BIOSYSTEMATICS OF THE GENUSEUXOA(LEPIDOPTERA: NOCTUIDAE) XIII. FURTHER OBSERVATIONS ON HEMOCYTOLOGICAL DISTINCTIONS BETWEEN SPECIES

Abstract

AbstractThe length of mature, fusiform plasmatocytes is a suitable character for distinguishing between last instar larvae of the closely related speciesEuxoa annir(Streck) andE.lutulenta(Smith). This is a consistent character for a number ofEuxoaspecies, but unreliable inE.altera(McD) where it changed in constant fashion during this stage. The relationship between plasmatocyte length and the duration of aestivation was also examined and showed no clear correlation.