Dunama jessiehillae Chacon

Chacon, Isidro A., Janzen, Daniel H., Hallwachs, Winnie, J. Bolling Sullivan, & Hajibabaei, Mehrdad, 2013, Cryptic species within cryptic moths: new species of Dunama Schaus (Notodontidae, Nystaleinae) in Costa Rica, ZooKeys 264, pp. 11-45 : 15-19

Dunama jessiehillae Chacon sp. n. Figs 7-14, 74, 79-81

Type material.

Holotype male:99-SRNP-4120 (Dissected,COI Barcoded),Costa Rica, Prov. Alajuela,Sector San Cristobal, Sendero Vivero 10.86739, -85.38744, 730 m, 29 January 1999, Gloria Sihezar (INBio). Paratypes: Male:07-SRNP-23691 (COI Barcoded), Costa Rica, Prov. Guanacaste, Sector del Oro, Rio Chon 11.04118, -85.44170, 320 m, 28 September 2007, Elieth Cantillano. Female: 04-SRNP-42836 (COI Barcoded), Costa Rica, Prov. Alajuela, Sector Rincon Rain Forest, Sendero Rincon 10.8962, -85.27769, 430 m, 16 December 2004, Jose Perez. Female: 99-SRNP-4126.. (COI Barcoded), Costa Rica, Prov. Alajuela, Sector San Cristobal, Sendero Vivero 10.86739, -85.38744, 730 m, 29 January 1999, Gloria Sihezar. Male: 99-SRNP-4116 (COI Barcoded), Costa Rica, Prov. Alajuela, Sector San Cristobal, Sendero Vivero 10.86739, -85.38744, 730 m, 1 February 1999, Gloria Sihezar. Female: 99-SRNP-4118 (COI Barcoded), Costa Rica, Prov. Alajuela, Sector San Cristobal, Sendero Vivero 10.86739, -85.38744, 730 m, 28 January 1999, Gloria Sihezar. Female: 07-SRNP-23698 (COI Barcoded), Costa Rica, Prov. Guanacaste, Sector del Oro, Rio Chon 11.04118, -85.44170, 320 m, 27 September 2007, Elieth Cantillano. Male: 08-SRNP-41651 (COI Barcoded), Costa Rica, Prov. Alajuela, Sector Rincon Rain Forest, Quebrada Escondida 10.89928, -85.27486, 420 m, 2 September 2008, Anabelle Cordoba. Male: 05-SRNP-43080 (Dissected, COI Barcoded), Costa Rica, Prov. Alajuela,Sector Rincon Rain Forest, Anonas 10.90528, -85.27882, 405 m, 2 November 2005, Jose Perez.

Other material examined.

Barcoded: 198 specimens that divided into four haplotypes with slight differences from the most common haplotype (163 specimens) of 0.13% or less; we do not consider these differences to be of species-level significance and many are due to slightly shorter barcode sequences. No specimens from Heredia Province were barcoded. Museum specimens: (45 specimens) 2♂ 3♀ Guanacaste, 20♂ 10♀ Alajuela, 10♂ Heredia. Dissections: 1♂ 2♀ Guanacaste, 2♂ 1♀ Alajuela, 2♂ Heredia. INBio, USNM, JBS. Janzen & Hallwachs vouchers of reared specimens. Male: 07-SRNP-23702 (COI Barcoded), Costa Rica, Prov. Guanacaste, Sector del Oro, Rio Chon 11.04118, -85.44170, 320 m, 28 September 2007, Elieth Cantillano. Male: 04-SRNP-42845 (COI Barcoded), Costa Rica, Prov. Alajuela, Sector San Cristobal, Sendero Vivero 10.86739, -85.38744, 730 m, 16 December 2004, Gloria Sihezar. Female: 05-SRNP-43079 (COI Barcoded), Costa Rica, Prov. Alajuela, Sector Rincon Rain Forest, Anonas 10.90528, -85.27882, 405 m, 2 November 2005, Jose Perez. Female: 07-SRNP-23690 (COI Barcoded), Costa Rica, Prov. Guanacaste, Sector del Oro, Rio Chon 11.04118, -85.44170, 320 m, 27 September 2007, Elieth Cantillano. Male: 04-SRNP-42845 (COI Barcoded), Costa Rica, Prov. Alajuela, Sector San Cristobal, Sendero Vivero 10.86739, -85.38744, 730 m, 1 February 1999, Gloria Sihezar (INBio). Female: 99-SRNP- 4118, Costa Rica, Prov. Alajuela, Sector San Cristobal, Sendero Vivero 10.86739, -85.38744, 730 m, 28 January 1999, Gloria Sihezar. INBio specimens. Male: INBIOCRI002582936 (Dissected), Costa Rica, Prov. Heredia, La Selva Biol. Sta., Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui 10.431958 -840091, 40 m, February 1986, M.M. Chavarria, A. Chacon. Male: INB0004268497 (COI Barcoded), Costa Rica, Prov. Alajuela, San Ramon, Est. Biol. Villa Blanca 10.201361, -84.485101, 1115 m, October 2009, R. Rojas (reared). Male: INB0004251816 (COI Barcoded, Dissected), Costa Rica, Prov. Alajuela, San Ramon, Est. Biol. Villa Blanca 10.201361, -84.485101, 1115 m, October 2009, R. Rojas (reared). Female: INB0004268498 (COI Barcoded), Costa Rica, Prov. Alajuela, San Ramon, Est. Biol. Villa Blanca 10.201361, -84.485101, 1115 m, October 2009, R. Rojas (reared). Female: INB0004268499 (COI Barcoded), Costa Rica, Prov. Alajuela, San Ramon, Est. Biol. Villa Blanca 10.201361, -84.485101, 1115 m, October 2009, R. Rojas (Reared). Female: INB0004251817 (COI Barcoded), Costa Rica, Prov. Alajuela,San Ramon, Est. Biol. Villa Blanca 10.201361, -84.485101, 1115 m, October 2009, R. Rojas (reared).

