Schausiana pharus (Druce, 1887) Mielke & Grehan & Monzón-Sierra, 2020

Mielke, Carlos G. C., Grehan, John R. & Monzón-Sierra, José, 2020, Taxonomic revision of Schausiana Viette with two new species from Guatemala and notes on biogeography and correlated tectonics (Lepidoptera: Hepialidae), Zootaxa 4860 (1), pp. 67-91 : 79-87

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4860.1.3
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:38F1E2A5-5DE0-4B95-959A-6347BC593AF0
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4413540
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/0383282C-7E2F-FFF5-4390-FABB40B01C7F
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Schausiana pharus (Druce, 1887)
status	comb. nov.

Treatment

Schausiana pharus (Druce, 1887) comb. n.

( Figs 5 View FIGURES 1–5 , 17–21 View FIGURES 17–21 , 25 View FIGURES 22–27 , 32–33 View FIGURES 28–33 , 36 View FIGURES 34–36 , 39, 41 View FIGURES 37–47. 37–41 )

Hepialus pharus Druce View in CoL (1887: 232; pl. 24, fig. 12 (♂ dorsal)); Guatemala, Las Mercedes, 3000 feet, and Dueñas, Champion [leg.]; Costa Rica, Irazu, 6000–7000 feet, Rogers [leg.]; (NHMUK).— Kirby (1892: 884).— Wagner & Pfitzner (1911: 9).— Williams (1935: 292; figs. 1.1 (dorsal), 1.2 (egg), 1.3 (larva), 1.4–5 (pupa), 1.6 (resting), 1.7 (♂ hindleg), 2–3 (behaviour)).—Grehan et al. (2018: 64; fig. 23 (FW cubital patch), 29 (♂ gen.)).

Hepialus (Hepialus) pharus: Pfitzner (1937: 1291) View in CoL .

Phassus pharus: Nielsen & Robinson (1983: 18) View in CoL .— Robinson & Nielsen (1984: 16).— Maddison (1993): 564.— Nielsen et al. (2000: 841).— Mielke & Grehan (2012: 144).— Grehan (2012: 22, 29 (venation, sternum II)).

Type material. Lectotype ♂ ( Fig. 17 View FIGURES 17–21 ; here designated): Lectotype / Godman-Salvin, Coll. 98.—40./ LECTOTYPUS, Hepialus pharus C. Mielke, Grehan & Monzón des. 2020/ ( NHMUK). Examined.

