Buzyges rolla ( Mabille, 1883 ) Austin & Warren, 2009

Austin, George T. & Warren, Andrew D., 2009, New looks at and for Onespa, Buzyges, and Librita (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae: Hesperiinae), with new combinations and descriptions of a new genus and six new species, Insecta Mundi 2009 (89), pp. 1-55 : 21-23

Buzyges rolla ( Mabille, 1883) , new combination

( Fig. 25-28 , 68 , 80 , 91 )

Pamphila rolla Mabille, 1883 . Type locality: Amérique du Sud; holotype in Mabille’s collection ( Mielke 2005b).

Description. Male ( Fig. 25-26 ) - mean forewing length = 14.5 mm (13.6-15.3 mm, n=10; from Costa Rica and Panama); forewing apex pointed, termen slightly convex; hindwing termen convex cephalad, slightly concave caudad before very short tornal lobe; dorsum orange and very dark brown (nearly black); dorsal forewing with no stigma or brand; veins largely dark brown but bases of M 3, CuA 1, and CuA 2 overscaled with orange; orange entirely filling costal cell and cells Sc-R 1 and R 1 -R 2, proximal 1/2 of R 2 -R 3, and proximal 1/3 of R 3 -R 4 and R 4 -R 5; remainder of apex dark brown narrowing to dark brown margin, this again broadening in CuA 2 -2A, distal edge of orange concave in cells from R 5 to 2A; proximal 3/4 of orange in discal cell divided by thin brown line; proximal 1/2 of anal cell overscaled with orange; fringe mixture of orange and pale brown cephalad of mid-cell CuA 2 -2A, orange caudad.

Dorsal hindwing also orange and dark brown; costal cell grayish orange; wing overscaled with orange setiform scales from mid-discal cell caudad beyond vein 2A, nearly to termen along vein 2A; orange occurring in posterior discal cell, central 1/2 of Rs-M 1, proximal 3/4 of M 1 -M 3, proximal 3/5 of M 3 -CuA 1, and proximal 2/3 of CuA 1 -CuA 2 and narrowly along proximal 1/2 of vein CuA 2 in CuA 2 -2A, all with distal edges concave and divided by dark brown veins; fringe orange.

Ventral forewing orange-brown in costal and subcostal cells (latter overscaled with black), distal 2/3 of discal cell, and at apex distad of end of discal cell to vein M 3, then narrowing to vein CuA 2; veins at distal end of discal cell black; orange-brown grading into yellow-orange distad in discal cell, proximad in M 2 -M 3 and M 3 -CuA 1, and extending into central 1/2 of CuA 1 -CuA 2 and central 1/3 of CuA 2 -2A; remainder of wing black; fringe dull orange-brown, grading caudad of CuA

2

to yellow-orange at tornus.

Ventral hindwing vaguely mottled olive- to pale orange-brown and yellow-orange, palest beneath postmedial macules, orange-brown most prominent marginally between Rs and mid-cell CuA 2 -2A, proximad in CuA 2 -2A, and entire anal cell; posterior CuA 2 -2A and anterior 2A-3A black, sparsely overscaled with yellow-orange; small black macule in base of M 1 -M 3 near origin of M 1; fringe yellow-orange proximad, paler distad, entirely yellow-orange caudad of CuA

2

.

Dorsal head greenish-brown, tan margining eyes; palpi subquadrate with mixture of ochreous and black scales on dorsum, ochreous on sides and venter, 3rd segment black, stout, slightly exceeding scales of 2nd segment; antennae 52% of costal length, entirely black on dorsum, venter black checked with yellow-orange, this enveloping entire segments distad, club long (44% of length of shaft), black on dorsum, yellow-orange on venter, nudum red-brown, last segment brown, 11 (n=2) or 12 (n=6) segments; dorsal thorax greenish-brown centrally, red-brown laterally; ventral thorax black, overscaled with greenish and orange setiform scales, pectus yellow-orange; legs red-brown distad, black proximad with long ochreous setiform scales, protibia smooth, red-brown epiphysis short, extending to juncture of tarsus, mesotibia spined, single pair of spurs, outer about 1/2 length of inner, metatibia spined, two pairs of spurs, outer about 2/3 length of inner; dorsal abdomen black overscaled heavily with yellow-brown setiform scales, caudal end yellow-orange, ventral abdomen cream color.

