Panca moseri Dolibaina, Carneiro & O. Mielke

Dolibaina, Diego Rodrigo, Carneiro, Eduardo, Mielke, Olaf Hermann Hendrik, Casagrande, Mirna Martins & Lamas, Gerardo, 2017, Monotypic no longer: a new species of Panca Evans (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae: Hesperiinae: Moncini) from South America, Zootaxa 4269 (1), pp. 124-132 : 125-129

Panca moseri Dolibaina, Carneiro & O. Mielke sp. nov.

( Figs 1–4 , 13 , 16 )

Artines sp. n.; Lamas, 1994, in Foster et al. RAP Working Papers 6: 183.

Diagnosis. Panca moseri sp. nov. is distinguished from P. subpunctuli ( Figs 5–8 , 14 , 17 ) by: 1—ground color of both wings darker, without a paler apical area in the male DFW; 2—VHW with the postdiscal spots well marked (reduced or absent in P. subpunctuli ) ( Figs 5–8 ); 3—VHW with a dark brown submarginal line always present (absent in P. subpunctuli ); 4—VHW with the spot at the end of the discal cell well-marked, dark brown (inconspicuous or absent in P. subpunctuli ); 5—fenestra longer; 6—tip of the uncus shallowly bifid; 7—valva narrower; 8—ampulla laterally not curved inward; 9—dorsal projection of harpe triangular and not inclined laterally; 10—distal projection of harpe longer; 11—aedeagus narrower and without two long dorsal projections at the distal margin; 12—cornuti as several thin spine-like structures (single cornutus in P. subpunctuli ); 13—lateral plates of the lamella antevaginalis smaller; 14—lamella postvaginalis rectangular in ventral view, distally as wide as the base, and the cylindrical ventral projection smaller; 15—tergum VIII shorter. In addition, P. moseri sp. nov. shares a similar size and color pattern with the sympatric Vidius mictra Evans, 1955 ( Figs 9–12 ), and with the parapatric Artines acroleuca (Plötz, 1884) ( Dolibaina et al. 2015, figs 17–20) and A. mirnae Mielke, Dolibaina, Carneiro & Warren, 2015 ( Dolibaina et al. 2015, figs 13–16), from which P. moseri sp. nov. is distinguished by the absence of three purple to pale-brown spots on the VHW: one in the discal cell, close to its end, and two below the discal cell, one at the origin of CuA2 and other in CuA2–2A.

Description. Head: Brown, pale brown at the center of the frons, in the paraocular area and at the base of the antennae. Labial palpus densely covered with thin and long scales; first segment whitish, subtriangular and short; second segment medially whitish in ventral view, mixed with brown scales at the tip, cylindrical, about four times as long as first; third segment brown, thin and pointed, about 3/4 the length of the second segment, projected upward and covered by short, compact scales. Antenna about 50% the length of the forewing costa; dorsally brown, ventrally pale brown; club longer than apiculus, brown, ventrally paler; nudum dark rufous, 12–13 segments (n=6), restricted to apiculus. Female antenna about 46% the length of the forewing costa (allotype only).

Thorax: Dark brown. Legs brown dorsad, whitish ventrad; mesotibia with a longitudinal row of three short spines on inner surface and one pair of distal spurs, outer spur 2/3 the length of the inner; metatibia smooth, with two pairs of spurs, one at the mid-length of metatibia, other at the distal margin, outer spur 2/3 the length of the inner.

Forewing: Length 11.8 mm (male holotype), 12 mm (female allotype); costal margin almost straight; apex weakly obtuse and rounded; outer margin convex; tornus obtuse and rounded; anal margin straight. DFW ground color brown; triangular brand in Cubitus–CuA2, never reaching the origin of CuA2, distal margin rounded, covered with several narrow and short dark brown scales; two postdiscal, pale brown, rectangular spots in M3–CuA1 and CuA1–CuA2 (absent in some specimens); fringe brown. VFW ground color brown, darker from the inferior half of discal cell to anal margin; six postdiscal, whitish to light purple spots, from R4 to CuA2, narrower in R4–M1, rectangular in M1–CuA1 and circular in CuA1–CuA2, distally surrounded by a narrow dark brown to black spot, except in CuA1–CuA2; submarginal pale brown to light purple band, from R4 to CuA2, wider in R4–M1, proximally surrounded by a disjoint C-shaped dark brown line from R4 to CuA1, between this line and the postdiscal spots there is a pale brown band; marginal line dark brown; fringe pale brown.

