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Issue: Vol. 5849 No. 1: 9 Jul. 2026
Type: Article
Published: 2026-07-09
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5849.1.4
Page range: 97-110
Abstract views: 107
PDF downloaded: 3

Morphology of last larval instar and pupa of Megalographa bonaerensis (Berg, 1882) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

CONICET (Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas); GEMA (Grupo de Estudios Multidisciplinarios de Artrópodos); Universidad Nacional de La Pampa; Santa Rosa; La Pampa; Argentina
GEMA (Grupo de Estudios Multidisciplinarios de Artrópodos); Universidad Nacional de La Pampa; Santa Rosa; La Pampa; Argentina
CONICET (Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas); GEMA (Grupo de Estudios Multidisciplinarios de Artrópodos); Universidad Nacional de La Pampa; Santa Rosa; La Pampa; Argentina; Laboratorio de Entomología; Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas (IADIZA; CCT-CONICET Mendoza); Mendoza; Argentina
Lepidoptera chaetotaxy larva Plusiinae pupa

Abstract

The Noctuidae family constitutes one of the most diverse groups within the order Lepidoptera. Among the species it comprises, we find important pollinators and agricultural pests with significant economic impact. The subfamily Plusiinae includes many species whose larvae are polyphagous on herbaceous plants. Their feeding habits, combined with their frequent association with open and disturbed habitats, cause several species to be economically important pests of a wide variety of crops. The genus Megalographa Lafontaine & Poole consists of eight species, two of which have been recorded in Argentina: Megalographa biloba (Stephens) and Megalographa bonaerensis (Berg). The characteristics of the immature stages of M. bonaerensis are unknown, making its field identification and association with agriculturally important crops difficult. Due to this limited knowledge, this study aims to contribute to the understanding of the morphology of the immature stages of M. bonaerensis through the morphological characterization of the last larval instar and the pupa. Through the chaetotaxy and morphology of the larval mouthparts, and the characterization of the pupa, we reveal characters that differentiate M. bonaerensis from economically important species present in the crops of Argentina and from its congener, M. biloba.

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How to Cite

Torti, M., Diez, F. & Blas, D.G.S. (2026) Morphology of last larval instar and pupa of Megalographa bonaerensis (Berg, 1882) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Zootaxa, 5849 (1), 97–110. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5849.1.4