Digonis punctifera Butler, 1882

Ramos-González, Mario I., Venegas-González, María Francisca, Zamora-Manzur, Carlos & Parra, Luis E., 2024, Revision of the genus Digonis (Lepidoptera, Geometridae): new species and new genera, ZooKeys 1216, pp. 173-200 : 173-200

Digonis punctifera Butler, 1882

Figs 2 K, L , 5

Digonis punctifera Butler, 1882: 363; Bartlett-Calvert 1886: 333; Angulo and Casanueva 1981: 12; Pitkin 2002: 248.

Digonis punctifera acuminata Butler, 1882: 363; Bartlett-Calvert 1886: 333; Angulo and Casanueva 1981: 12; Pitkin 2002: 248. syn. nov.

Digonis punctifera fumosa Butler, 1882: 363; Bartlett-Calvert 1886: 333; Angulo and Casanueva 1981: 12; Pitkin 2002: 248. syn. nov.

Digonis punctifera maculosa Butler, 1882: 363; Bartlett-Calvert 1886: 333; Angulo and Casanueva 1981: 12; Pitkin 2002: 248. syn. nov.

Digonis punctifera terranea Butler, 1882: 363; Bartlett-Calvert 1886: 333; Angulo and Casanueva 1981: 12; Pitkin 2002: 248. syn. nov.

Material examined.

Syntypes. Chile • 1 male; Valparaíso ; T. Edmonds Leg; “ Type ” [labeled]; “ Chili, 82-107 ” [labeled]; NHMUK • 1 female; Valparaíso ; T. Edmonds leg.; “ var. acuminata ” [labeled]; “ Type ” [labeled]; “ Chili, 82-107 ” [labeled]; NHMUK • 1 male; Valparaíso ; T. Edmonds leg.; “ var. fumosa ” [labeled]; “ Type ” [labeled]; “ Chili, 82-107 ” [labeled]; NHMUK • 2 females; same data as for preceding but “ var. maculosa ” [labeled]; “ Type ” [labeled]; “ Chili, 82-107 ” [labeled]; all NHMUK • 1 male; same data as for preceding but “ var. terranea ” [labeled]; “ Type ” [labeled]; “ Chili, 82-107 ” [labeled]; NHMUK .

Other material examined.

Chile — Limarí Prov. • Ovalle, Quebrada Seca ; 28 / 29-XI-1997; ZSM • 1 female; Ovalle, Los Molles ; 16 / 19-X-1994; ZSM . — Petorca Prov. • 1 male and 1 female; Cachagua, Quebrada Aguas Claras ; 5-III-1997; ZSM . — Valparaíso Prov. • 1 female; Viña del Mar ; 4-IV-1953; “ Mirg- 011 ” [genitalia slide]; MNNC . • 3 males and 1 female; Valparaíso ; 10-III-2006; H. Thoeny leg.; ZSM . — Diguillín Prov. • 1 male; Las Trancas ; 8-II-2011; G. Moreno leg.; MZUC-UCCC .

Additional records.

Chile. — Limarí Prov. • P. N. Fray Jorge; - 30.658155, - 71.66439; 21 - VII- 2016; observed by Bastian Riveros and submitted to iNaturalist in: https://inaturalist.mma.gob.cl/observations/87956647.

Diagnosis.

Externally, D. punctifera is characterized by the presence of a sinuous postmedial band that follows the shape of the wing’s outer margin. The female genitalia are distinguished by a ductus bursae that is half the length of the corpus bursae and posterior apophyses five times longer than the anterior apophyses.

Redescription.

Male (Fig. 2 K ). Head: antennae slightly serrate; palpi long, one-third longer than the eye diameter and slightly pointing upward; frons and vertex covered with mottled grayish brown scales. Thorax: patagia covered with elongated grayish brown and dark brown scales; tegulae covered with piliform scales of same color as patagia; tibial spur formula 0-2 - 4. Forewings: subtriangular with acute apex and outer margin excavated between apex and M 3, with slight mucronate extension; fovea absent; background color variable, ranging from yellowish brown to dark brown, with numerous small blackish spots scattered on surface; antemedial band faint, brownish dark, Σ-shaped; postmedial band dark brown, sinuous following the shape of the wing’s outer margin, with a strip or whitish points toward the distal margin, not visible on ventral surface; subterminal band diffuse and marked only by dark spots in subapical region, at the level of medial veins and on anal margin; discal spot visible, punctiform, and blackish. Hindwings: subrectangular with small mucronate apex at the level of M 3; background color grayish brown; postmedial band dark brown, zigzagging, slightly smoky, and marked by blackish spots at the level of veins, also visible on ventral surface; discal spot visible, punctiform, and blackish. Male genitalia. Unknown.

Female (Fig. 2 L ). Similar to male but with simple filiform antennae and more defined antemedial band, also Σ-shaped. Female genitalia (Fig. 5 ). Ductus bursae half the length of the corpus bursae; lamella antevaginalis sclerotized; corpus bursae membranous, subpyriform with an annular, hollow, strongly denticulated signum anteriorly, located to the right of the corpus bursae; posterior apophyses five times longer than the anterior apophyses.

Distribution.

This species is found between the Limarí and Diguillín provinces. It is distributed in parts of the biogeographic provinces of Coquimbo and Santiago, Central Chilean subregion; Maule, Subantarctic subregion, Andean region.

Flight period.

Specimens were captured or observed in February, March, April, July, October, and November. There are no records for other months.

Figures

Figure 2. Habitus of Digonis adults A Digonis aspersa (male in dorsal view) B Digonis aspersa (male brown-morpho in dorsal view) C Digonis aspersa (male brown-morpho in ventral view) D Digonis aspersa (female in dorsal view) E Digonis cervinaria, stat. rev. (male olivaceous-morpho in dorsal view) F Digonis cervinaria, stat. rev. (male olivaceous-morpho in ventral view) G Digonis cervinaria, stat. rev. (male fuscous-morpho in dorsal view) H Digonis cervinaria, stat. rev. (female in dorsal view) I Digonis cervinaria, stat. rev. (female olivaceous-morpho in ventral view) J Digonis cervinaria, stat. rev. (female brown-morpho in ventral view) K Digonis punctifera (male in dorsal view; photo courtesy of A. Hausmann) L Digonis punctifera (female in dorsal view) M Digonis gungnir Ramos-González & Parra, sp. nov. (holotype in dorsal view) N Digonis apocrypha Ramos-González & Parra, sp. nov. (holotype in dorsal view) O Digonis apocrypha Ramos-González & Parra, sp. nov. (holotype in ventral view) P Phasmadigonis alba, comb. nov. (male in dorsal view) Q Gugnelve butleri Ramos-González & Parra, sp. nov. (holotype in dorsal view) R Gugnelve butleri Ramos-González & Parra, sp. nov. (allotype in dorsal view). Scale bar: 10 mm.

Figure 5. Female genitalia of Digonis punctifera. Scale bar: 1 mm.