Examined material (4 ♂, 18 ♀). MEXICO. Chiapas : 1 ♀, Hwy. 195, Jitolol-Rayon, Cabañas Sempre Verde env., 17°08′35′′N 92°53′01′′W, 1695 m, 16.V.2015, S. Naumann & B. Wenczel leg. ( CGCM 33.341 ( CGCM)) GoogleMaps ; 1 ♀, Hwy. 199, San Cristobal-Ocosingo, 10 km E Oxchuc, Cascada Corralito , 16°49′45′′N 92°14′64′′W, 1300 m, 18.V.2015, C. Conlan, S. Naumann & B. Wenczel leg. ( CGCM 33.421 ( CGCM)) . GUATEMALA. Izabal: 3 ♀, Morales, Sierra de Caral , 930 m, 15°22′31′′N 88°41′50′′W: 30.IV.2007, J. Monzón leg. ( CGCM 23.249 [BC- GU661583 View Materials ] ( CGCM)), 16.V.2007 J. Monzón leg. ( CGCM 23.201 [BC- GU661581 View Materials ], 23.506 [BC-GU661587] ( CGCM)) GoogleMaps . Zacapa: 1 ♀, San Lorenzo road, Sierra de las Minas , 1600 m, 20.IV.2008, J. Monzón leg. ( CGCM 24.163 ( CGCM)) ; 2 ♂, 4 ♀, San Lorenzo , El Naranjo, 1616 m, 15°04′25′′N, 89°41′11′′W, 22.V.2010. J. Monzón leg. ( CGCM 24.073 [BC-JX215853], 24.559 [BC-JX215845], 24.624 [BC-JX215854], 25.341, 25.485, 26.702 ( CGCM)) GoogleMaps ; 1 ♂, La Unión , 850 m, E. Welling leg. ( CGCM 7.110 ( CGCM)) . Baja Verapaz: 2 ♀, Pantín, Finca Santa Rosa, 1690 m, 15°14′31′′N 90°17′06′′W: 9.V.2008, J. Monzón leg. ( CGCM 24.627 ( CGCM)) GoogleMaps ; 2.VI.2019, J. Monzón leg. (JMS 11.011 ( CJMS)) . El Progreso: 1 ♀, Cerro Piñalon, Cabañas , 15°5′3′′N 89°56′33′′W, 2568 m, 12.-15.V.2010. J. Monzón, B. Sutton, G. Steck & P. Skelley leg. ( CGCM 5.797 ( CGCM)) GoogleMaps . Huehuetenango: 1 ♀, Nentón, Gracias a Dios , El Quetzal, 1569 m, 16°4′10′′N 91°39′51′′W, 20.V.2010, Camposeco & J. Monzón leg. ( CGCM 25.356 ( CGCM)) GoogleMaps . Quetzaltenango: 1 ♀, Zunil, Fuentes Georginas , 2450 m, 14°44′59′′N 91°28′48′′W, 10.V.2007, J. Monzón leg. ( CGCM 23.794 [BC-HM375845] ( CGCM)) GoogleMaps . Sacatepéquez: 1 ♀, SE Antigua, San Cristóbal El Bajo, Finca El Pilar, Cerro Cucurucho , 2620 m, 14°31′11′′N 90°41′28W, 22.IV.2017, J. Monzón & S. Naumann leg. ( CGCM 36.194 ( CGCM)) GoogleMaps . EL SALVADOR. Santa Ana: 1 ♂, Metapan, Hda. Montecristo, Cerro Miramundo , 2300 m, 23.II.1973, S. Steinhauser leg. ( MGCL) . La Libertad: 1 ♀, Santa Tecla , 900 m, 19.V.1968. S. & L. Steinhauser leg. ( MGCL) . NICARAGUA: Jinotega: 2 ♀, Cerro Kilambé, Camp. 6- Las Torres , UTM 16P- 1500100-0637100, 1000 m, 23.-30.IV.2001, J. Sunyer & Hernandez leg. ( CMNH) . COSTA RICA. Cartago: 1 ♀, Orosi, Rio Macho , 1600 m, 19.IV.2012, Camposeco & J. Monzón leg. ( CGCM 25.006 [BOLD SampleID: BC- CGCM 25006 ] ( CGCM)) .

Diagnosis. Immediately recognized by the contrasting U-band where the proximal arm extends to costal wing margin, and by the lack of black markings on the anal area in both sexes.

Redescription. Male ( Figs 17, 18 View FIGURES 17–21 a–b, 25, 32, 36a–c).

Head. Frons and vertex dark greyish-brown. Antenna with ~30 antenomeres.

Thorax. Dorsally pro- and mesothorax coloured as head. Metathorax light orange-brown, dorsally. Legs ( Fig. 25 View FIGURES 22–27 ): epiphysis absent; metatibia hypertrophied with inflated thin-walled metatibial gland. FW length: 33–35 mm, width: 13–15 mm (ratio ~2.4), wingspan: 65–72 mm; elongated, tornus absent; costal margin convex, apex slightly pronounced and acute, outer margin straight from apex to Rs4, then convex. DFW ground colour dark grey with poorly contrasted concentric markings throughout; antemedial area marked by a dark brown U-band with the proximal arm reaching the costal margin and sometimes with light yellow coloured edging and the distal arm extending from the stigma to CuA 2; postdiscal band concolorous with the U-band, widening anteriorly; premarginal band grey and marginal band connected anteriorly, concolorous with the postdiscal band; stigma light yellow, oblique long, thin, whitish coloured, specialized piliform scales evenly spaced along veins. HW subtriangular. DHW veins brown, distally lighter; ground colour greyish-brown in some margins brown and base orange brown, costal margin with darker marks in distal half, outer margin slightly convex. VFW and VHW greyish-brown with margins and veins distally marked by brown.