Hind wing: Costal margin convex, abruptly curved toward apex; apex rounded; outer margin convex; tornus obtuse and rounded; anal margin straight. DHW ground color brown; fringe brown. VHW ground color brown, pale brown in 2A–3A; two discal, dark brown, narrow spots internally surrounding the end of discal cell, the inferior distally surrounded by a thin, whitish to light purple spot (absent in some specimens); six postdiscal, whitish to light purple spots, from Rs to 2A, longer than wide in Rs–M1, four times wider than long in M1–M3, slightly shorter than wide in M1–CuA1 and CuA2–2A, and as long as wide in CuA1–CuA2, all distally surrounded by a dark, circular spot, more developed in Rs–M1 and M3–CuA2, reduced in M1–M3 and CuA2–2A; submarginal, pale brown to purple band from Rs to CuA2, wider in Rs–M1, proximally surrounded by a disjoint C-shaped dark brown line, between this line and the black postdiscal spots, there is a row of pale brown, semicircular spots; marginal line dark brown; fringe pale brown. Female with both discal cell spots distally surrounded by a light purple spot (in some specimens).

Abdomen: Dorsally brown; ventrally cream, with a narrow continuous brown line in the middle.

Male genitalia: Tegumen wider than long, with a narrow, pointed, median distal process. Fenestra wide, cordate. Ventral tegumen arm and dorsal arm of saccus fused, narrow, with an “elbow” at the middle. Anterior projection of saccus slender, as long as tegumen+uncus, base as wide as tegumen, median portion narrower, anterior margin broad and angled. Uncus longer than tegumen, shallowly bifid, distally narrowed, with distal bifid projections. Gnathos as long as uncus, divided, arms curved dorsally, with a sharp dorsal indentation at the final third, slender and up turned, and an ovoid membranous area at the center. Fultura inferior narrow and short, dorsally disjoint, base with a short and narrow anterior projection. Valva four times as long as wide, proximal margin narrow and strongly inclined distad; costa short and narrow; sacculus triangular, wider at base of valva, narrowed distally; harpe longer than wide, with a long and narrow distal projection, and a triangular, robust, dorsal projection; ampulla irregular, longer than wide, ventrally fused to harpe by a narrow projection, dorsal margin with a short pointed distal projection. Aedeagus slender, coecum rounded, slightly left turned; ejaculatory bulb opening ovoid, longer than wide; distal portion of aedeagus with dorsal sharply indentation; distal opening of the aedeagus dorsal, distal margin with lateral and median rounded lobes, given a trifid aspect; cornuti as numerous thin spines.

Female genitalia: Tergum VIII narrow, subrectangular, with lower proximal margin and upper distal margin projected, spiracular opening complete. Papilla analis rectangular, longer than wide, with a narrow posterior apophysis as long as papilla analis; sterigma broad, longer than wide. Lamella antevaginalis narrow, with two lateral free plates and a central rectangular plate fused to lamella postvaginalis. Lamella postvaginalis broad, distal margin slightly concave, rounded margins, two lateral indentations at the middle, a robust tubular process at the center, ventrally projected; ostium bursae semicircular, at inferior portion of lamella postvaginalis’ tubular process. Bursa copulatrix about four times as long as sterigma; ductus bursae membranous, folded in spiral, with two internal plates covered by spines; corpus bursae elongate (about 80% the length of the bursa copulatrix), with two lateral lines of signa composed by small and thin sclerotized spicules.

Type Material. Holotype male with the following labels: / HOLOTYPUS / Pilão de Pedra, São José dos Pinhais, P [a]R[aná, Brazil] 6-II-1993 850 m O. & C. Mielke leg. / OM 34.643 / Holotypus Panca moseri Dolibaina, Carneiro & O. Mielke det. 2016/. DZUP .

Allotype female with the following labels: / ALLOTYPUS / [Parque Estadual de] Vila Velha, Ponta Grossa, P [a]R[aná], Brasil 900m 13-V-2002 Mielke leg. / DZ 27.511 / Allotype Panca moseri Dolibaina, Carneiro & O. Mielke det. 2016 /. DZUP .

