections in North America and Europe (Brou 1985:889 mistakenly believed he had collected the first known females in the 1970s). Ironically, more than 50 years ago the Palearctic lepi-dopterist E. A. Dadd understood that C. atocala was a separate species, as he prominently labeled a male and female in a series of five C. atocala ex Boll collection at the Museum fur Naturkunde (Berlin) as the types of "Catabapta torfrida Dadd." However, to our knowledge, the name was never published.
We are not aware of any previously published information on the life history of Catocala atocala other than Gall's (1991) speculation that, based on the external morphology and wing pattern of the adults, the foodplant would likely prove to be "pecan hickories" {Carya Nutt. Section Apocarya DC.) rather than "hickories" sensu strictu (Carya Section Eucarya DC.)
(Juglandaceae). Here we report on the successful rearing of C. atocala from ova deposited by wild-caught females, present field observations of adults in Louisiana and Mississippi, and suggest a probable natural larval foodplant for this species.
Distributional and Biological Notes
In June 1999, LFG and JWP traveled to Louisiana and Mississippi to search for C. atocala and elucidate its biology. At the time, the only lepidopterist with significant firsthand knowledge of the species was its de-scriber, Vernon Brou. His type series of 35 specimens was collected between 1975 and 1983. Among those specimens, 32 were taken at Edgard, St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana, two were from Weyanoke, West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana, and one was from Mississippi State, Oktibbeha County, Mississippi. Brou (in. litt, June 1999) described the type locality as follows: "The Edgard . . . location 1 lived on and collected for about 14 years is not easily accessible. I . . . haven't been back there for about 15 years, and I'm sure it is nearly impossible [now] to get to the pecan tree area . . . this area is primarily agriculture (sugar cane), private property, or mostly impenetrable swamp requiring a pirogue (boat)." The few specimens of C. atocala cap-
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Journal of the LEPIDOPTERISTS, Society
tured in Tennessee, Arkansas, Illinois, and Oklahoma since the 1985 description all came from habitats apparently comparable to the type locality—low-lying regions within approximately 30 km of either the Mississippi River or a major river that drains into it (Brous Weyanoke locality was nominally in upland woodlands, but nevertheless, quite close to the Mississippi River).
Based on this information, we opted to begin searching in the broad vicinity of Weyanoke, Louisiana, making transects using local roads that ran largely perpendicular to the Mississippi River, on the assumption that the moths primary habitat was not upland woodlands per se. On the first transect run on 28 June 1999, JWP found a number of adult C. atocala just east of the Mississippi River near Saint Fran-cisville, Louisiana. Our further exploration of the Saint Francisville area on 29-30 June 1999 revealed that adult C. atocala appeared to occur only in shaded woodlands in and around the floodplains immediately adjacent to the Mississippi River. We successfully applied this search protocol on 1-2 July 1999 as we drove north along the western border of Mississippi, ultimately finding adult C. atocala in the following six parishes and counties: off State Route 10, 1 km S of Saint Francisville, West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana; off Carthage Point Road, 4 km W of Carthage, Adams County, Mississippi; 4 km NW of Magna Vista, Issaquena County, Mississippi; 5.5 km W of Deeson, Bolivar County, Mississippi; 8 km WSW of Friar's Point, Coahoma County, Mississippi; west of Sam's Town Casino, 12.5 km W of Robinsonville, Tunica County, Mississippi. Despite an extended search on 2 July 1999, we failed to locate adult C. atocala W of Walls in DeSoto County, Mississippi (in that area, on the outskirts of Memphis, Tennessee, the appropriate habitat appeared significantly more fragmented and less dense than in all counties to the south; but note the prior capture of C. atocala by M. Furr in Meeman Shelby State Forest, Shelby County, Tennessee). On 3-5 July 1999, JRS visited the Saint Francisville locality and made further observations on C. atocala adults.
