Disphragis sobolis Miller, 2011

Sullivan, J. Bolling & Pogue, Michael G., 2014, The Disphragis notabilis (Schaus) species-group in Costa Rica (Lepidoptera, Notodontidae), ZooKeys 421, pp. 21-38 : 27-29

Taxon classification Animalia Lepidoptera Notodontidae

Disphragis sobolis Miller, 2011 Figs 12, 16, 20, 24

Disphragis sobolis Miller, 2011. In Miller and Thiaucourt 2011, Annals of the Entomological Society of America 104: 1058.

Type locality.

Ecuador.

Description.

Male. (Fig. 12) Head -labial palpus upturned, mahogany brown on basal segment, medial segment with cream scaling along distal margin, particularly near the terminus, and apical segment mostly cream scaled with scattered brown scales. Denuded medial segment 2.6 × length of apical segment. Eye round, large, surrounded tightly with scaling. Front scaling mostly cream with scattered brown scales. Vertex with additional brown scales among cream scaling. Scape with cream and brown scaling, white scaling extending onto antennal shaft for about 14-18 segments. Antenna bipectinated basally for 33 segments then with minute basal seta on segments to tip (68 segments). Rami noticeably longer than in Disphragis hemicera , longest 0.59 mm. Thorax a blend of brown and cream scales giving a tan appearance. Metathorax bearing a central white spot with row of darker brown scales anteriorly. Abdomen with appressed brown scaling. Forewing (19.3 mm, n = 5) elongate, rounded apically and with broad light brown subcostal streak from base of wing to apex. Streak encloses chocolate reniform spot and has several slightly darker brown lines crossing obliquely from costa. Brown scaling throughout as well as several black streaks. Basal dash below streak perpendicular to thorax and greatly reduced in length. White streak below dash; warm brown patch distal to white streak bordered by white; AM and PM lines wavy. Distinct brown line bisecting warm brown patch. Chocolate shading from middle of forewing below costal streak and forming a wedge to margin (below costal streak to anal angle) more extensive than in Disphragis hemicera . Prominent gray crescent on lower half of margin with distinct brown band inward to PM line. Hind wing uniformly fuscous with brown anal markings almost a spot. Light streak along anal edge. Underside of forewing fuscous with yellowish subapical crescent along costa. Basal half of hind wing yellowish, no well-differentiated margin. Legs a mixture of brown and white scales, appearing almost yellowish with white scales forming rings at distal end of tarsal joints. Tibial spines 0-2-4. Male genitalia (Figs 16, 20) (5 dissections). Uncus lightly sclerotized and rounded, turning 90 degrees ventrally and forming a much smaller setose pad than in Disphragis hemicera . Socii small but 2 × larger than in Disphragis hemicera , upturned and pointed slightly, blade-like. Tegumen broad, triangular similar in size to vinculum. Valve elongated, rounded at tip and costal half sclerotized. Anal half of valve membranous and enclosing deciduous hair-like scent scales. Distal third of valve considerably enlarged dorsally then gradually narrowing. Second narrowing of sclerotized subcostal area 1/3 distance from base, a rounded projection, more heavily sclerotized. Juxta shovel shaped with handle toward aedeagus. Vinculum rounded to saccus. Aedeagus long, narrow and with basal 2/3 membranous, aedeagus present. Distal 1/3 sclerotized with prominent basal process. Vesica tube-like emerging dorsally then turning 90° to plane of aedeagus. Distinct lateral diverticulum to left of midpoint. Cornuti absent. Ctenophore absent on pelt. Eighth tergite broadly rounded, slightly sclerotized and crenulated medially at distal end. Eighth sternite lightly sclerotized with "happy face" consisting of two membranous flaps for “eyes” and a broad anterior one for “mouth.” Anterior edge tapers to blunt, indented terminus. Female. (Fig. 12) Female similar to male only larger and with fasciculate antennae. Female genitalia (Fig. 24) (3 dissections). Papillae anales bluntly rounded, slightly setose. Extension of 9th tergite forming dorsal flap in Disphragis bifurcata and Disphragis notabilis greatly reduced to small crescent in Disphragis sobolis . Anterior apophysis short, 25% as long as posterior apophysis. Genital plate small, elongated, consisting of a middle phalanx with lateral “wings” from base. Phalanx longer than in other related species. Tip of phalanx forming a Y-shape. Ductus bursae slightly shorter than corpus bursae, narrow and tending to twist, unsclerotized. Corpus bursae egg shaped with large signum on dorsal surface. Signum shield-like, about half as long as corpus bursae. Signum egg shaped with stipulated lateral flanges below midpoint. Proximal margin lightly sclerotized and faintly stippled.

Barcodes.

One specimen has been barcoded and differs from that of Disphragis hemicera by a minimum of 6.13%, from Disphragis bifurcata by a minimum of 5.78%, and from Disphragis notabilis by a minimum of 4.78%. The haplotype (11-MISC-495) is:

AACTTTATATTTTATTTTTGGAATTTGAGCAGGAATAGTAGGAACCTCTTTAAGTCTCCTAATTCGTGCTGAATTAGGAACCCCCGGGACTTTAATTGGAGATGATCAAATTTATAATACTATTGTAACAGCTCATGCTTTTATTATAATTTTTTTTATAGTAATACCCATTATAATTGGAGGATTTGGTAATTGATTAGTTCCTCTAATATTAGGAGCTCCAGATATAGCTTTCCCACGAATAAATAATATAAGTTTTTGATTATTACCCCCCTCTCTAATACTTTTAATTTCAAGAAGTATTGTAGAAAATGGAGCAGGAACAGGATGAACAGTTTACCCCCCACTGTCATCAAACATTGCTCATAGAGGAAGATCTGTTGATTTAGCTATTTTTTCCCTTCACTTAGCAGGTATTTCATCAATTTTAGGAGCTATTAATTTTATTACAACAATTATTAATATACGATTAAATAACATATCTTTTGATCAAATACCTTTATTTGTTTGAGCTGTAGGAATTACTGCTTTTTTACTTTTACTCTCTCTTCCAGTATTAGCAGGAGCTATTACTATATTATTAACCGATCGTAATTTAAATACATCTTTTTTTGACCCCGCTGGGGGAGGAGATCCTATTTTATATCAACATTTATTT

Distribution.

This species appears to be limited to the eastern slopes of the Andes from Bolivia to Villavicencio, Colombia.

Remarks.

Disphragis sobolis was recently described from Ecuador; the species appears to have a much greater geographical range and occurs to almost 3000 m. The lower altitude limits of its range are undefined, as is the southern boundary.