Lafontaineana marmorifera (Walker, 1865) Martinez & Schmidt & Miller, 2021

Martinez, Jose I., Schmidt, B. Christian & Miller, Jacqueline Y., 2021, A new Andean genus, Lafontaineana, with descriptions of four new species and two new Neotropical species of Panthea (Noctuidae, Pantheinae), ZooKeys 1028, pp. 113-134 : 113

Lafontaineana marmorifera (Walker, 1865) comb. nov. Figures 3-5 , 8 , 9 , 32

Diphtera marmorifera Walker, 1865: (32): 612.

Lichnoptera marmorifera Hampson, 1913: 13: 385, 396-397, pl. 235, fig. 20.

Type material.

Holotype: ♂, New Grenada (Colombia), coll. Mr. Marks, labeled " Diphtera marmorifera " / [Red labeled] deposited in NHMUK. Additional examined specimens (3 ♂, 1 ♀ MGCL): Colombia, Cundinamarca, Guasca, El Chochal de Siecha, 3120 m, 28 Nov. 2019, coll. Jose I. Martinez / UF, FLMNH, MGCL 1049165. [DNA voucher MGCL-NOC-65368]. Colombia, Cundinamarca dept., Vereda La Concepción, Bosque La Guajira, 4°47'34"N, 75°46'60"W, 9-12 IV 2014, 2910 m, coll. M. Márquez & J. Machado (2 ♂). Colombia, Cundinamarca dept., Vereda La Concepción, Bosque La Guajira, 4°47'34"N, 75°46'60"W, 10-13 I 2015, 2910 m coll. Dr. Ron Brechlin / UF, FLMNH, MGCL 1049167 (1 ♀).

Etymology.

The name Diphtera marmorifera is probably derived from the marbled coloration of the forewings of this species.

Diagnosis.

Lafontaineana marmorifera is relatively easy to distinguish from other species because of its pale sulfur yellow color, with brown and black patterns on the lightly squared forewing. Forewing with a large squared orbicular spot and semi-rhomboid-shaped reniform spot, which are totally different from other species. Hindwing with black lines at the end of each vein, a white fringe, and a long discal spot. Forewing length male 18-20 mm, female 24-26 mm. Palp pale sulfur-yellow with black patches on the second segment; antenna black; male thorax is pale sulfur-yellow, paler than the forewings on the dorsal surface, with black polygons outlined with white scales, the ventral area is dark gray. Abdomen dark brown with the two wide stripes and very narrow line of tufts. Male genitalia valva considerably wide; apex rounded; an extension present on the costal margin; sacculus wide with the process same size as sacculus; aedeagus 4⅓ × longer than wide; vesica short and broad with medial diverticulum equal in size to the base of the vesica; vesica with dense line of spines.

Genetic characterization.

The DNA barcode of Lafontaineana marmorifera is close to that of L. alexandrae (see L. alexandrae genetic characterization).

Distribution.

The type specimen was labeled as coming from New Grenada, which was a territory that comprised the four countries Panama, Venezuela, Colombia, and Ecuador. However, curators at the NHMUK in the early 20th century added a label that says Colombia (Fig. 35 ).

Remarks.

Holotype with both antennae broken, the right hindwing is also broken on the CuA2 cell (Fig. 4 ). However, the other examined specimens are in very good condition.

Figures

Figure 35. Distribution of examined specimens of Lafontaineana.

Figures 3 - 5. Lafontaineana marmorifera 3 head, ♂, Cundinamarca, Colombia MGCL 4 holotype ♂, New Grenada (Colombia), NHMUK 5 holotype genitalia ♂, New Grenada (Colombia), NHMUK.

Figures 6 - 20. Adult habitus of Lichnoptera, Lafontaineana, and Panthea 6 Lichnoptera gulo, ♂, MGCL, Cundinamarca, Colombia 7 L. gulo, ♀, MGCL, Cundinamarca, Colombia 8 Lafontaineana marmorifera, ♂, MGCL, Cundinamarca, Colombia 9 L. marmorifera, ♀, MGCL, Cundinamarca, Colombia 10 L. imama, ♂, MGCL, holotype, Tolima, Colombia 11 L. imama, ♀, MGCL, paratype, Tolima, Colombia 12 L. puma, ♂, CNC, holotype, La Alegria, Ecuador 13 L. puma, ♀, CNC, paratype, La Alegria, Ecuador 14 L. thuta, ♂, MGCL, holotype, Loja, Ecuador 15 L. thuta, ♀, MGCL, paratype, Sucumbios, Ecuador 16 L. alexandrae, ♀, FSU, holotype, Zamora-Chinchipe, Ecuador 17 Panthea guatemala, ♂, CNC, San Lorenzo, Guatemala 18 P. hondurensis, ♂, MGCL, holotype, Francisco Morazan, Honduras 19 P. reducta, CNC, ♂, Pedernales, Dominican Republic 20 P. taina, ♂, La Vega, MGCL, holotype, Dominican Republic.

Figures 29 - 34. Female genitalia of Lichnoptera and Lafontaineana 29 Lichnoptera gulo, MGCL, Cundinamarca, Colombia 30 Lafontaineana alexandrae, FSU, holotype, Zamora-Chinchipe, Ecuador 31 L. imama, MGCL, paratype, Tolima, Colombia 32 L. marmorifera, MGCL, Cundinamarca, Colombia 33 L. puma, CNC, paratype, La Alegria, Ecuador 34 L. thuta, MGCL, paratype, Sucumbios, Ecuador.