The preferred habitat of C. atocala in Louisiana and Mississippi appears to be shaded, moist woodlands in lowland floodplains adjacent to the Mississippi River with concentrations of box elder (Acer negundo L.) (Aceraceae), sycamore (Platanus occidentalis L.) (Pla-tanaceae), sassafrass (Sassafrass albidum (Nutt.) Nees) (Lauraceae), nutmeg hickory (Carya Section Apo-carya myristicaeformis (Michx. f. Nutt.) (Juglan-daceae), water locust (Gleditsia aquatica Marsh.) (Fabaceae), and various oaks (Quercus sp.) (Fa-gaceae). All our adult C. atocala were taken by flushing them from resting sites on tree trunks during day-
light hours—none were attracted to our bait traps at night (deployed only one night), and we did not employ MV or UV light traps. Adult C. atocala were common at the West Feliciana Parish, Adams County, and Issaquena County sites, with up to 10-20 moths per hour observed at each. Adults were seen resting head down from 0.5 to 2.0 m above the ground on the trunks of various trees, most often box elder and nutmeg hickory, and usually adjacent to or under vines ca. 1-4 cm in diameter. When startled, adult C. atocala proved to be among the wariest of any Catocala species we have encountered, and displayed a penchant for alighting repeatedly on the often inaccessible vines; pursuits of 10-20 minutes per moth were not uncommon. Adult C. atocala were flushed from trees as early as 0715 h at the Saint Francisville locality. Daytime high temperatures throughout the period 28 June to 2 July 1999 ranged from 31-35°C.
The only other Catocala species occurring in significant numbers with C. atocala in these wooded flood-plains was C. agrippina. In the Adams County and (especially) Issaquena County localities, adult C. atocala outnumbered adult C. agrippina. The Catocala species encountered at each locality were as follows: Louisiana, West Feliciana Parish: C. amatrix Hiibner, C. agrippina, C. arnica Hiibner, C. atocala, C. caris-sima Hulst, C. ilia Cramer, C. insolahilis Guenee, C. maestosa Hulst, C. piatrix Grote, C. vidua J. E. Smith; Mississippi, Adams County: C. agrippina, C. atocala, C. amatrix, C. carissima, C. innubens Guenee; Mississippi, Bolivar County: C. atocala, C. agrippina, C. innubens; Mississippi, Coahoma County: C. agrippina, C. atocala, C. carissima, C. innubens; Mississippi, Tunica County: C. agrippina, C. atocala, C. innubens; Mississippi, DeSoto County: C. maestosa.
Rearing Observations
Ova were secured from two of six moderately worn female C. atocala collected during the day from Saint Francisville, Louisiana, between 30 June and 4 July 1999. The females were confined in paper grocery bags (8 x 13.5 x 27 cm) at near ambient temperature (15-30°C), and were offered a weak sucrose solution daily on small pieces of sponge; a new sponge piece with solution was provided approximately every other day. Although females lived from three to eight days, only two oviposited, and each of these deposited only three ova. One set of ova was overwintered at ambient outside temperatures in Gainesville, Alachua County, Florida by JRS (coldest periods of circa 5 to 10°C), and another in a protected garage in Westport, Fairfield County, Connecticut by LFG (coldest periods of circa -2 to 5°C). Overwintering ova were kept in empty
Volume 56, Number 1
..*■ >■■■.«#*■
M i
-"" ' A^VtfSWMl;
p
FlG. ]. Immature stages and distribution of Catocala atocala. a, lateral view of 6th (last) i ustar Ian a. b, closeup of head capsule of 6th in-star larva, c, dorsal view of egg as revealed by scanning electron microscopy (60x). d, distribution of Catocala atocala in North America; open circles, pre-1950 records; filled circles, post-1950 records; each circle represents a county in which the species has been recorded; sliading represents distribution of Can/a (Section Apocarya) myristicaefonnis (after Little 1977, 1980).
plastic film containers and misted lightly once every few weeks.