Paratypes. PERU— Madre de Dios: Santuario Nacional Pampas del Heath, (Refugio Juliaca), 12° 57’S, 68° 53’W, 220m, 15-VI-1992 1 male *, 19-VI-1992 1 female, G. Lamas leg. ( MUSM). BOLIVIA— Beni: 40 Km E from San Borja (Estación Biológica Beni, Estancia El Porvenir ), 6–8-IX-1987, W. E. Steiner leg . 1 male * and 1 female * ( USNM). BRAZIL— Paraná: Colombo , 3-XII-1970, Mielke & Lauterjung leg . 1 female (DZ 27.398*); Guarapuava ( Fazenda Três Capões ), 4-II-2008, Dolibaina leg . 1 male (DD 199); Palmeira ( Colônia Witmarsum ), 3-III- 1 987, O. & C. Mielke leg . 1 male (OM 13.594); Ponta Grossa ( Parque Estadual de Vila Velha ), 1-V-1966, Mielke & Laroca leg . 1 male (DZ 27.395), 1-III-1987, O. & C. Mielke leg. 1 male (OM 52.303*), 2-III-1987, O. & C. Mielke leg. 1 female (OM 13.573), 900m, 13-V-2002, Mielke leg. 1 female (DZ 27.420); São José dos Pinhais ( Pilão de Pedra ), 18-II-1982, Mielke & Casagrande leg . 1 male (DZ 27.493), 1 female (DZ 30.160), 850m, 7-II- 1992, Mielke leg. 1 female (OM 28.835), 6-II-1993, O. & C. Mielke leg. 2 males (OM 34.649, OM 34.619), 6-II- 2010, O. Mielke leg. 2 females (DZ 30.159, DZ 30.161), 4-II-2014, Mielke & Dolibaina leg. 2 females (DZ 30.156, DZ 31.204), 24-II-2015, Dolibaina leg. 3 males (DD 200, DD 201, DD 202) and 4 females (DD 203, DD 204, DD 205, DD 206), Warren leg. 1 male (ADW), 10-II-2016, Dolibaina & Warren leg. 1 female (DD 274); Tibagi ( Boa Vista ), 1100m, 11-II-2006, C. Mielke & A. Moser leg . 1 female (OM 67.326).

Etymology. We are happy to dedicate this new species to our friend Alfred Moser, in recognition of his extensive contribution to the knowledge of Neotropical Lepidoptera , especially Lycaenidae , and to his continuous contributions to our studies, sharing relevant specimens and information.

Distribution. This new species has only been recorded from natural grassland dry areas of Atlantic Forest in Brazil (Paraná) and from tropical savanna habitats in Peru (Madre de Dios) and Bolivia (Beni).

Behavior. Males and females of P. moseri sp. nov. were found flying slowly among grasses or resting on them between 9:00–12:00h. As some females were observed in a typical fly searching for host plant during the midmorning it is assumed that the time of activity of the species is restricted to the first half of the day.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 12. Species of Panca and Uidius in dorsal (left) and ventral (right) views. 1 – 4. P. moseri sp. nov., (1 – 2) male holotype, (3 – 4) female allotype. 5 – 8. P. subpunctuli, (5 – 6) male from Arroio Tiririca, Bom Jesus da Serra, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil (DZ 24.775), (7 – 8) female from Bela Vista, Vacaria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil (DZ 30.176). 9 – 12. U. mictra, (9 – 10) male from 30 Km E Tibagi, Tibagi, Paraná, Brazil (DZ 25.285), (11 – 12) female from Parque Estadual de Vila Velha, Ponta Grossa, Paraná, Brazil (OM 22.037). Scale bar = 1 cm.

FIGURES 13 – 15. Male genitalia of species of Panca and Uidius. 13. P. moseri sp. nov., paratype (OM 52.303). 14. P. subpunctuli, male from Rio Lava-tudo, São Joaquim, Santa Catarina, Brazil (DZ 31.313). 15. U. mictra, male from Parque Estadual de Vila Velha, Ponta Grossa, Paraná, Brazil (DZ 189). Left lateral view of the tegumen, uncus, gnathos and saccus; left lateral view of the fultura inferior; ventral view of the saccus; dorsal view of the tegumen and uncus; left and right lateral views of the right valva; aedeagus in dorsal, left lateral, ventral and right lateral views. Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURES 16 – 18. Female genitalia of species of Panca and Uidius. 16. P. moseri sp. nov., paratype (DZ 27.398). 17. P. subpunctuli, female from Rio Lava-tudo, São Joaquim, Santa Catarina, Brazil (DZ 31.752). 18. U. mictra, female from Pilão de Pedra, São José dos Pinhais, Paraná, Brazil (OM 41.910). From top to bottom: left lateral view of the tergum VIII; ventral view of the sterigma and bursa copulatrix. The thin line inside the bursa copulatrix represents the area with signa. Scale bar = 1 mm.