Cibyra pluriargenteus ( Viette, 1955 )

Duarte, Marcelo, 2017, Description of Limyra, new genus with a new species and the redescription of Cibyra pluriargenteus (Viette), from southeastern Brazil (Lepidoptera: Hepialidae), Zootaxa 4299 (4), pp. 581-591 : 583-585

Cibyra pluriargenteus ( Viette, 1955)

( Figs 2–10 , 16–21 , 32 )

Diagnosis. Characterized by the bilobed posterior edge of the saccus and the spiny posterior process of the tergal lobe in the male genitalia. In addition, by combination of the following characters in the male: contrasting postdiscal area on the forewing, horizontal stigma, and presence of an epiphysis; and in the female: horizontal stigma, presence of an epiphysis, distal labial palpomere twice as long as first segment, and the lamella antevaginalis with its latero-posterior dorsal edge well sclerotized, produced to a sharp and robust tooth-like process in the female genitalia.

Cibyra pluriargenteus closely resembles C. monoargenteus Viette, 1951 , especially by the contrasting postdiscal band and the conspicuous horizontal stigma on the forewing. The female genitalia of both species are quite similar, although the tooth-like processes of the lamella antevaginalis are twice wider and longer in C. pluriargenteus . Although both species are allopatric, their emergence is synchronic in December and January. Despite the overall external similarity, C. pluriargenteus represents a different species group characterized by a distinct bilobed posterior edge of the saccus.

Redescription. Male ( Figs 2–5 , 16, 17 ). Forewing length: 15–16 mm; wingspan: 32–34 mm.

Head. Frons dark brown. Antenna bipectinate with ca. 30 antennomeres. Labial palpus two segmented; palpomeres subequal in size.

Thorax. Legs dark brown, epiphysis present. Forewing dorsally: ground colour brown to orange-brown; wing base including the axillary sclerites covered with straw coloured elongate scales, contrasting from the ground colour; basoproximal and postdiscal areas light grey, contrasting from the ground colour, the latter concave and lined distally; stigma conspicuous, proximal stripe horizontal and longer than the distal ones. Hindwing dorsally: proximately coloured as the forewing base, distally light brown to brown. Fore- and hindwings ventrally: uniformly brown without discernible differentiation.

Abdomen. Proximal part coloured as the basis of the hindwing, distal part as for thorax, with longer scales latero-dorsally at apical part. Sternum VII hourglass shaped ( Fig. 17 ), the distal portion stronger sclerotized laterally. Tergum VIII rectangular, posterior region setose; sternum VIII trapezoid, wider distally, with subsquare posteriorly and a narrow band anteriorly more heavily sclerotized.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 18 ). Tergal lobes ( Kristensen 2003: 105) basally enlarged with a tapered postero-ventral digitate process. Saccus U-shaped, anterior projection twice as wide as long, posterior edge bilobed. Tegumen slightly S-shaped. Pseudotegumen unfused dorsally and ventrally; projected postero-dorsally; ventrally as a ring, expanded, reinforced and ribbed medially. Valvae curved, digitate and apically pointed, inner surface with ridges. Fultura inferior rectangular, bilobed dorsally. Phallus membranous, tube-like when everted, vesica rounded with an antero-ventral tapered projection.

Female ( Figs 6–10 , 19 ). Forewing length: 17–21 mm; wingspan: 35–45 mm. Only the differences from male are mentioned:

Head. Frons dark brown to dark orange-brown. Distal labial palpomere twice as long as first palpomere. Antenna bipectinate and slightly shorter than in male.

Thorax. Legs: like in male. Forewing dorsally: ground colour orange-brown to light grey; basoproximal and postdiscal areas much less contrasting; stigma reduced. Hindwing dorsally: as for the male but paler.

Abdomen. As for the male, but less sclerotized. Tergum VIII membranous, in some cases with a narrow anterior sclerotized stripe, sternum VIII rectangular ( Fig. 19 ).

Female genitalia ( Figs 20, 21 ). Lamella antevaginalis medially slightly sclerotized with its latero-posterior dorsal edge well sclerotized, produced to a sharp and robust tooth-like process; the processes well separated from each other. Ductus bursae tubular, ca. 2 mm long, and corpus bursae, ca. 3 mm long, pyriform.