Only one first instar larva emerged on 14 April 2000 from the three ova overwintered in Florida, and only
one emerged on 12 May 2000 from the three ova overwintered in Connecticut. The Florida larva was offered only water hickory (Carya Section Apocarya aquatica (Michx. f.) Nutt.), which it accepted. The
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Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society
Connecticut larva was offered an array of potential jungladaceous foodplants in an arena food choice test (see Gall 1991); it accepted black walnut (Juglans nigra L.) and butternut (/. cinerea L.), but refused to feed on shagbark hickory (C. Section Eucarya ovata (Mill.) K. Koch), pignut hickory (C. Section Eucarya glabra (Mill.) Sweet), and bitternut hickory (C. Section Apocarya cordiformis (Wang.) K. Koch). This larva subsequently was reared on J. nigra. Both larvae were reared indoors at 20-24°C, and each appeared to eat their respective foods equally well, as development times per larval instar differed by one day or less. Both larvae were preserved in alcohol as fully grown last in-stars. The average duration for each stage was as follows (based on n = 2 larvae): 1st instar, 4 days; 2nd in-star, 4 days; 3rd instar, 3.5 days; 4th instar, 4.5 days; 5th instar, 5.5 days; 6th instar >5 days (larvae were preserved before entering pre-pupal stage). A description
of the mature larva is as follows:
6th (final) instar larva (Figs, la, b). Length 6 cm; head capsule width 3-4 mm; body color light mousy grey tinged with pink; dorsal tubercles reddish orange; spiracles black; finely dispersed black to brown specks forming interrupted but nearly complete dorsal and lateral lines along length of body, most apparent in the vicinty of the dorsal tubercles; 5th abdominal segment with slighdy elevated, 2 mm wide transverse protuberance, slighdy lighter than body color, with a large dark brown lateral "saddle patch" contrasting strongly with the body color, all lines formed by specks being darker and more prominent on this segment; 8th abdominal segment with a pair of ventrally projecting, 1 mm long tubercles; lateral filaments present along entire length of body, whitish pink, dense, 1-2 mm in length, simple (not bifurcate or multifurcate); ventral surface of body segments dirty whitish pink, with black spots on each abdominal segment, edged and overlayed with orange on 4th through 7th abdominal segments; capitad surface of head capsule flattened but not strongly produced addorsally, lacking lateral stripes from antennae to dorsal margins; antennae and true legs pinkish; setae on head capsule and body pinkish, sparse; head capsule color same as body color, but with slightly darker striations; based on limited sample sizes, the larva of C. atocala appears to have a more prominent "saddle patch" than the larva of C. agrippina, and the first few dorsal tubercles behind the head capsule in C. agrippina are usually yellowish, as opposed to reddish orange in C. atocala.
It is unlikely that Carya aquatica or Juglans nigra are the wild larval foodplants of C. atocala at the Louisiana or Mississippi localities visited during 1999. No Carya aquatica were seen at these localities, and/. nigra, Carya Section Eucarya ovata, and Carya Section Apocarya ittinoiensis (Wang.) K. Koch (pecan) occurred only sporadically, and then not in close proximity to the adult moths. However, Carya myristicaeformis, the only other juglandaceous tree species at any of the C atocala
collecting sites, was present and often common where the moths were found, and was one of the tree species on which the adults frequently rested during the daytime. In addition, the overall geographic range of Carya myristicaeformis approximates the known range of C. atocala (Fig. Id). We thus believe Carya myristicaeformis is the wild foodplant for C. atocala along the Mississippi River in Louisiana and Mississippi. Because another global stronghold for Carya myristicaeformis appears to be along the Red River and its tributaries on the border of Oklahoma and Texas, we predict that C. atocala occurs there in greater numbers than the few recent Oklahoma captures (Cleveland, Murray and Tulsa Counties; G. Gier & C. Harp, pers. com.) suggest. In addition, disjunct populations of Carya myristicaeformis that could harbor C. atocala exist in coastal South Carolina. We encourage lepidopterists to look for C. atocala and Carya myristicaeformis in these other drainage systems, as well as at greater distances from rivers per se, as our sampling efforts during 1999 were at best inconsistent the farther we were from the Mississippi River.
Acknowledgments
We thank Vernon Brou for his hospitality in Louisiana during 1999, ana for sharing his catocalating experiences in that state. Wolfram Mey and Wolfgang Speidel provided access to the collections at the Museum fur Naturkunde in Berlin to LFG. Wayne Miller and Jim Tuttle helped JRS in the field at the Saint Francisville locality. Jeff Cott took the larval photographs, and John Brown provided helpful comments on the manuscript.
Literature Cited
Brou, V. A. 1985. A new species ofCatocala (Lepidoptera: Noctu-idae) from the Gulf South, U.S.A. Proc. Entomol. Soc. Wash. 87:889-892.
Gall, L. F. 1991. Evolutionary ecology of sympatric Catocala moths (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). L Experiments on larval food-plant specificity. J. Res. Lepid. 29:173-194.
Little, E. L. 1977. Atlas of United States trees. Vol. 4. Minor eastern hardwoods. U.S. Dept. Agric. Misc. Publ. No. 1342. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C.
---------. 1980. The Audubon Society field guide to North American
trees. Chanticleer Press, New York, New York. 714 pp.
Strecker, F. H. H. 1874. Lepidoptera, Rhophaloceres and Het-eroceres indigenous and exotic; with descriptions and colored illustrations. No. 11. Owens Steam Book and Job Printing Office, Reading, Pennsylvania. Pp. 95-100.
Received for publication 6 January 2001; revised and accepted 22 November 2001.
Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society 56(1), 2002, 5-8
DISTRIBUTION AND BIOLOGY OF AN IS OTA MANITOBENSIS (SATURNIIDAE) IN
SOUTHERN MANITOBA
Donald C. Henne
Department of Entomology, 402 Life Sciences Building, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803, USA
ABSTRACT. The known distribution of the saturniid moth, Anisota manitobensis is limited to southern Manitoba and northern Minnesota. To date, nothing has been reported in the literature about adult emergence times and adult mating activity. In this paper, the known distribution of A. manitobensis in southern Manitoba is summarized, information on larval collection techniques is provided, and new information on adult emergence times and adult mating activities are given. Adults begin emerging at approximately 0600 h (CDT), with a few delaying emergence until between 2100 and 2200 h (CDT). Adult females of A. manitobensis call from 0630 to 0900 h (CDT) and, if not mated, again from 0100 to 0300 h (CDT).
larvae, oakworms.
Additional key words: Anisota stigma, bur oak, calling females,
The saturniid moth Anisota rnanitohensis McDun-nough is known from southern Manitoba, northern Minnesota, and may possibly occur in northeastern North Dakota (McGugan 1958, Tuskes et al. 1996). Anisota manitobensis was reported from Wisconsin by Riotte and Peigler (1981). However, these records have been disputed by Tuskes et al. (1996). The known distribution of A. manitobensis is based largely on very old collection records. There are relatively few collection records for A. manitobensis, and almost none from the last 25 years. Nothing was known about adult emergence times, adult female calling times, the length of the mating period, or oviposition behavior of this species.
This paper summarizes most of the available collection records for this moth in southern Manitoba. These locality records were utilized in an attempt to locate this species in the field. In 1996, and again in 1997, A. manitobensis was collected at Fullers, Manitoba. Larvae were located on very small bur oak (Quer-cus macrocarpa Michaux) trees, in semi-open areas. New information about adult emergence times and female calling times indicate that adults begin emerging at approximately 0600 h (CDT). A few individuals delayed emergence until between 2100 and 2200 h (CDT). Adult females of A. manitobensis call from 0630 to 0900 h (CDT) and again from 0100 to 0300 h (CDT), if not mated during the morning calling period.
Materials and Methods
A search for colonies of Anisota spp. in southern Manitoba was conducted annually from 1989 to 1996. Using the available collection records, many of the localities in Manitoba where species of this genus have been collected in the past were extensively searched, often on more than one occasion. With the exception of a single locality record for A. virginiensis (Drury) at Belair, Manitoba, efforts at locating Anisota spp. (e.g., black lighting, searching for larvae) yielded no additional colonies. Virgin females of the closely related A. stigma Fabricius (courtesy of Mr. J. P. Tuttle) were also
employed in an effort to locate colonies of A. manitobensis in and around Winnipeg.
Anisota manitobensis larvae were maintained on foliage of Q. macrocarpa. Pupae were placed in moist peat and overwintered at 5°C. Pupae were removed from cold storage in early May and placed in shaded outdoor cages to ensure exposure to ambient temperatures and photoperiod. Voucher specimens have been retained in the personal collection of the author.
Results
Historical distribution (Fig. 1). According to the relevant literature (McDunnough 1921, Brodie 1929, McGugan 1958, Ferguson 1972, Riotte & Peigler 1981, Tuskes et al. 1996), and museum records (J. B. Wallis Museum of Entomology [JBWM], Manitoba Museum of Man and Nature [MMMN], and the Transcona Historical Museum [THM]), A. manitobensis has been collected at the following southern Manitoba localities:
Anola: 26 June 1976 (Tuskes et al. 1996), Aweme (8 km north of Treesbank): 23 June 1904 (McDunnough 1921), 29 June 1907 and 4 July 1907 (McDunnough 1921), ([larva] August 1912 [JBWM]), Birds Hill: 20 July 1963 (THM), Brandon: 15 July 1950 (JBWM), Darlingford: (Riotte & Peigler 1981), Kel-wood: (Riotte & Peigler 1981), Killarney: 10 July 1947 (JBWM), McCreary: (Riotte & Peigler 1981), Middlechurch: July 1954 (JBWM), Pine Ridge: (Riotte & Peigler 1981), Riding Mountain National Park: 19 June 1936 (Ferguson 1971), Sandilands Provincial Forest: 25 June 1971 (C. S. Quelch field notes—THM), Souris: June 1954 (JBWM), 1 mi. W. Vivian: 30 June 1967 (C. S. Quelch field notes— THM), Winnipeg: July 1920 (JBWM), 10 June 1921 and 16 June 1921 (JBWM), 8 June 1928 (JBWM), 29 June 1928 (Brodie 1929), 3 July 1930 (JBWM), 22 June 1948 (JBWM), 5 July 1949 (JBWM), 10 July 1950 (THM), 26 June 1954 and 2 July 1954 (THM), 14 July 1955 (THM). Criddle (1932) reported A. manitobensis from the area south of Carman, where three acres of bur
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Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society
Fig. 1 Distribution of Anisota manitobensis in southern Manitoba. Locality of most recent collection at Fullers indicated by arrow.
