Updated as per THE SOUTHERN LEPIDOPTERISTS’ NEWS VOLUME 46 NO.2 (2024), PG. 53; September 12, 2024
Updated as per personal communication with Vernon Brou; September 12, 2024

Lapara abita
Brou & Brou 2024

Lapara males

Distribution:

Lapara abita (forewing length:: Mm: 30.5-32.6mm; f: 32-35mm) is thus far only known from near Abita Springs, St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, and it seems to be quite rare with regard to turning up at lights.

"Lapara abita: wings, head, thorax and abdomen exhibit less gray and more brown colored scales than that found on distinctly gray colored L. coniferarum". The deeply-serrated sinuous post medial forewing lines most often found on L. coniferarum are entirely washed out to non-existent on L. abita, and so are the basal lines and antemedial lines of the forewings. In Louisiana, the postcellular longitudinal dashes of the forewings of L. abita are most often two or occasionally three in number, usually one or two in number on L. coniferarum, and usually one, occasionally two on L. phaeobrachycerous". (VABrou)

"Riotte (1972) reported the lengths of forewings of L. halicarnie in males to be (29-36 mm, n = 13), in females (32-40 mm, n = 6).

Brou (1994) reported the lengths of forewings of L. phaeobrachycerous in males (X = 27.35 mm, 25-31.5, n = 40), in females (X = 31.6 mm, 29.5-35.5, n = 14).

In this new species description we report the lengths of forewings of L. abita in males (X = 31.1 mm, 30.5-32.6 mm, n = 5), in females (X =33.1 mm, 32-35 mm, n = 6).

Brou (1994) reported the lengths of forewings of L. coniferarumin males (X = 29.25 mm, 27.5-31.5, n =40), in females (X = 31.1 mm, 29.5-35, n = 23). (VABrou)"

FLIGHT TIMES:

Lapara abita moths have several broods throughout the year from April-September in Louisiana (probably three to five broods annually).

ECLOSION:

Little is known about the eclosions of the earth pupators, but many believe pupae wiggle toward the surface just prior to emergence.

SCENTING AND MATING

Female Lapara abita extend a scent gland from the posterior of the abdomen to lure in the night flying males.

Lapara females

"Both sexes of Lapara abita sp. n., display dorsal wing colors of gray-brown on forewings and brown on hindwings, unlike both of the described gray-colored Lapara species." (VABrou)

EGGS, LARVAE, PUPAE:

Lapara alita eggs are probably a translucent pale green and incubation probbly lasts 8-10 days at constant temp of 68-72 F.

Larvae probably feed upon various pine species, including loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) and longleaf pine (Pinus pinaster).

Larvae will likely pupate under paper towels (no soil medium needed) in a dark bucket.

The moth is given it species name indicating a specimen type locale in Abita Springs. Return to Sphingini Tribe

Return to Sphingidae Index

"The purpose in documenting the existence of this obvious undescribed Louisiana Lapara species is being done because if we do not, this apparently rarely encountered species will no doubt remain buried for centuries to come as in the past amongst huge numbers of confusing L. coniferarum, as was in the case of L. phaeobrachycerous.

"To belie claims that the three Louisiana species illustrated in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 are simply geographical variations of one species, note that these morphologically unique, and three distinct species were all captured at the very same ten-acre location, the *Abita Entomological Study Site (*AESS) and are morphologically very different in appearance, e.g. maculation, size, color, wing shape, phenology and other characteristics.

"Lapara abita Brou and Brou, Type series: HOLOTYPE male, 1983-June 26 (Fig. 1b), ALLOTYPE female, 1985-August 28 (Fig. 2b), Paratypes: four males, (1) 1984-July 3, (1) 1986-June 25, (1) 1986-July 7, (1) 2009-April 2, five females, (1) 1986-June 14, (1) 1989-September 9, (1) 1998-May 6, (1) 2004-April 19, (1) 2014-September 7. The entire series captured at the *Abita Entomological Study Site (*AESS), near Abita Springs, St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana."

