Drephalys (Drephalys) citrinus Madruga, Siewert, Mielke & Casagrande, 2018

Siewert, Ricardo Russo, Madruga, Janaína, Dolibaina, Diego Rodrigo, Mielke, Olaf Hermann Hendrik & Casagrande, Mirna Martins, 2018, Hidden in plain sight: a morphological study revealing three new species of the skipper genus Drephalys Watson, 1893 (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae) from Brazil, Zootaxa 4472 (3), pp. 573-580 : 576-578

Drephalys (Drephalys) citrinus Madruga, Siewert, Mielke & Casagrande , sp. n.

( Figs 5–6 , 9 , 13 )

Diagnosis. Drephalys citrinus sp. n. is nearly identical to D. phoenice (Hewitson, 1867) and D. heraclides in wing markings and in the wider white transversal band on the ventral hind wings. It is distinguished from D. phoenice by the reduced lilac reflections on the ventral wings, and from D. heraclides by the white band almost reaching the costal margin. Furthermore, D. citrinus sp. n. has a short uncus, with truncate arms, and not deeply bifid as in D. phoenice ( Fig. 11 ), and the costa of the valva has a short and narrow distal process ( Fig. 9 ).

Description, male. Head: nudum of 30 segments (n=1). Thorax: as in D. dacarys sp. n. Forewing, upper side: length 20 mm (n=1); costal fold absent; distal hyaline spot in discal cell wider than in previous species; one large and circular discal yellow spot in CuA2-2A, reaches CuA2; three apical hyaline spots in R3-R4, R4-R5, and R5-M1 longer than in previous species. Forewing, underside: as upper side, except for the lighter colors and the whitish area from CuA1 to the anal margin. Hind wing, upper side: post-discal rectangular yellow spot in Rs-M1 longer than in previous species; post-discal yellow spot extends to 2A-3A; fringes mixed with brown and yellowish. Hind wing, underside: large white transversal band, from costal to anal margin; white submarginal markings in CuA2- 2A; anal margin white except on tornus. Genitalia ( Fig. 9 ): tegumen rectangular, narrow anteriorly. Uncus bifid, “U”-shaped; distal arms short, robust and distally truncated. Disto-lateral margin of gnathos ribbed with rounded tip. Costa of valva with a narrow and long process curved inwards with two pointed tips; harpe not projected; ampulla undifferentiated from harpe, producing a serrated distal process curved up and inwards. Aedeagus thick and shorther than in previous species; ejaculatory bulb opening ovoid and broader than in previous species; distal margin ventro-laterally excavated, with a dorsal and small spine in the right distal margin; vesica with six needlelike cornuti of two different sizes. Female: unknown.

Type material. Holotype male with the following labels: / HOLOTYPUS / Teffé [Amazonas, Brazil] / OM 12.853 / Gen. Prep. Mielke 1996 / Holotypus Drephalys (Drephalys) citrinus Madruga, Siewert, Mielke & Casagrande /. Deposited at DZUP.

Etymology. The name is a reference to the yellow-colored quartz, citrino. The epithet is from the Latin citrus, pure yellow, in reference to the yellow patches on the ventral wings.

Distribution. This species is currently known only from its type locality.

Comments. The arm of the gnathos ribbed at the tip of Drephalys citrinus sp. n. is also present in D. heraclides , suggesting the latter is a close relative of the former. D. citrinus sp. n., together with D. heraclides and D. opifex Evans, 1952 , are the only yellow-checkered species belonging to the subgenus Drephalys without a costal fold on the forewing ( Fig. 5 ). The absence of the forewing costal fold in this subgenus is also shared by D. olva Evans, 1952 and D. olvina Evans, 1952 , while D. kidonoi Burns, 2000 has a vestigial costal fold ( Burns & Janzen 2000). The evaluation of this character is useful to differentiate the males of species with similar wing phenotypes, as is the case with species possessing yellow spots on the dorsal wings. However, studies of other features are required for species-level determinations, such as the development of the ventral hind wing white band and details of the male genitalia.

Figures

FIGURE 13. Distribution map of Drephalys species.

FIGURES 1–6. Species of Drephalys in dorsal and ventral views. 1–2, D. dracarys sp. n. 3–4, D. electrinus sp. n. 5–6, D. citrinus sp. n.

FIGURES 7–9. Male genitalia of Drephalys species. Tegumen, uncus, gnathos and saccus in lateral view; right valva in left, right and dorsal views; tegumen and uncus in dorsal view; aedeagus in left lateral and dorsal views; detail of the everted cornuti. 7. D. dracarys sp. n., 8. D. electrinus sp. n., 9. D. citrinus sp. n.

FIGURES 10–12. Male genitalia of Drephalys species. Structures as presented in figures 7–9. 10. D. heraclides. 11. D. phoenice. 12. D. phoenicoides.