oak were severely defoliated in 1931. Criddle also mentioned Onah and Treesbank as other localities where A. manitobensis larvae were collected that same year.
New collection locales. On 20 August 1996, two late fifth-instar A. manitobensis larvae of opposite sex were collected east of Fullers, Manitoba. This locality is approximately 5 km north of East Selkirk, along highway #508. As with other saturniid larvae, larvae of Anisota can be sexed according to the presence or absence of a small dark spot on the venter of the ninth abdominal segment. This spot is associated with the male genital histoblast (Miller 1977). Larvae having this spot are males and those lacking this spot are females. These larvae were found feeding on the foliage of a small bur oak that was approximately 150-180 cm in height. An egg cluster containing 16 eggs was located on the tip of an oak leaf at the end of a branch, approximately 45 cm above ground level and facing south. Of these 16 eggs, 12 had eclosed and the other four contained dead embryos. On 22 August 1996 a second collection consisting of a single late fifth-instar female larva was also made, approximately 1 km west of the first collection. This larva was also collected from a small bur oak tree that was only 75 cm in height and >90% defoliated; no egg cluster was located. It was evident that several other larvae were also present on this tree but had probably wandered away to pupate. At both collection points, the oak trees on which these larvae were collected were isolated (i.e., >150 cm) from other trees, had low surrounding vegetation, and were receiving full sunlight. In the laboratory, all three larvae wandered for approximately two days after feeding was completed, and pupated approximately three days after wandering ceased. All larvae turned a mottled green color several days prior to pu-
pation. The same locality was revisited in June 1997. A cluster of 75 second-instar larvae was found on a terminal oak leaf, only 30 cm above the ground and facing west, in full sunlight, and along the forest-field interface. Sixty-five pupae were obtained from this collection (32 males, 33 females).
Morphological comparisons (Fig. 2). According to Brodie (1929) mature A. manitobensis larvae possess pale tan head capsules. Examination of the larvae collected near Fullers revealed that the head capsule is clearly orange, as in mature larvae of the closely related A. stigma (Riotte & Peigler 1981). In addition, the single larva collected on 22 August 1996 differed from the other two in that the dorsal stripe and shading described by Brodie were very faint and barely visible. Color photos of these larvae can be viewed at http://www.lsu.edu/faculty/dhennel/. Brodie (1929) also described the pupa of A. manitobensis as reddish-brown in color. Although this color was observed for the first few days following pupation, the pupae eventually darkened to a brownish-black color. Confirmation of the larval collections as being A. manitobensis was obtained the following June when adults emerged from over wintered pupae. Adults closely resembled museum specimens of A. manitobensis. The specimens obtained lacked any heavy spotting of the wings, a trait characteristic of A. stigma. Examination of male genitalia of specimens of A. stigma from Anne Arundle Co., Maryland, compared with those of the specimens collected at Fullers also confirmed the identity of A. manitobensis.
Mating activity. Adult emergence times, female calling times, length of pairing, and oviposition habits for A. manitobensis were unknown until this time. Adults obtained from these collections emerged in the morning, around 0600 h (CDT). Females began calling as soon as their wings were fully expanded, often within 30 minutes of eclosion. Most females had their ovipositors everted from approximately 0630 to 0900 h (CDT). If unmated during this time these females would exhibit a second calling time, from approximately 0100 to 0300 h (CDT). These calling times are similar to those reported for A. stigma (Tuskes et al. 1996). Some adults delayed emergence until between 2100 and 2200 h (CDT), which is shortly after sunset in southern Manitoba during early June. Length of pairing at night was variable, ranging from one to several hours. Adults mated during the morning hours remained in copula until dusk, at which time females would begin ovipositing. This behavior is very similar to that reported for A. stigma in Tuskes et al. (1996). Oviposition behavior after separation of adults was difficult to observe. Most females placed in paper sacks
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Fig. 2. Fifth-instar larvae of Anisota manitobensis. (A) lateral view, (B) dorsal view
after pairing ceased refused to lay eggs. A single female, however, deposited 185 eggs inside a paper sack, over a three-day period. Egg laying activity was not observed.