Genitalia ( Fig. 68 , 80 ) - uncus very short, weakly hooked caudad in lateral view, entire and narrowing to bluntly pointed caudal end in dorsal view; gnathos robust, well-separated from and shorter than uncus in lateral view, divided with arms slender, widely apart cephalad and approaching caudad in ventral view; tegumen moderately broad in lateral view, moderately broad in dorsal view and flaring cephalad, ventral arm combining with dorsal arm of saccus, this combined structure bent ventrad of its middle; anterior arm of saccus moderately long and thin, straight, longer than length of uncus and dorsal portion of tegumen, broad caudad in ventral view, narrowing gradually to blunt point cephalad; valva simple, no differentiation between costa and ampulla, latter produced dorsally to small pointed triangular process near juncture with harpe, harpe curved and produced caudad to another small and pointed triangular process, sacculus narrow, ventral edge of valva prominently concave cephalad of middle; aedeagus straight, stout, short, about 1.1 times length of valva, caudal end slightly expanded, small and sharply pointed triangular titillator on right side caudad; vesica with cornuti including a small lightly sclerotized and poorly defined flexible but not spinulose area, a heavily sclerotized thorn-like structure, and a heavily sclerotized and sharply pointed spike.

Female ( Fig. 27-28 ) - mean forewing length = 15.2 mm (14.7-15.6 mm, n=3, from Costa Rica and Panama); forewing apex pointed, termen convex; hindwing termen convex cephalad, slightly concave caudad before short tornal lobe; dorsum dull black; dorsal forewing with sparse red-orange overscaling in costal cell, yellow-orange overscaling distad in cell Sc-R 1, towards distal end of discal cell, and in middle 1/ 2 of anal cell; translucent white subapical macules in R 4 -R 5 and R 5 -M 1, more or less rectangular, that in R 5 -M 1 largest; translucent white postmedial macules near base of M 3 -CuA 1 (rectangular with distal edge concave) and CuA 1 -CuA 2 (square but distal edge concave, proximal edge beneath origin of CuA 1, overlapping proximal 1/2 of macule in M 3 -CuA 1); irregular translucent pale yellow postmedial macule in mid-cell CuA 2 -2A, overlapping proximal 1/2 of macule in CuA 1 -CuA 2; all macules on forewing divided by brown veins; fringe gray, yellowish at tornus.

Dorsal hindwing brownish along costal margin; overscaled with pale orange setiform scales from middiscal cell caudad beyond vein 2A, nearly to termen along vein 2A; opaque yellow-orange postmedial macules in Rs-M 1, M 1 -M 3, and M 3 -CuA 1, and CuA 1 -CuA 2, that in Rs-M 1 more or less quadrate with distal edge concave and mixed with blackish scales, that in M 1 -M 3 largest, more or less quadrate, that in M 3 - CuA 1 quadrate, in base of cell, partially overlapped by macule in M 1 -M 3, that in CuA 1 -CuA 2 quadrate, completely overlapped by macule in M 3 -CuA 1; macules all divided by brown veins; a few yellow-orange scales at distal end of discal cell; fringe grayish orange.

Ventral forewing dull red-brown in costal cell, distad in Sc-R 1, in radial cells, at distal end of discal cell, and at apex distad of end of discal cell to vein M 3, then narrowing to vein CuA 2; veins at distal end of discal cell black; macules of dorsum repeated; remainder of wing blackish brown; fringe red-brown mixed with black, yellowish caudad of vein CuA

2

.

Ventral hindwing vaguely mottled dull red-brown and tan, palest beneath postmedial macules; posterior CuA 2 -2A and anterior 2A-3A black, sparsely overscaled with tan; small black macule in base of M 1 -M 3 near origin of M

1

; fringe red-brown mixed with black cephalad becoming pale red-brown caudad of CuA

2

.

Dorsal head brown with greenish tinge, tan margining eyes; palpi subquadrate, yellow-orange mixed with a few black scales on dorsum, sides and venter, 3rd segment dark brown, stout, slightly exceeding scales of 2nd segment; antennae 48% of costal length, entirely black on dorsum, venter black checked boldly with pale yellow, the yellow broadening distad, club long (48% of length of shaft), black on dorsum, pale yellow on venter, nudum red-brown, distal segment brown, 11 (n=1) or 12 segments (n=2); thorax;brown, overscaled with red-brown cephalad and gray caudad legs ochreous distad, darker proximad with long ochreous setiform scales, protibia smooth with short red-brown epiphysis extending just beyond junction of tarsus, mesotibia spined, single pair of spurs, outer about 1/2 length on inner, metatibia spined, two pairs of spurs, outer about 3/4 length of inner; dorsal abdomen black, grayish setiform scales cephalad and a few ochreous scales caudad, caudal end ochreous; ventral abdomen brown, gray at segments and a few scattered white scales.

