Cautethia exuma McCabe, 1984

Miller, Jacqueline Y., Matthews, Deborah L. & Gott, Riley J., 2022, Three new species of Cautethia Grote (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) from the Lucayan Archipelago and keys to West Indies species, Insecta Mundi 2022 (937), pp. 1-28 : 4-6

Cautethia exuma McCabe, 1984

Fig. 14–17 , 26 , 31 , 42, 43 , 60 , 69, 72

Diagnosis. Males and females not distinctly dimorphic as in other species of the genus. Distinguished from C. grotei and the three new species by characters of the thorax, forewings, antennae, and genitalia. Thorax even mottled gray without traces of transverse fuscous band along anterior margin or fuscous marks on tegulae as in C. grotei and the new species. Forewing markings obscured compared to C. grotei and the others as follows. Basal area pale gray with white scale patches at base, antemedial lines indistinct, indicated by two fuscous spots present along costa, a third spot at costa within basal area. Subbasal area and medial area similar mottled smoke gray, veins not distinctly traced with darker scales, medial line obscure. Discal spot a small poorly defined patch of white scales bordered distally by diffuse patch of fuscous scales. Postmedial line zigzagged but more diffuse than in the other species. Postmedial area smoke gray. Submarginal area smoky gray bordered by narrow white band. Terminal area drab admixed with white scales. Tornal dash poorly defined, mottled smoky gray basally outlined by diffuse fuscous postmedial line. Antenna dorsum drab to gray scaled, without cream stripe along venter. Male genitalia similar to C. grotei but with gnathos short, stout, and only slightly curved, ventral aspect of apex convex, not distinctly bifid as in C. grotei . Valvae with sacculus short, tapered, simple, terminus somewhat sclerotized but not forming a distinct process as in C. simoni and C. gossi . Phallus distinguished from C. grotei and C. geraceorum in having the terminal margin sclerotized on the dorsal left side forming a minute pointed extension, by relative lengths of the vesica, and from C. simoni and C. gossi by the absence of lateral diverticuli. Female genitalia distinguished from other Bahamas species by having the posterior margin of the lamina postvaginalis medially notched. McCabe (1984) differentiated C. exuma from C. grotei by the relative size of the appendix bursae, however after examining more material this character was found variable and may be either subequal to the corpus bursae or much larger as in C. grotei .

Specimens examined. BAHAMAS: Eleuthera Island: Governor’s Harbour , s.l., 28.ix.2000, L. D. Miller & MJS, Allyn Museum Acc. 2000-11 (1 ♂) MGCL 231519 ; Long Island: blue hole E of Anderson , 23.533233°, −75.237334°, 31.v.2014, JYM, GJG, MJS, DLM, MGCL Acc. 2014-14 (1 ♂, prep. DM 2139), MGCL 239531 (LEP-22437) ; North Andros: 1 mi. E of Andros Town Int. airport nr. AUTEC Naval Base , 24.696535°, −77.772421°, 14.vi.2012, MJS, GJG, RMR, Michael Simon (1 ♂) MGCL 231516 ; Captain Bill’s Blue Hole , 24.742046°, −77.862031°, 29.x.2011, JYM, MJS, GJG, DLM, MGCL Acc. 2011-32 (1 ♂) MGCL 231517 (1 ♀) 231515 ; Stafford Creek, Love at First Sight (motel), 18m, 24.901449°, −77.936089°, 28.x.2011, JYM, MJS, GJG, DLM, MGCL Acc. 2011-32 (1 ♂) MGCL 231518 ; South Andros Island: Black Point, Steven’s Rd. , 23.997568°, −77.560616°, 27.iii.2014, JYM, MJS, RMR, DLM, MGCL Acc. 2014-9 (1 ♂) MGCL 233420 , (1 ♂, prep. DM 2233) MGCL 233423 , (5 ♀, prep. DM 2141) MGCL 233417 , 233418 (LEP-65159), 233419, 233422, 233424 ; farm road north of The Bluff , 24.130088°, −77.590680°, 30.iii.2014, JYM, MJS, RMR, DLM, MGCL Acc. 2014-9 (♂) MGCL 233515 .

Life history. McCabe (1984) included a description and illustration of the larva with the original description of this species based on one larva which pupated but did not properly eclose. This larva was on black torch, Erithalis fruticosa (Linnaeus) (Rubiaceae) . This foodplant occurs throughout the archipelago ( Correll and Correll 1982).

Distribution. Cautethia exuma was previously only known from Great Exuma Island. Its distribution now also includes Eleuthera, Long, North Andros, and South Andros Islands.

Figures

Figures 10–17. Lucayan Cautethia adults. 10) Dorsal view of C. geraceorum, new species, ♂ holotype, MGCL 244145, San Salvador Island, 22.vii.2015. 11) Ventral view, same specimen. 12) Dorsal view of C. geraceorum, new species, ♀ paratype, MGCL 244181, San Salvador Island. 13) Ventral view, same specimen. 14) Dorsal view of C. exuma ♂, MGCL 233420, South Andros Island, 27.iii.2014. 15) Ventral view, same specimen. 16) Dorsal view of C. exuma ♀, South Andros Island, 233419. 17) Ventral view, same specimen. Scale bar under names 1 cm.

Figures 26–30. Male genitalia of Lucayan Cautethia with valvae spread and phallus removed. 26) C. exuma, prep. DM 2233, MGCL 233423, South Andros Island, 27.iii.2014. 27) C. grotei bahamensis, prep. DM 2208, MGCL 239522, Crooked Island, 6.vi.2014. 28) C. geraceorum, new species, paratype, prep. DM 2209, MGCL 247849, San Salvador Island, 12.vi.2018. 29) C. gossi, new species, paratype, prep. DM 2136, MGCL 321522, Great Inagua, 9-12.vi.2007. 30) C. simoni, new species, paratype, prep. DM 2176, Grand Turk, 6.ii.2001 [USNM].

