Cibyra barbara, Mielke & Grehan & Koike, 2025

Mielke, Carlos G. C., Grehan, John R. & Koike, Ricardo M., 2025, Review of the genus Cibyra Walker (Lepidoptera: Hepialoidea: Hepialidae) with descriptions of twenty-four new species from Brazil and Argentina, Zootaxa 5709 (1), pp. 1-74 : 11-12

Cibyra meridionalis C. Mielke & Casagrande, 2013

Pl. 1 : Figs 9–12 , Pl. 10: Fig. 3 , Pl. 13: Fig. 3 , Pl. 14: Fig. 3 , Pl. 19: Fig. 3 , Pl. 23: Fig. 3 , Pl. 24: Fig. 3

Cibyra meridionalis : Mielke & Casagrande (2013: 74; figs 1a–b ( ♂ holotype dorsal/ventral), 2 ( ♂ dorsal), 3a–b and 4 ( ♀ dorsal/ventral), 10–13 (head), 14 (labial palpus), 15 (antennae), 16 (antennal segment), 17–20 and 29 (thorax), 21a–b (wing venation), 24–28 (legs), 30–33 (abdomen), 34–36 ( holotype ♂ gen.), 37–41 ( ♀ gen.), text-fig. 1 (geographical distribution)); holotype ♂ with the following labels: / Holotypus, Cibyra meridionalis C. Mielke & Casagrande det. 2013/ Brasil, Santa Catarina, Urubici, Morro da Igreja, 1250 m, 26.–31. XII. 2001 (7). C. Mielke leg./ DZ 15.562/; DZUP (examined).— Favretto (2016: 72).— Grehan et al. (2023: 76).

Diagnosis. See under C. ferruginosa .

Examined material (in total 608 ♂ 40 ♀). Brazil. Material listed by Mielke & Casagrande (2013): 601 ♂ 40 ♀ (including HT). Paraná. Ponta Grossa, Estrela , 900 m: 1 ♂, 6.II.1997, C. Mielke (CCGM 32.830; CGCM). Guaratuba, Pontal do Itararé, 900 m: 1 ♂, II.2010, O. Rank leg. ( CGCM 25.149; CGCM). Santa Catarina. Lages, 1100 m: 1 ♂, 9–10.II.2006, Moser leg. ( CGCM 35.311; CGCM). Bom Retiro, Altos Vila Ney, 1090 m: 2 ♂, 31.I.1992, C. Mielke leg. ( CGCM 44.200, 44.423; CGCM). Rio Grande do Sul. Morro Reuter, Padre Eterno , 550 m: 1 ♂, 28–30.XII.2010, Moser leg. ( CGCM 25.484; CGCM). Argentina. Misiones. Obera, CIAR –Centro de Investigaciones “Antonia Ramos”, 27°26'40.92"S, 54°56'25.08"W, 155 m: 1 ♂, P. Tubaro leg. [Malaise trap] ( MACN; GenBank OM600726 ).

Male ( Pl. 1 : Figs 10–12 , Pl. 10: Fig. 3 ). Forewing length: 10–18 mm, wingspan: 21–39 mm (see Mielke & Casagrande 2013).

Male genitalia (Pl. 14: Fig. 3 , Pl. 19: Fig. 3 ). For details, see Mielke & Casagrande (2013).

Female ( Pl. 1 : Fig. 9 , Pl. 13: Fig. 3 ). Forewing length: 15–31 mm, wingspan: 31–58 mm (see Mielke & Casagrande 2013).

Female genitalia (Pl. 23: Fig. 3 , Pl. 24: Fig. 3 ). For details, see Mielke & Casagrande (2013: Figs 37–41).

Distribution. Eastern Paraná to northeastern Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil, at altitudes between about 550 and 1350 m, and Argentina at an altitude of about 150 m (Pl. 25: Fig. 1 ).

Remarks. Cibyra meridionalis is easily distinguished from the other two members of the species-group by the lack of an epiphysis. Furthermore, it is smaller, most specimens having a wingspan of about 30 mm, while the average wingspan is 40 mm in the other two previous species. It is the most frequent species at light in semi-deciduous forest during the summer. Sympatric to C. ochracea within this species-group.

b) Species-group: monoargenteus . Ten species: C. barbara sp. nov., C. denise sp. nov., C. elyana sp. nov., C. jane sp. nov., C. mariana sp. nov., C. monoargenteus , C. regina sp. nov., C. stigmatica , C. tessellata , and C. ybyra .

The male genitalia in this species-group show great similarity among species, particularly the everted phallus with two dorso-lateral and single meso-ventral diverticula—which defines the species-group (Pl. 19: Figs 4–13 ). The species-group is also distinguished by: i) male sternite VIII uniformly sclerotised, with an obtuse posterior margin that is V-shaped with exception of C. stigmatica that is acute, ii) tegumen extended beyond articulation with saccus, being rectangular and slightly curved; iii) posterior margin of saccus with or without mesal protrusion; iv) tergal lobes flattened or projected, each side crab claw-shaped; v) pseudotegumen expanded mesally and ribbed; vi) valvae digitiform and ribbed, and; vii) plates of lamella antevaginalis with mesal corners projected and tapered.

Distribution. Coastal and mainland between Minas Gerais in southeastern Brazil and Rio Grande do Sul in southern Brazil at altitudes between about 500 and 2000 m. The distribution follows the Atlantic Forest area (Pl. 25: Fig. 2 ).

Key for species based on males

1) Epiphysis present..................................................................................... 3

2) Epiphysis absent........................................................................ C. monoargenteus

3) FW with transverse stripe, dark or light brown, postmedial line or band present.................................... 4 FW mottled or uniform orangish-brown, transverse stripe absent, postmedial line sometimes clearly present............. 6

4) FW with a dark brown stripe............................................................................ 5 FW with a light brown stripe, posterior margin of saccus deeply concave............................... C. stigmatica

5) Posterior portion of saccus pronounced.................................................... C. mariana sp. nov. Posterior portion of saccus barely differentiated.............................................. C. barbara sp. nov.

6) Posterior portion of saccus V-shaped............................................................... C. ybyra Posterior portion of saccus concave, sometimes slightly angled mesally.......................................... 7

7) Tergal lobe with posterior projections, fultura superior present................................... C. denise sp. nov. Tergal lobe without projections, fultura superior absent....................................................... 8

8) Posterior margin of saccus reinforced with rounded lateral corners.................................. C. jane sp. nov. Posterior margin of saccus simple, not reinforced........................................................... 9

9) Tip of valvae tapered.................................................................... C. regina sp. nov. Tip of valvae rounded................................................................................ 10

10) Fultura inferior twice wider than longer..................................................... C. elyana sp. nov. Fultura inferior as wide as long................................................................. C. tessellata

Figures

PLATE 1. FIGURES 1−12. Cibyra spp. of ferruginosa species-group. Adults (dorsal): 1 (CGCM 33.377), 2 (CGCM 35.939), 3 (type no. 18604), 4 (CGCM 10.168), 5 (CGCM 27.547), 6 (CGCM 26.691), 7 (CGCM 23.321), 8 (CGCM 30.335), 9 (CGCM 30.343), 10 (CGCM 23.937), 11 (CGCM 42.000), 12 (CGCM 29.967). Depositories of the specimens: 1–2, 4–12 in CGCM; 3 in USNM.