Discussion
Anisota manitobensis was a very difficult species to locate in the field. McGugan (1958) reported A. manitobensis larvae as locally abundant in some areas of the Red River Valley of southern Manitoba but also stated that it is generally found in small numbers. This would appear to be the case with the population at Fullers, Manitoba. Evidence of bur oak defoliation typical of feeding by larval Anisota was also noted near East Selkirk, and in an area east of Winnipeg, just south of Pine Ridge. No larvae or egg clusters were found at these localities. Gregarious larvae of Datana ministra (Drury) were common in these areas and were noted for the similar method by which they defoliated bur oak. Larvae of Anisota and Datana consume all of the oak leaf, with the exception of the mid vein. Riotte and Peigler (1981:113) also found Datana to be common and similarly interfered/confused their searching for Anisota. Tt was also noted that agricultural areas now isolate many of the localities where A. manitobensis was collected in the past. Local extirpations of this insect have likely occurred on a large scale, but it is beyond the scope of this paper to speculate on the population status of this insect. If it is indeed rare, then it needs to be protected. We still know very little, however, about population dynamics of most Anisota spp. The low populations may only be a cyclic phenomenon. Alternatively, it may be possible that this species prefers oak stands of a limited age, i.e., older stands of oak may not be suitable habitat for A. manitobensis.
The similarity of calling times of A. manitobensis and A. stigma females may support the notion of Tuskes et al. (1996) that A. manitobensis is only a clinal
variant of A. stigma. Unfortunately, there is a huge gap in collection records between A. manitobensis in Manitoba and the nearest records for A. stigma in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Material from this region could be useful in solving the question as to whether A. manitobensis should be recognized as a full species or not. The failure of A. stigma females to attract A. manitobensis males does not necessarily indicate that some form of prezygotic isolating mechanism isolates the two species. Instead, it may mean that A. manitobensis was simply not present in the localities where A. stigma females were deployed. Unfortunately, livestock of A. stigma was not available to be tested on a known population of A. manitobensis.
Acknowledgments
1 would like to thank the following individuals for their helpful comments, insights, and suggestions in reviewing this manuscript: R. S. Peigler (San Antonio, Texas), J. K. Diehl and R. E. Rough]ey (University of Manitoba), and to the following institutions for allowing me to record specimen label data: J. B. Wallis Museum of Entomology (University of Manitoba), Manitoba Museum of Man and Nature, and the Transcona Historical Museum. 1 would also like to thank Mr. Derek Bridgehouse for providing specimens of Anisota stigma from Maryland and Mr. Helios Hernandez (Manitoba Department of Natural Resources) for assistance in obtaining necessary scientific research and collecting permits to study Anisota in Manitoba Provincial Parks. I am also grateful to Ms. Stacy Clayton (LSU Department of Entomology) for assistance in posting the web site.
Literature Cited
Brodie, H. [. 1929. Notes on the early stages of Anisota manitobensis (Lepid.). Can. Ent. 61:98-100.
Criddle, N 1932. The Canadian Insect Pest Review—Eorest and Shade Tree Insects 10(4):79.
Ferguson, D. C. 1972. Bombycoidea (in part), fasc. 20.2B. In R. B. Dominick et al. (eds.), The moths of America north of Mexico. Curwen Press, London.
McDunnouch, |. H. 1921. A new Anisota species from Manitoba (Lepid.). Can. Ent. 53:75.
McGugan, R. M. 1958. Forest Lepidoptera of Canada recorded by the Forest Insect Survey. I. Papilionidae to Arctiidae. Forest Biology Div., Canada Dept. of Agric, Publ. 1034. Ottawa.
8 Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society
Miller, T. A., W. J. Cooper & J. W. Highfill. 1977. Determina- the United States and Canada. The Cornell Series in Arthropod
tion of sex in four species of giant silkworm moth larvae (Sat- Biology. Cornell University Press, Ithaca. 264 pp.
urniidae). J. Lepid. Soc. 31:144-146. Riotte, J. C. E. & R. S. Peigler. 1980 [1981]. A revision of the
American genus Anisota (Satumiidae). J. Res. Lepid. 19:101-180. Tuskes, P. M., J. P. Tuttle & M. M. Collins. 1996. The wild silk Received for publication 11 April 2000; revised and accepted 4
moths of North America: a natural history of the Satumiidae of December 2001