Distribution. Moths are active at dusk; the same pattern of activity is described for its congeners (see Mielke 2014). Cibyra pluriargenteus is endemic to eastern São Paulo state, known only from the type locality, Salesópolis and Santo Andr municipalities at altitudes ranging from 800 to 1,600 m ( Fig. 32 ). It is sympatric with C. endyra Mielke, 2014 , C. ochracea Mielke, 2014 , and C. tesselata Mielke, 2014 .

Host plant. Unknown.

Remarks. Viette (1955) described C. pluriargenteus based on two male specimens from Alto da Serra, Santo Andr, São Paulo. In addition, the third male was found in the Collection Father Jesus S. Moure, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Paran, Curitiba, Paran, Brazil (DZUP), the fourth in the Entomological Collection of Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (CEIOC), and now, a large series is recorded from higher elevation areas in Campos do Jordão, approximately 120 km from the type locality. In the original description, only the male genitalia were figured by a line drawing. In this paper for the first time we presented, characterized and illustrated the adults of male and female and the female genitalia.

Examined type material. Holotype male: / Xytrops pluriargenteus n. sp., Holotype ♂, P. Viette, P. E. L. Viette det./ Alto da Serra , S. Paulo, Jan., 1923 (R. Spitz) / Type/ TYPE/ P. Viette gen. ♂ no. 2296/ B.M . male, Genitalia slide, No. 4711/ Rothschild Bequest B.M. 1939-1/ ( NHMUK).

Additional material. Total 16 males, 6 females.

Brazil: 9 males and 3 females: São Paulo, Campos do Jordão., P. E. C. Jordão, Paiol Road , S 22°41'10.4'' S, 45°28'51''W., 09–10.XII.2016, J. Lastra, R. Dell’Erba, & R. O. Silva leg., MZSP 30.625 , MZSP 30.627 , MZSP 30.629 , MZSP 30.631 , MZSP 31.777 , MZSP 31.778 , MZSP 31.779 , MZSP 31.780 , MZSP 31.781 , MZSP 31.782 , MZSP 31.783 , MZSP 31.777 (all in MZSP) ; 5 males and 3 females, Campos do Jordão., P. E. C. Jordão, Track Canhambora , S 22°41'38.9'' S, 45°29'28.5''W., 07–08.XII.2016, J. Lastra, R. Dell’Erba, & R. O. Silva leg., MZSP 30.626 , MZP 30.628 , MZSP 30.630 , MZSP 31.785 , MZSP 31.786 , MZSP 31.787 , MZSP 31.788 , MZSP 31.789 (all in MZSP) ; 1 male, São Paulo, Ipiranga , 24.I.1944, D´ Almeida leg., DZ 15.608 ( DZUP) ; 1 male, Santo Antônio do Pinhal, Estação Eugênio Lefèvre , no date, Travassos, Oiticica, & Travassos F. leg., IOC 1802 , ( CEIOC)).

Figures

FIGURE 32. Geographical distribution of Cibyra pluriargenteus (red circle) and Limyra silvai sp. nov. (blue star) in southeastern Brazil.

FIGURES 2 − 10. Cibyra pluriargenteus. 2, male holotype, dorsal view; 3, male, dorsal view (MZSP 30.631); 4, male, ventral view (MZSP 30.631); 5, male, dorsal view (MZSP 30.629); 6, female, dorsal view (MZSP 30.626); 7, female, ventral view (MZSP 30.626); 8, female, dorsal view (MZSP 30.625); 9, female, dorsal view (MZSP 30.628); 10, female, dorsal view (MZSP 30.627). Scale bar = 1 cm.

FIGURES 16 − 21. Cibyra pluriargenteus. 16 − 17. Male abdomen (MZSP 30.629): 16, upper dorsal, lower ventral view; 17, tergum and sternum VII and VIII; 18, Male genitalia, ventral view (MZSP 30.629); 19, Female tergum and sternum VII and VIII (MZSP 30.626); 20 − 21, Female genitalia: 20, lateral view (MZSP 30.625); 21, posterior view (MZSP 30.626). Scale bar = 1 mm.