Genitalia ( Fig. 91 ) - lamellae trapezoidal, caudal edge of lamella postvaginalis excavate centrally into relatively broad and shallow V-shape flanked by small lobes, lamella antevaginalis narrower than lamella postvaginalis, ostium bursae about twice as broad as deep; ductus bursae sclerotized, broad, short (1.4 mm including antrum), straight, constricted in middle in ventral view, curved dorsad in lateral view; corpus bursae broad, about 2 times as long as broad, weakly wrinkled transversely caudad, indistinctly wrinkled longitudinally cephalad.

Specimens examined. COSTA RICA: Cartago Province; Lankaster Bot. Gardens , ~ 1370m, 9 o 50’19”N 83 o 53’19”W, 12 April 2006, leg. I. & M. Nakamura, K. Nishida (1 male; INIC) ; COSTA RICA: Cartago Province; Cerros de la Carpintera, 1500-1650’, 14 May 2005, leg. I. & M. Nakamura, K. Nishida (1 male, GTA #14055 ; INIC) ; COSTA RICA: San José Province; El Cañon-Copey Road, 1.4 km N Copey , 30 September 1987, leg. G. & A. Austin (1 male; MGCL) ; COSTA RICA: San José Province ; Res. Ecol. Oviedo , UCR, San Pedro, 7 June 2005, leg. I. Nakamura (1 male; INIC) ; COSTA RICA: San José Province ; Res. Ecol. Oviedo , UCR, San Pedro, 18 June 2005, leg. I. Nakamura (1 female, GTA #14057 ; INIC) ; COSTA RICA: San José Province ; Res. Ecol. Oviedo , UCR, San Pedro, 19 February 2004, leg. I. Nakamura and K. Nishida (2 males; INIC), same locality and collectors, 24 February 2004 (1 male; INIC) ; COSTA RICA: San José Province ; San Pedro, U of CR campus forest, 14 March 2003, leg. I. Nakamura (1 male; INIC) ; COSTA RICA: San José Province; Cerro Escazu , 1650m, 5 km E Palmichal, 9 o 50’23”N 84 o 09’33”W, 23 April 2006, leg. I&M Nakamura, M. Posla (1 male; INIC) ; PANAMA: Chiriqui; Vulcan , 1 June 1971, leg. H. L. King (2 males, SRS #2693; MGCL) ; PANAMA: Chiriquí ; Cerro Punta , 1850m, 7 January 1988, leg. McDonald and Schiefer (1 male; ADWC) ; 26 December 1969, leg. T. S. Dickel (2 females; MGCL) ; PANAMA: Chiriquí; Boquete , 26 August 1976, leg. T. S. Dickel (2 males; MGCL) .

Distribution and phenology. Verifiable records of P. rolla exist for Costa Rica and Panama ( Godman and Salvin 1879 -1901, Evans 1955, this study; but see below). The flight season appears concentrated from December through June (11 of 13 records, 14 of 17 specimens).

Discussion. Pamphila rolla was placed in the catchall genus Atrytone Scudder, 1872 , by Godman and Salvin (1879 -1901) and later in Poanes by Hayward (1947) where it was retained by Evans (1955) and most subsequent authors (e.g., Mielke 2005b) despite its removal from that genus by Burns (1992a). The superficial color and pattern of P. rolla is indeed reminiscent of such familiar taxa as Poanes hobomok (T. Harris, 1862) , Poanes zabulon (Boisduval and Le Conte, [1837]) , and Poanes taxiles (W. H. Edwards, 1881) , but its male and female genitalia ( Fig. 68 , 91 ; see also Godman and Salvin 1879 -1901, Evans 1955) are very different (e.g., see figures of Poanes in Burns 1992a). Conversely, male genitalia are very similar to those of Buzyges idothea in nearly all aspects; the valvae of the two species are virtually identical. Similarly, female genitalia of P. rolla have a broad, centrally constricted, and relatively short ductus bursae and a very broad sterigma much like those structures of B. idothea . Those genital characters, along with the presence of tibial spines and absence of a stigma, support the new combination of Buzyges rolla here proposed.

