Spodoptera triturata Walker 1856

Spodoptera triturata (Walker)
Figs. 40, 49, 127, 249-252, 322, 352, 384, 416, 448, 533
Caradrina triturata Walker 1857a: 295. Laphygma gratiosa Walker 1865a: 651. Celaena bisignata Walker 1865a: 679. Spodoptera triturata; Fletcher 1956: 217; Brown & Dewhurst 1975: 251; Poole 1989: 925.
Diagnosis. — Most similar to S. mauritia, but in S. triturata forewing ground color lighter and pattern more distinct. Forewing with orbicular spot round, white with brown center, outlined in black. Male genitalia with ampulla longer and coremata narrower at base than in S. mauritia (compare Figs. 351 and 352. Female genitalia with distal margin of ventral plate of ostium bursa straight (Fig. 448); corpus bursae bulbous and less distinct from ductus bursae than in S. mauritia (compare Figs. 415 and 416); fine dense scales on 8th segment black.
Description. Adult Male. — Head: Basal segment of labial palpus cream with median patch variably mixed with black and rufous scales; median segment black, variably mixed with brown and cream, apex cream (lightly speckled with brown); apical segment black mixed with a few cream scales. Frons with short scales brown; long scales brown; lateral spots at eye margin black; vertex brown. Antenna filiform; scape cream; flagellum brown (annulated black in basal third).
Thorax: Patagium light brown mixed with brown and white scales. Tegula light brown (some scales tipped with white and brown). Mesothorax with light brown and brown scales, some tipped white. Underside of thorax cream. Prothoracic femur cream and fuscous; tibia with lateral scale tufts extending beyond first tarsal segment, rufous, fuscous, and cream, subapical spot absent; tarsal segments fuscous, proximal and apical ring cream on segment 1, apical rings on segments 2 and 5 cream, no apical rings on segments 3 and 4. Mesothoracic femur cream and fuscous; tibia cream, rufous, and fuscous, inner spur less than twice length of outer spur, mediolateral surface broadly devoid of scales on both spurs; tarsal segments fuscous with cream apical rings. Metatho
racic femur cream and fuscous; tibia cream and fuscous; tarsal segments fuscous with cream apical rings.
Forewing: Length, 14-16 mm; ground color gray; basal line black (which consists of a few scales); longitudinal black dash at base absent; R vein not a contrasting color; basal scale patch between R and Cu veins absent; basal half circle scale patch below Cu vein absent; antemedial line black (indistinct); claviform spot absent; basal scale patch absent; gray patch covering anal cell and half of cell CuA2 absent; oblique brown mark from fifth outer marginal spot to vein CuA2 absent; curved white line from antemedial line to postmedial line absent; orbicular spot round, white, with brown center, outlined in black; reniform spot round, black; white scales along Cu vein and bases of M3 and CuAl veins absent; postmedial line black, indistinct, from just below costa to posterior margin, wavy; postmedian band with an indistinct, round, black spot along subterminal line; black scale patches in middle of cells in postmedian area absent; subterminal line white, indistinct; apex lacking a white patch; black trapezoidal-shaped spots along outer margin; fringe gray Underside ground color pale gray; outer margin with black spots; reniform spot darker, indistinct.
Hindzving: Ground color white; apex, outer margin to vein CuA2, and distal ends of veins Rs to CuA2 with light brown scales. Underside ground color white; costal cells C and Sc white speckled with gray scales; outer margin with gray triangular spots in middle of cells Sc to CuAl (can be indistinct to absent); no spot on underside.
Abdomen: Dorsum pale gray; venter rufous (or cream and gray); disto-lateral black spots on sternites absent; 8th tergite with spiculate patches absent on caudal margin.
Genitalia: Uncus curved in apical half; slender, gradually narrowing toward pointed apex; setae numerous. Scaphium elongate, weakly developed. Tegumen lacking a pair of projecting arms on upper third. Costa sinuate (Figs. 322, 352). Costal process an indistinct swelling bearing setae; at base of costa along margin; perpendicular to costa of valve. Cucullus apex round; not produced. Anellifer with lightly sclerotized plate bearing setae absent. Ampulla elongate, slightly curved with a decurved apex; curved toward sacculus; extending to moderately below apex of valve (Figs. 322, 352). Clasper proper absent.
Clavus absent. Sacculus narrow, width less than 0.2 length, tapering distally; apex pointed. Valvula wider than valve; well differentiated from valve, apex free; apex pointed; indentation with base of ventral margin near apex of sacculus, slightly curved. Coremata moderately elongate, approximately 0.5 or less length of valve; composed of a single lobe. Juxta a narrow elliptical band, median process triangular-shaped, ventral margin concave. Anellus with minute granules. Vinculum U-shaped with a narrow base. Aedoeagus straight; coecum equal in diameter to shaft; patch of spines absent on apex of membranous sheath surrounding aedoeagus. Vesica curving dorsally; elongate, greater than length of aedoeagus; apicobasal cornutal patch a narrow ribbon; short, extending just beyond apex of aedoeagus; cornuti in form of minute flat granules; lateral cornutal patch absent; dense cornutal patch subventrally on vesica; distal cornutus a large spine.
Adult Female. — Essentially as described for male except:
Forewing: Length, 15-17 mm.
Abdomen: Fine dense scales on 8th segment black.
Genitalia: Ventral plate of ostium bursa with height greater than width; distal margin straight; ventrolateral invaginated pocket of 8th sternite absent. Ductus bursae moderately elongate (length 2-3 times width); completely sclerotized. Appendix bursae completely sclerotized. Corpus bursae bulbous, length less than twice width; striate convolutions. Signum in apical half of corpus bursae; moderately elongate, length between 0.66-1.1 mm; almost vertical.
Larva. — See description, p. 108.
Type material. — Caradrina triturata Walker. The lectotype 8 [BMNH, here designated] is labeled: S. Leone, D.F. Morgan, 42-31; Noctuidae genitalia slide No. 3806 $ . The lectotype is designated to ensure nomenclatural stability in this confusing group of species and is illustrated in Fig. 250. Type locality: Sierra Leone.
Laphygma gratiosa Walker. The holotype (Fig. 252) ? [BMNH] is labeled: S. Leone, J. Foxcroft, 53-166; Noctuidae genitalia slide No. 3829 9 . Type locality: Sierra Leone.
Laphygma bisignata Walker. The lectotype 8 [BMNH, here designated] is labeled: S. Leone, J. Foxcroft, 53-166; Noctuidae genitalia slide No. 3830 8. The lectotype is designated to ensure nomenclatural stability in this confusing group of
species and is illustrated in Fig. 251. Type locality: Sierra Leone.
Material Examined. — Specimens were examined from the following countries: Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe.
Distribution (Fig. 533). — Spodoptera triturata is confined to sub-Saharan Africa and the islands of Zanzibar on the east and Principe on the west.

Spodoptera triturata, the lawn worm, is an Afrotropical moth of the family Noctuidae found in Sierra Leone, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, and South Africa.