Published online by Cambridge University Press: 31 May 2012
The length of mature, fusiform plasmatocytes is a suitable character for distinguishing between last instar larvae of the closely related species Euxoa annir (Streck) and E. lutulenta (Smith). This is a consistent character for a number of Euxoa species, but unreliable in E. 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.