Etymology.

This species is named in honor of Ms. Jessie Hill of Hawaii and Philadelphia, and great-great-grandaughter of Ms. Jessie Barron, and in emphatic recognition of Jessie Hill’s contribution to saving and inventorying the conserved ACG rain forest in which reside Dunama jessiehillae and four other new species of Dunama described in this report.

Diagnosis.

St8 wide, short, anterior margin simple, posterior margin bearing a pair of small, widely separated processes, a second long pair of processes arises between this more basal pair. Phallus thin basally, wider medially, with a pair of short, serrate projections on each margin, distal part with a pair of opposite, marginal, non-serrate projections, longer than anterior ones. Vesica short, unsclerotized, no cornuti. The tripartite distal structure of the phallus and the two pairs of processes on St8 distinguish Dunama jessiehillae from its known congeners.

Description.

Male (Figs 7, 8, 11-13). Head - Antenna pectinate in basal 4/5, rami moderately long, reddish brown, distal fifth of shaft simple, cream colored with an intermix of reddish-brown and gray-brown scales; scape with scale tuft reddish brown and cream colored; frons with cream-colored scales interspersed with a few reddish-brown scales, ocelli absent; labial palpus upcurved, reddish brown with a few scattered cream-colored scales; vertex reddish brown, cream colored laterally; patagium reddish brown near the midline, reddish brown laterally, margins cream colored. Thorax and abdomen - Tegula cream colored at base, a mix of cream and reddish-brown scales distally; mesoscutum reddish brown anteriorly, cream and reddish brown posteriorly; mesoscutellum mostly creamy white; thoracic pleuron cream colored to reddish brown; legs mostly reddish brown on outer surfaces, cream colored on inner surfaces. Abdominal dorsum light gray, venter cream colored. Wings - Forewing dor sal ground color a mixture of gray-brown, reddish-brown and beige-colored scales; veins lined with gray, especially distally; anal fold and cubitus reddish brown; orbicular spot diffuse reddish brown; reniform spot small, reddish brown; medial M line thin, reddish brown, a wide, vaguely-defined beige band beyond it; postmedial PM line thin, reddish brown, poorly defined; adterminal AD line reddish brown, fringe gray brown. Ventral surfaces of both wings gray brown. Dorsal hindwing dirty gray brown, lighter near base (Figs 7, 8). (WL 10.70-13.3 mm). Male genitalia (Figs 11-13) - T8 quadrate, posterior margin narrowly sclerotized; St8 wide, short, anterior margin simple, posterior margin bearing a pair of small, widely separated processes, a second, longer pair of processes arise between arms of fork (Fig. 11). Uncus lobule-like, short and pubescent; socci thin, short and slightly curved. Valva broad and membranous, with saccular margin serrate and inner surface with spine-like process, near appex (Fig. 12). Phallus thin basally, wider medially with a pair of short, serrate projections on each margin, distal part with a pair of opposite marginal non-serrate projections, longer than anterior ones. Vesica short, unsclerotized (Fig. 13). Female (Figs 9, 10, 14). Antenna filiform, shaft cream with a mix of reddish- and gray-brown scales; body color and wing pattern similar to male, wings longer and darker (Figs 9, 10). (WL 13.7-14.7 mm). Female genitalia (Fig. 14) - St8 forming a heavily sclerotized capsule; anterior apophyses thin and acute; posterior apophyses thin, CB small and rounded, signum absent; DB short; ostium recessed in St8. Ovipositor lobes triangulate and setose.

