Parabagrotis

Lafontaine, 1998

Species Guides

Parabagrotis is a of in the Noctuidae, established by Lafontaine in 1998. The genus contains five described distributed in North America. Parabagrotis formalis has been documented visiting blacklighting displays in California, indicating activity. The genus belongs to the Noctuinae, one of the largest groups within the owlet moths.

Parabagrotis formalis by (c) Ken-ichi Ueda, some rights reserved (CC BY). Used under a CC-BY license.

Parabagrotis exsertistigma by no rights reserved, uploaded by Matt Kenne. Used under a CC0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Parabagrotis: //ˌpærəˈbæɡrəˌtɪs//

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Identification

within Parabagrotis may be distinguished from related noctuine by genitalic characters and subtle external . Definitive identification to species level requires examination of genitalia structures. The genus can be separated from superficially similar Bagrotis by structural features of the male genitalia, particularly the shape and armature of the valves and .

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Distribution

North America. have been documented from the western United States and Canada, including California and Alberta. Specific distribution records include Davis, California, where Parabagrotis formalis has been collected at blacklighting stations.

Seasonality

have been observed in July and August in California, based on blacklighting records from the Bohart Museum of Entomology Night events. Specific periods for individual remain poorly documented.

Behavior

are attracted to ultraviolet light sources, as documented by blacklighting observations. This is consistent with the majority of Noctuidae .

Human Relevance

Parabagrotis formalis has been featured in public outreach events at the Bohart Museum of Entomology, serving as an example of local noctuid diversity for educational programs on identification and blacklighting techniques. The has no documented economic significance.

Similar Taxa

BagrotisSimilar superficial appearance and shared Noctuinae; distinguished by male genitalia structure, particularly valvular and aedeagal

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Species Composition

The comprises five described : Parabagrotis cupidissima (Grote, 1875), Parabagrotis exertistigma (Morrison, 1874), Parabagrotis formalis (Grote, 1874), Parabagrotis insularis (Grote, 1876), and Parabagrotis sulinaris Lafontaine, 1998. The latter species was described concurrently with the genus establishment, indicating Lafontaine's revisionary work on this group.