Pseudopharus reniforma Vincent, 2011

Vincent, Benoit, 2011, Two new species of Arctiidae (Lepidoptera) from Peru, Zootaxa 3108 (1), pp. 64-68 : 65-68

Pseudopharus reniforma Vincent , new species

Figs. 3 , 10 , 12

Type material. Holotype, male: Peru, Route Lima-Pucallpa , Carpish Pass, 2700 m, 17 & 21-XI-1979, T. Porion leg., genital prep. BV 398; in coll MNHN n° Ent.Lep.H 537 . Paratypes: 1 male, same data as holotype, in coll MNHN n° Ent.Lep.H536. 1 male, Peru, Junin, Route Comas à Satipo km 105,3; 4,2 kms après Calabaza , 1900m, 28-II-2009, S 11°29’58,2’’ W 74°48’23,2’’, B. Vincent leg., in BVC . 1 male, Peru, Huanuco, Carpish , 2000–2800m, IV-2009, R . Marx leg., in coll BVC.

Etymology. The name is derived from the black and contrasting forewing reniform spot, a character unique to this taxon within the genus Pseudopharus .

FIGURES 7–8. Lateral view of penis. 7. Bernathomonus postrosea holotype; 8. Bernathomonus aureopuncta . FIGURE 9. Female genitalia of Bernathomonus postrosea paratype (prep gen B. Vincent no. BV 418).

FIGURES 12–13. Lateral view of penis. 12. Pseudopharus reniforma holotype. 13. Pseudopharus cornelia .

Description. Male. Wingspan 46–48 mm; Head: Labial palpi black, curved upward, third segment shorter than first two. Frons, vertex, scape, antenna and pectinations black. Thorax: Patagia and tegulae entirely black with long scales. Thorax dorsally black with long scales, ventrally black with orange and yellow scales at the insertion areas of each pair of legs. These areas are merged with the middle and posterior pairs. Legs entirely black. Abdomen: Black ringed with yellow with the basal tergites covered with long black scales similar to those of the thorax. Black ventrally. Anal tuft black. Forewing: Length: 22 mm. Ground colour light brown, slightly darker in the subterminal area. Venation darker and contrasting. Basal third of the costa yellowish. Reniform spot black. Ventral surface entirely brown, reniform spot slightly marked. Fringe brown. Hindwing: Whitish, with strongly contrasting brown venation. Anal margin slightly darker. Fringe brown. Male genitalia ( Fig. 10 ) – Uncus straight, very long and thin. Tegumen short, formed by two ridges. Vinculum formed by two arms, thin and right. A broad, foliated and slightly sclerotized band along the dorsal face of these arms. The apex of this band, round and finely spinous, reaches the base of the uncus. Valves wide at the base, tapering significantly at the height of the uncus in the form of a long thin cylinder. Inner surface covered with numerous long setae. On the costa is an elongated ampulla parallel to the valves. The structure is more sclerotized and slightly shorter and the apex is marked with four sclerotized teeth. Sacculus very broad and ventrally bent. Transtilla reduced and formed of two small sclerotized ribs. Penis short, abruptly narrowed at the middle with one half slightly curved and apically flared (Fig. 12). Caecum penis reduced. Vesica very large, cylindrical and bearing short diverticula without cornuti. Female: unknown.

Remarks. This new species is similar to Pseudopharus cornelia ( Druce, 1906) , described from Santo Domingo, Peru ( Fig. 4 ), but it can be distinguished from that species by the following differences: light blue dots on the occiput and at the insertion area on the wings. White median dots on the posterior edge of the thorax, forewing shorter than 20 mm. Thorax ventrally black, hindwing with costa, apex and black on the outer edge. In the male genitalia ( Fig. 11 and 13), the uncus apex is club-shaped with an apical point, the valves are large with a bifurcated apex, the cuculus is translucent and rounded, the ampulla are as long as valves, marked ventrally by numerous spines, bent at the apex.

Acknowledgement. I thank Jérôme Barbut (MNHN), Alessandro Guisti (BMNH) and Martin Honey (BMNH) for their hospitality during my visits at their institutions; Juan Grados (Museo de Historia Natural, Peru, Lima) for his help during my fieldwork in Peru in 2009. Four external reviewers, one anonymous, Lawrence Gall, Michel Laguerre and Antoine Lévêque provided valuable suggestions on the manuscript.

Figures

FIGURES 1–4. Adult dorsal view. 1. Bernathomonus postrosea male holotype. 2. Bernathomonus aureopuncta male. 3. Pseudopharus reniforma male holotype. 4. Pseudopharus cornelia male.

FIGURES 10–11. Dorsal view of male genitalia. 10. Pseudopharus reniforma holotype (prep gen B. Vincent no. BV 398). 11. Pseudopharus cornelia (prep gen B. Vincent no. BV 409).