Nicephellus nicephorus (Hewitson, 1876) Austin, 2008

Austin, George T., 2008, Hesperiidae of Rondônia, Brazil: Taxonomic comments on “ night ” skippers, with descriptions of new genera and species (Lepidoptera: Eudaminae), Insecta Mundi 2008 (29), pp. 1-36 : 14-15

Nicephellus nicephorus (Hewitson, 1876) , new combination

( Fig. 40-43 , 114 , 116 , 129 )

Eudamus nicephorus Hewitson, 1876

Dyscophellus nicephorus (Hewitson, 1876) : Evans, 1952 Rondonian material of N. nicephorus (male mean FW length = 29.4 mm [28.0-30.3, n = 4]; female FW length = 33.3 mm [n = 1]) is superficially like the male illustrated in Seitz (1907-1924; see also Cock and Alston-Smith 1990), but the submarginal macules of the dorsal hindwing do not extend as far forward. The harpe of males ( Fig. 114 ) often appears narrower than shown by Evans (1952); its dorsal edge variably bends inward and apparent harpe width depends upon the viewing angle. Evans (1952), however, failed to note characters of N. nicephorus that set the species apart from Dyscophellus , including the processes of the tegumen, the thin and curved caudal end of the aedeagus, and the absence of a cornutus. Female genitalia ( Fig. 116 ) were described above in the generic description. Individuals of both sexes illustrated in Godman and Salvin (1879 -1901) as Bungalotis dexo , as well as the male illustrated in the original description of that taxon (Mabille 1888), exhibit small pale macules extending onto the forewing.

Nicephellus nicephorus is rare in central Rondônia with single records in May, September, and October and four records for August ( Fig. 129 ). The species has been reported from southern Mexico, south into Pará and Paraíba, Brazil, and the upper Amazonian drainage into Peru ( Hoffmann 1941, Evans 1952, de la Maza and de la Maza 1985, Cock and Alston-Smith 1990, Lamas 1994, Warren 2000, Darrault and Schlindwein 2005).

Figures

Figure 38-49. Dyscophellus, Nicephellus, and Euriphellus (from BRAZIL: Rondônia, unless noted otherwise; dorsum and venter of same specimens). 38-39) Dyscophellus sp. (D. diaphorus?) female, COSTA RICA: Alajuela Prov.; Upala Rd., 18.3 km S of Upala, 22 Sep 1987. 40, 43) N. nicephorus female, Fazenda Rancho Grande, 21 Sep 1992. 41-42) N. nicephorus male, Fazenda Rancho Grande, 13 May 1995. 44-45) E. euribates euribates male, Fazenda Rancho Grande, 5 Dec 1991. 46, 49) E. euribates euribates female, Fazenda Rancho Grande, 10 Nov 1995. 47-48) D. mielkei male, Fazenda Rancho Grande, 16 Nov 1994.

Figure 111-114. Male genitalia of Salatis, Euriphellus, Sarmientoia, and Nicephellus (from BRAZIL: Rondônia). Structures shown are lateral, dorsal, and ventral views of tegumen, uncus, gnathos, and associated structures; lateral internal view of right valva; lateral view of aedeagus and associated structures; and ventral view of transtilla and juxta. 111) Salatis salatis (GTA #3487). 112) E. euribates euribates (GTA #1801), including flattened view of caudal end of valva. 113) Sarmientoia similis (GTA #7226), including flattened view of caudal end of valva, lateral view of juxta, and dorsal view of cephalad end of aedeagus. 114) N. nicephorus (GTA #3137), including dorsal and flattened views of caudal end of valva and lateral view of juxta.

Figure 115-116. Female genitalia (ventral view) of Euriphellus and Nicephellus (from BRAZIL: Rondônia). 115) E. euribates euribates (GTA #7221). 116) N. nicephorus (GTA #4309).

Figure 125-130. Phenology of some night skippers from central Rondônia, Brazil. 125-126) Bungalotis species. 127) Dyscophellus species. 128) Salatis salatisand Sarmientoia similis. 129) Nicephellus nicephorus and Euriphellus euribates. 130) Pseudonascus paulliniae and Nascus species.