Parascepsis solox Dognin, 1923

Grados, Juan, Mantilla, Karla & Ramírez, Juan José, 2020, The genusParascepsis Dognin, 1923 (Lepidoptera, Erebidae, Arctiinae, Ctenuchina) in Peru, with the description of three new species, a new combination and their geographical distributions, Zootaxa 4868 (2), pp. 221-242 : 222-224

Parascepsis solox Dognin, 1923

( Figs. 1–8 )

Parascepsis solox Dognin, 1923:3 . Male holotype by monotypy: [ Brazil] São Paulo de Olivença, novembre-décembre, Amazonas (Fassl) (USNM) [Specimen examined]

Diagnosis: Similar to P. ignobilis , and easily confused with it. The hindwings of P. solox have a much more pronounced white area in the posterior half, in dorsal and ventral view. P. ignobilis presents the first two tergites at the sternum, modified into a hexagonal androconial organ, while P. solox does not present them. It is the only species with a piriform translucent area at the tegumen; vesica everted dorsally with a semicircular patch of cornuti in latero-ventral position, and other subdorsal cornuti.

Redescription of the male ( Figs. 1–2 ). Head. Proboscis dark brown. Labial palpi grayish brown and recurved upwards, exceeding the frontoclypeus; first palpomer brown at the dorso-proximal part; second palpomer twice as long as the first one; third palpomer one third the length of the first one, frontoclypeus light brown, at the upper part with piliform whitish gray scales. Vertex brown. Occiput with piliform whitish gray scales, with three dark brown lines: a straight central one and two lateral ones directing towards the antennae. Postgena, eye margin and ocelli brown. Antennal alveolus grayish. Antenna brown with slight metallic hue. Scape and pedicel with few gray scales and a slight metallic hue. Proximal rami small, increasing in length towards the middle part. Middle rami almost twice the width of the flagellum axis. Distal rami decrease in length towards the antennae distal end. Thorax. Tegulae and patagia grayish brown with an iridescent green hue. Mesoscutum and mesoscutellum grayish-brown, with a faint brown line along the central part. Metascutellum grayish. Pleura, grayish brown. Tymbal organ at the katepisternum covered with whitish scales. Legs: Grayish brown. First pair with the anterior part and ectal margin, whitish. Femora with the anterior part brown. Tibiae with some purple hue. Forewing. Forewing span (15–15.5 mm) (n = 4). Dorsal: Brown, with purple hue and light brown veins. A slightly fairier postdiscal spot. Ventral: Brown with slight purple hue. Veins slightly marked. Frenulum light brown. Retinaculum slightly grayish brown. Base of Cu 2 -CuP with scales grayish-brown. From the base to the medial part of CuP-1A + 2A, white scales that reach part of the anal cell. Androconial patch with scales creamy white at the subproximal part of the anal cell ( Fig. 7 ), and below it, an elongated area of yellow scales. Hindwing. Dorsal: Costal margin down to Cu 2, brown with some purple hue, going down in a wide band to the tornus, narrower at the anal margin. Subproximal area, rounded and elongated with brown spicules in the costal cell ( Fig. 8 ). Whitish area at just over the proximal half of Cu 2 -1A + 2A, reaching up to near the margin of 1A + 2A-3A. Ventral: With a white area similar to the dorsal one, but better defined and whiter at the proximal half of Cu 1 -Cu 2. Abdomen. Brown with slightly bluish hue. First tergite with abundant gray scales on the sides, in its central part with grayish brown piliform scales. Second, third and fourth tergite, with grayish brown piliform scales. Sternum grayish brown. Male Genitalia ( Figs. 3–6 ) (Genitalia # JGA 777 MUSM). Anterior part of the tegumen concave, inverted “V-shaped”; the postero-lateral part bears a translucent piriform area; two membranous projections present, base sclerotized with small spicules on the ventral side, the distal part membranous. Saccus developed almost oblong with sinuous edges. Joining of tegumen and uncus membranous. Uncus short and digitiform, with few setae at the base, ending in a small sclerotized, hook-shaped tip. Juxta wide and sclerotized, lateral parts with minute structures like spicules; posterior part shaped as a “W”. Valvae straight, narrow and elongated, with setae at the base of the sacculus and along the costa. Ventral process membranous exceeding the uncus a third of its length, with setae; dorsal process almost triangular apically with a triangular and sclerotized projection towards the inner part. In ventral view, valva elongated, concave at the base and the distal part wide at its middle part; with setae at the inner margin. Aedeagus elongated. Coecum penis slightly developed. Vesica everted dorsally, as long as the aedeagus; a semicircular row of cornuti at the latero-ventral surface; several cornuti at the subdorsal part project towards the ventral part almost reaching the other cornuti.

Female: Unknown.

Distribution ( Fig. 59 ): Known from the type locality (São Paulo de Olivença, Brazil) and the department of Loreto ( Peru).

Comments: Dognin (1923) described the species from a male specimen collected by Fassl in São Paulo de Olivença, Amazon River ( Brazil). Dognin (1923) provided a succinct description of the genus, based primarily on external morphological characters and wing venation characters, which do not help much in the diagnosis of the genus. After the description of the species, there are not many records in the literature. It was reported in a work at the Amazonian area of the department of Cusco, Peru ( Grados 1999), being confused, since it is actually a new species, which is described in the present work.

Material examined: PERU, Loreto. 1 male, Z. R. Allpahuayo Mishana, Agua Blanca. 03°56’S, 73°28’W, 130 m, 07.vi.2004, J.J. Ramírez (Genitalia # JGA 718 MUSM) ; 1 male, idem except, 14.viii.2004 (Light trap, 8: 30-9: 00 pm) (Genitalia # JGA 777 MUSM) ; 1 male, San Regis ( Albergue La Posada ), 04°30’30’’S, 73°54’30’’W, 130 m, 23.ix.2002, J.J. Ramírez (Light trap, MV, 8: 30-9: 00 pm) ; 1 male, idem except, (9: 30-10: 00 pm) .

Figures

FIGURES 59. Geographical distribution of Parascepsis ockendeni Rothschild, P. lantingi Grados new species, and P. solox (Dognin).

FIGURES 1–2. Parascepsis solox (Dognin). Male. 1. Dorsal view (San Regis). 2. Ventral view. Scale= 5 mm.

FIGURES 3–6. Male genitalia of Parascepsis solox (Dognin). (Genitalia # JGA 777 MUSM). 3. Dorsal view. 4. Ventral view. 5. Lateral view. 6. Aedeagus. Scale= 1 mm.

FIGURES 7–8. Wings of Parascepsis solox (Dognin). 7. Forewing. 8. Hindwing.