Paragona multisignata (lepidoptera: Noctuidae) as a new pest of the cultivated shiitake mushroom, lentinula edodes

Abstract

An unknown noctuid larva was found feeding on cultivated shiitake mushrooms, Lentinula edodes (Berk.) Pegler, in Gunma Prefecture, Japan during the summer of 2005. The larvae made cocoons, and three male and seven female adults emerged successfully on September 1, 2005. Mainly based on the male genitalia, the species was identified as Paragona multisignata, known from Akita, Miyagi, Niigata, and Kanagawa Prefectures in Japan, the Korean Peninsula, China, Mongolia and South East Russia. Here we report for the first time that P. multisignata is a pest that causes damage to the cultivated shiitake mushroom. We also show that this new pest is clearly distinguishable from other two noctuid pest species of shiitake mushrooms, Diomea cremata (Butler) and Anatatha lignea (Butler), by DNA barcoding.