Abdomen ( Fig. 32 View FIGURES 28–33 ). First two segments, dorsal and ventrally, concolorous with the base of DHW, segments III to VIII dorsally dark-brown, ventrally pale brown. Tergite II with weakly concave lateral ridges near lateral margins, sternite II elongate with all corners projected and the lateral and anterior margins concave; tergite VIII trapezoidal with convex posterior margin, sternite VIII subsquare and slightly more sclerotized centrally.

Male genitalia ( Figs 36 View FIGURES 34–36 a–c). Tegumen triangular, fused to pseudotegumen. Saccus V-shaped anteriorly, concave posteriorly and slightly projected mesally on the posterior margin. Tergal lobe a transverse bar, well marked, and fused to the pseudotegumen. Pseudotegumen dorso-posteriorly broad, antero-ventrally narrow to pointed apex; ventral margin smooth. Fultura inferior rectangular, hour-glass shaped, with a medial-longitudinal ridge. Fultura superior X-shaped. Valva broad, distally a curved setose blade shape; anterior margin of sacculus with short hook, serrate on the antero-ventral edge.

Description. Female ( Figs 5 View FIGURES 1–5 , 19–21 View FIGURES 17–21 , 33 View FIGURES 28–33 , 39, 41 View FIGURES 37–47. 37–41 ).

Head. Frons and vertex dark greyish-brown. Antenna with ~30 antenomeres.

Thorax. FW length: 25–55 mm, width: 11–24 mm (ratio ~2.3), wingspan: 52–106 mm.

Abdomen ( Fig. 33 View FIGURES 28–33 ). Sternum VII as a rectangular bar. Tergum VIII reduced to a rectangular spot; sternum VIII developed, rectangular.

Female genitalia ( Figs 39, 41 View FIGURES 37–47. 37–41 ). Tergum IX (dorsal plate) an inverted U-shape, setose posteriorly, and articulated with sternum IX or lamella antevaginalis; anal papillae setose forming a distinct angle along the posterior margin. Lamella antevaginalis enlarged posteriorly, notched mesally producing conspicuous postero-lateral processes that are expanded medially, apically setose and clearly more sclerotized on each side on the dorsal margin; from between these processes arises a robust inwardly curved lobe with transverse ridges over surface, apically setose. Subanal plates narrowly rectangular, tapering antero- and posteriorly. Ductus bursae about three times longer than corpus bursae, the latter with a short diverticulum tapering to a point distally ( Fig. 41 View FIGURES 37–47. 37–41 ).

Geographical distribution. Schausiana pharus is known from a wide range of localities between southern Mexico to Costa Rica at altitudes between 900 m to 2,600 m ( Fig. 48 View FIGURE 48 ). The distribution gap between Nicaragua and Costa Rica is considered to represent a lack of collecting for this species.

Host plants. Sugar cane ( Saccharum officinarum ) ( Williams 1935; CENGICAÑA 2007). See remarks.

Etymology. Uncertain, since Druce (1887) did not give any evidence. Likely, it refers formerly to a small island in the Nile delta.

Remarks. Though Schausiana pharus has wing ornamentation similar to Phassus (see Grehan et al. 2018: figs 16–25) species the specialized scales on the veins of the FW and the ♂ and ♀ genitalia (see remarks for description of the genus) leave no doubt to the placement of this species within Schausiana .

Williams (1935) refers to S. pharus as a pest of sugar cane plantations at Escuintla, Guatemala, nicely figuring a ♀ in black and white line drawing. He clearly shows a ♀ that bears black spots in the anal area as the ones found in other Schausiana particularly, S. chalciope sp. n. but with a highly contrasting U-shaped band as found in S. pharus . At present it is not possible to confidently corroborate Williams’s (1935) taxonomic determination because we have been unable to locate any voucher material. Curiously, CENGICAÑA (2007) also records a species of Hepialidae (referred to as Phassus sp.) as a pest of sugar cane at the same locality.