Draudt (1923) considered Hesperia zachaeus Plotz, 1883 , its description based on a female putatively from Suriname, as a dark form of Atrytone melane (W. H. Edwards, 1869) , that species now placed in Poanes . Female B. rolla are darker than P. melane from California, but are of about the same color as those from Mexico and Central America. The maculation of B. rolla and P. melane are quite different, especially in the pattern on the ventral hindwing where P. melane has a very large macule (usually the largest on this wing) in Sc+R 1 -Rs. Evans (1955) placed H. zachaeus as a synonym of Pamphila rolla . Mielke and Casagrande (2002) showed that H. zachaeus had several months’ priority over P. rolla and thus P. rolla fell into its synonymy. No type material, however, of H. zachaeus has been encountered ( Mielke and Casagrande 2002), and it is unlikely that Draudt’s (1923) statement or Evans’ (1955) synonymy were based on actual comparisons of specimens. This and the putative type locality for H. zachaeus render this synonymy equivocal. Neither P. rolla nor H. zachaeus have subsequently been reported from Suriname (de Jong 1983a); P. rolla is documented only from Panama and Costa Rica ( Godman and Salvin 1879 -1901, Evans 1955, this study), although its type was attributed to South America ( Mabille 1883). Unless a syntype of H. zachaeus is located, its identity and status remain unknown and the taxon is not considered here within the synonymy of P. rolla , but provisionally treated as a nomen dubium. Pamphila lagon Mabille, 1891 , was determined as synonymous with P. rolla , a lectotype male was designated, and its type locality (“Cooktown”) was considered a lapsus ( Mielke and Casagrande 2002).

Figures

Figure 19-36. Buzyges (full data in text; ds = dorsal surface, vs = ventral surface; scale bar = 10 mm). 19) B. idothea, holotype male, Costa Rica, ds; 20) same, vs; 21) B. idothea, male, Costa Rica, 10 March 2004, ds; 22) same, vs; 23) B. idothea, female, Costa Rica, 10 March 2004, ds; 24) same, vs; 25) B. rolla, male, Panama, 26 August 1976, ds; 26) same, vs; 27) B. rolla, female, Panama, 26 December 1969, ds; 28) same, vs; 29) B. benito, holotype male, Jalisco, Mexico, ds; 30) same, vs; 31) B. benito, male, Oaxaca, Mexico, 24 October 2008, ds; 32) same, vs; 33) B. mellanaformis, holotype male, Costa Rica, 13 June 2005, ds; 34) same, vs; 35) B. mellanaformis, paratype female, Costa Rica, 23 October 2006, ds; 36) same, vs.

Figure 67-70. Male genitalia of Buzyges (full data in text; shown are lateral view of uncus, gnathos, tegumen, and saccus; dorsal view of uncus and tegumen; ventral view of gnathos uncus; internal view of right valva; ventral view of saccus; ventral, dorsal, right lateral and/or left lateral views of aedeagus; scale bar = 1 mm). 67) B. idothea, Costa Rica (ADW #97-102); 68) B. rolla, Costa Rica (GTA #14055); 69) B. benito, Oaxaca, Mexico (SRS #4468); 70) B. mellanaformis, Costa Rica, paratype (GTA #14031).

Figure 75-86. Rigid cornuti of Onespa, Buzyges, Librita, and Neposa (full data in text; shown are lateral and dorsal views). 75) O. nubis, El Salvador (SRS #4803); 76) O. gala, Michoacán, Mexico (GTA #14065); 77) O. brockorum, Sonora, Mexico, paratype (SRS #1852); 78) O. nakamura, Costa Rica, holotype (GTA #14033); 79) B. idothea, Costa Rica (ADW #97-102); 80) B. rolla, Costa Rica (GTA #14055); 81) B. benito, Oaxaca, Mexico (SRS #4468); 82) B. mellanaformis, Costa Rica, paratype (GTA #14031); 83) L. librita, Veracruz, Mexico (GTA #14135); 84) N. heras, Guerrero, Mexico (ADW #97-112); 85) N. armandoi, Oaxaca, Mexico, holotype (GTA #14143); 86) N. isabelae, Guatemala, paratype (ADW #98-15).

Figure 90-92. Female genitalia of Buzyges (full data in text; shown are left lateral and ventral views; scale bar = 1 mm). 90) B. idothea, Costa Rica (SRS #3754); 91) B. rolla, Costa Rica (GTA #14057); 92) B. mellanaformis, Costa Rica, paratype (GTA #14058).