Figures 31–41. Phalli of West Indies Cautethia. 31) C. exuma, prep. DM 2233, MGCL 233423 South Andros Island, 27.iii.2014. 32) C. grotei bahamensis, prep. DM 2208, MGCL 239522, Crooked Island, 6.vi.2014. 33) C. geraceorum, new species, paratype, prep. DM 2209, MGCL 247849, San Salvador Island, 12.vi.2018. 34) C. n. noctuiformis, prep. DM 2186, Dominican Republic, La Vega Province, 10 km NE Jarabacoa, Hotel Montana, 28.v.1972, Don & M. Davis [USNM]. 35) same specimen, enlargement of apical process. 36) same specimen, enlargement of cornuti. 37) C. calezae, prep. DM 2143, MGCL 1076079, Puerto Rico, Bosq. Est. Toro Negro, Rte. 143, UPRM Biol. Station, 18.1783°N 66.4878°W, 7.viii.2007, J. E. Hayden. 38) C. carsusi, prep. DM 2142, MGCL 1076062, Dominican Republic, La Vega Province, 5 km S of Jarabacoa, 1700’, 28.vi.1981, Charles M. Stevens. 39) C. gossi, new species, paratype, prep. DM 2136, MGCL 321522, Great Inagua, 9-12.vi.2007. 40) same specimen, enlargement of apical process. 41) C. simoni, new species, paratype, prep. DM 2176, Grand Turk, 6.ii.2001 [USNM].

Figures 42–57. Lateral views of uncus, gnathos, and tegumen and ventral views of gnathos apex in West Indies Cautethia males. 42) Ventral view, C. exuma, prep. DM 2233, MGCL 233423 South Andros Island, 27.iii.2014. 43) Lateral view, same specimen. 44) Lateral view, C. grotei bahamensis, prep. DM 2208, MGCL 239522, Crooked Island, 6.vi.2014. 45) Ventral view, same specimen. 46) Ventral view, C. geraceorum, new species, paratype, prep. DM 2209, MGCL 247849, San Salvador Island, 12.vi.2018. 47) Lateral view, same specimen. 48) Lateral view, C. simoni, prep. 2176, Grand Turk, 6.ii.2001 [USNM]; 49) Ventral view, same specimen. 50) Ventral view, C. gossi, new species, paratype, prep. 2136, MGCL 321522, Great Inagua, 9-12.vi.2007. 51) Lateral view, same specimen. 52) Lateral view, C. calezae, prep. DM 2143, MGCL 1076079, Puerto Rico, Bosq. Est. Toro Negro, Rte. 143, UPRM Biol. Station, 18.1783°N 66.4878°W, 7.viii.2007, J. E. Hayden. 53) Ventral view, same specimen. 54) Ventral view, C. carsusi, prep. DM 2142, MGCL 1076062, Dominican Republic, La Vega Province, 5 km S of Jarabacoa, 1700’, 28.vi.1981, Charles M. Stevens. 55) Lateral view, same specimen. 56) Lateral view, C. n. noctuiformis, prep. DM 2186, Dominican Republic, La Vega Province, 10 km NE Jarabacoa, Hotel Montana, 28.v.1972, Don & M. Davis [USNM]. 57) Ventral view, same specimen.

Figures 58–67. Examples of sacculus and saccular processes in West Indies Cautethia males. 58) C. grotei bahamensis, prep. DM 2128, MGCL 239522, Crooked Island, 6.vi.2014. 59) C. geraceorum, new species, paratype, prep. DM 2209, MGCL 247849, San Salvador Island, 12.vi.2018. 60) C. exuma, prep. DM 2233, MGCL 233423, South Andros Island, 27.iii.2014. 61) C. simoni, new species, paratype, prep. DM 2229, CMNH-IZ 720410, Providenciales, 28–30.i.1978 [CMNH]. 62) C. simoni, new species, paratype, prep. DM 2176, Grand Turk, 6.ii.2001 [USNM]. 63) C. gossi, new species, paratype, prep. DM 2136, MGCL 321522, Great Inagua, 9-12.vi.2007. 64) C. n. noctuiformis, prep. DM 2186, Dominican Republic, La Vega Province, 10 km NE Jarabacoa, Hotel Montana, 28.v.1972, Don & M. Davis [USNM]. 65) C. carsusi, prep. DM 2142, MGCL 1076062, Dominican Republic, La Vega Province, 5 km S of Jarabacoa, 1700’, 28.vi.1981, Charles M. Stevens. 66) C. calezae, prep. DM 2143, MGCL 1076079, Puerto Rico, Bosq. Est. Toro Negro, Rte. 143, UPRM Biol. Station, 18.1783°N 66.4878°W, 7.viii.2007, J. E. Hayden. 67) C. calezae, prep. DM 2231, CMNH 64087, Puerto Rico, Isabela, Bosque Estatal de Guajataca, Montanas Aymamon, 18-25-06N, 66-57-55W, 210m, 14-15.vi.1996, J. Rawlins, W. Zanol, R. Davidson, C. Young, M. Klingler, S. Thompson [CMNH].

Figures 68–72. Female genitalia of Cautethia. 68) C. grotei, prep. DM 2212, MGCL 1076042, Central Abaco, 9–18.viii.1988. 69) C. exuma, prep. DM 2141, MGCL 233424, South Andros Island, 27.iii.2014. 70) C. geraceorum, new species, prep. DM 2210, San Salvador Island, 24.vii.2015. 71) C. grotei bahamensis, enlargement of lamina postvaginalis, prep. DM 2212. 72) C. exuma, enlargement of lamina postvaginalis, prep. DM 2141.