Natural history

(Figs 74, 79, 80, 81). 506 rearing records: ACG locations: Sector Del Oro (n=84), Orosi (n=4), Pitilla (n=68), Rincon Rain Forest (n=132), San Cristobal (n=217); all mid-elevation rain forest and does not occur in ACG dry forest either as caterpillars or free-flying adults.

Food plants: exclusively Arecaceae : Asterogyne martiana (H. Wendl.) H. Wendl. ex Hemsel (n=9), Astrocaryum alatum F.H. Loomis (n=5), Calyptrogyne trichostachys Burret (n=3), Chamaedorea pinnatifrons (Jacq.) Oerst. (n=14), Chamaedorea tepejilote Liebm. (n=298), Chamaedorea warscewiczii H. Wendl. (n=1) Cryosophila warscewiczii (H. Wendl.) Bartlett (n=49), Geonoma congesta H. Wendl. ex Spruce (n=1), Geonoma cuneata H. Wendl. ex Spruce (n=3), Geonoma ferruginea H. Wendl. ex Spruce (n=42), Geonoma interrupta (Ruiz & Pav.) Marz. (n=5), Iriartea deltoidea Ruiz & Pav. (n=41), Prestoea decurrens (H. Wendl. ex Burret) H.E. Moore (n=21), Welfia regia H. Wendl. (n=14).

Eggs laid in small batches of 5-40, and caterpillars may remain together through the penultimate instar, but generally forage separately in the last instar. Cocoons are solitary, generally in a fold of the palm leaf or two pinnae one on top of the other, lightly silked together. The relatively conspicuous caterpillars remain on the leaf when disturbed rather than drop to the ground, implying that they may be aposematic or mimetic even though they are commonly difficult to encounter among overlapping leaf parts, and often on the underside of the leaf.

Altitude (meters): 340, 405, 420, 645, 680.

Parasitoids.

27 records from 506 wild-caught caterpillars over 24 years of rain forest search. Braconidae : Macrocentrinae : Austrozele Janzen03 (n=6) DHJPAR0029342, DHJPAR0029346, DHJPAR0029344, DHJPAR0029347, DHJPAR0029378, DHJPAR 0029377; shared only with Dunama mexicana DHJ01. Microgastrinae : Diolcogaster Choi71 (n=1) DHJPAR0004716; unique to this species of caterpillar. Tachinidae : Calolydella Wood01DHJ06 (n=13) DHJPAR0017779, DHJPAR0017778, DHJPAR0017777, DHJPAR0017781, DHJPAR0017780, DHJPAR0007021, etc., which it shares with 4 species of Dioptis Hübner, Dottia Schaus and Tithraustes Druce (26 total rearings of this fly), which are similar-sized notodontids that eat the same species of palms in the same forest; Lespesia Wood33DHJ06 (n=3) DHJPAR0037477, DHJPAR0037483, DHJPAR0037482, which it shares with six other species of similar-sized notodontids Dunama (n=4), Dottia (n=1), and Heorta Walker (n=1)feeding on the same palms in the same rain forest habitat;four nematodes and two fungi.

Hyperparasitoids.

One puparium of Calolydella Wood01DHJ06 was hyperparasitized by Taeniogonalos woodorum Smith (DHJPAR0010604), Trigonalidae ( Smith et al. 2012).

Distribution.

Adults of Dunama jessiehillae have been collected on the east slope of Cordillera Volcanica de Guanacaste and Tilaran, and in the Sarapiqui lowlands, from 40 to 1500 m elevation (Fig. 85), but larvae have only been encountered at mid-elevations on the same slopes.

Remarks.

This species feeds exclusively on Arecaceae . Several barcode haplotypes are present in populations from La Selva, Heredia west to the Pacific coast, but they are all very similar (Fig. 86). The most common haplotype is shared with Dunama angulinea , which ocupies the Caribbean coastal area and differs only in the structure of its sternum. We elected on that basis to describe it as a new species, following both the advice of a reviewer and our own analysis. If later studies support the doubtful hypothesis that this is merely geographic variation in a widely distributed species, then Dunama jessiehillae would be synonymized with Dunama angulinea .