"This species has multiple annual broods, adults occurring in each month April-September. L. abita has been rarely encountered, currently averaging only one adult every five years in Louisiana. The entire Type series (Holotype, Allotype, and Paratypes) currently resides in the lifetime entomological collections of Vernon A. Brou Jr. and Charlotte Dozar Brou, destined for the LSAM".

"Fig. 4. Original description of female Sphinx halicarnie Strecker, (1880). THE SOUTHERN LEPIDOPTERISTS’ NEWS VOLUME 46 NO.2 (2024), PG. 54 Wing shapes and maculation of L. abita are entirely different than on both L. phaeobrachycerous and L. coniferarum, averaging longer, and broader. Wings, head, thorax and abdomen exhibit less very dark charcoal gray and more brown color than that found on both L. phaeobrachycerous and L. coniferarum. The post medial transverse dorsal forewing lines found on L. phaeobrachycerous are not serrated on L. abita. The ventral surfaces of all four wings of L. abita are lighter gray than both other Louisiana Lapara species, otherwise unremarkable. "We acknowledge that males of the three Lapara species at the *AESS are fairly easy to distinguish, but we have all along found that distinguishing the females was problematic amongst our large study samples. Some females of L. phaeobrachycerous were found to have wingspans exceeding some smaller females of both L. coniferarum and L. abita. And, amongst thousands of narrow-winged males of L. phaeobrachycerous, occasional males can exhibit significantly longer wingspans.

"Fig. 5a and b. Illustrations of the type of damage that occurred during Hurricane Katrina (2005) at the *AESS . ~80% of all Pine trees were destroyed. Before Katrina we owned one chain saw, after Katrina 13 chainsaws. We note that the adult male illustrated in Covell (1984) plate 5, fig. 10 is not L. coniferarum, but rather is a male L. phaeobrachycerous from South Carolina.

"L. phaeobrachycerous was not described until 10 years after this 1984 Field Guide appeared. Brou (1994) remarked that some Lapara specimens from the states of South Carolina, around Clemson, and Georgia in the Okefenokee Swamp were probably L. phaeobrachycerous , but because of few available specimens from these states 30 years ago, he chose to leave this matter to future workers.

"Brou (1994) reported the lengths of antennae of L. coniferarum in males (X= 13.3 mm, 11.5-13.5 mm, n = 40). THE SOUTHERN LEPIDOPTERISTS’ NEWS VOLUME 46 NO.2 (2024), PG. 55 Brou (1994) reported the lengths of antennae of L. phaeobrachycerous in males (X= 10.3 mm, 9-12, n = 40), in females (X 10.6 mm, 10-12, n = 18). In this new species description we report lengths of antennae of L. abita in males (X= 12.7 mm, 12.6-12.9, n = 5), in females (X= 11.7 mm, 9.2-13, n =40).

Brou (1994) reported differences in both wing lengths and antennae lengths of L. coniferarum and L. phaeobrachycerous are statistically significant as defined by t-test (highest level á = 0.0005). In males of L. coniferarum, the antennae cilia are twice the length of those on L. phaeobrachycerous, while the shaft diameter is roughly equivalent in both species. Brou (1994) reported females of Lapara apparently are not attracted to UV light to the degree that males are, because less than 1% of the numerous tens of thousands of Lapara specimens captured were females. Brou also reported that adult Lapara typically approach light traps by fluttering among the leaf litter on the ground for considerable distances, and as a result are often torn and worn. We thank Ricky Patterson, Richard 74320 Jack Loyd Road, Abita Springs, Louisiana 70420, USA) Citation: Brou Jr., V.A. and C.D. Brou 2024. The genus Lapara Walker, 1856 in the southeast USA. South. Lepid. News 46: 135-141. Follow Forensic Anthropology academics"