Synemon parthenoides R. Felder, 1874

Kallies, Axel, Edwards, Edward D. & Williams, Andrew A. E., 2020, New and little-known sun-moth species from Australia (Lepidoptera, Castniidae), Zootaxa 4895 (2), pp. 151-195 : 159-162

Synemon parthenoides R. Felder, 1874

Orange-spotted Sun-moth

Figs 2 , 11–14 , 22 .

Synemon parthenoides R. Felder, 1874 , In Felder, R. & Rogenhofer, A.F., 1874–75: p. 9, pl. 79, figs 7, 8.

= Synemon parthenoides form partita Strand, 1911 , In Seitz, A. (ed.). p. 1 (synonymized by Edwards 1996)

Literature: Boisduval [1875]: 550, pl. 2; Stretch 1875: 13; Westwood 1877: 196; Tepper 1879: 44 (as Synemon laeta Walker 1854 ); Tepper 1882: 34, pl. 3, fig. 3a, b (as S. laeta ); Guest 1886: 62 (as S. sophia ); Tepper 1890: 16 (as S. sophia ); Kirby 1892: 11; Swinhoe 1892: 151 (in part misidentification of S. cf. leucospila ); Lower 1893: 13 (as S. sophia ); Aflalo 1896: 262 (as S. sophia ); Strand 1911a: 1, pl. 1 (part misidentification of S. cf. leucospila ); Strand 1911b: 139–140 (part misidentification of S. cf. leucospila ); Dalla Torre 1913: 19–20 (misidentification of S. cf. leucospila ); Tindale 1928: 143–144 (as S. sophia parthenoides ); McKeown 1942: 247 ( S. sophia parthenoides ); Common 1970: 828 (as S. sophia ); Common 1974: 106 (as S. sophia ); D’Abrera 1974: 49; Common & Edwards 1981: 295 (as S. sophia ); McQuillan & Forrest 1985: 12, fig. C14 (as S. sophia ); Miller 1986: 489–494, figs 208, 210–211 (as S. sophia ); Common 1990: 285, pl. 6, fig. 14; Douglas 1993: 14, fig. 9; Edwards 1996: 138; Douglas 2008: 38, 43, 63–66, 85–87, 99, 106, 107, 115, 116, 122, 123, 134, fig. 1; Grund & Stolarski 2012: 124–142, figs 1–36.

Type material examined. Lectotype: ♀ ( Fig. 2 , designated here because Felder’s syntypes contain more than one taxon) ‘Adelaide Angas type’ (round blue label) ‘ Synemon parthenoides nob. in tab.’ (in purple ink) ‘Specimen photog for CHECKLIST AUST LEP Film 60/16’ (antennae and abdomen glued on; the abdomen certainly does not belong to a castniid but probably a butterfly) in NHMUK. Paralectotypes: 1Ƌ, 1♀, ‘Adelaide Angas’ ‘Felder Colln’ conspecific with lectotype; 1Ƌ, 1♀ similarly labelled, but conspecific with S. discalis Strand, in NHMUK. Felder did not indicate the number of specimens he had available. The Felder collection was purchased by Lord Rothschild in about 1890 ( Rothschild 1983) and was bequeathed by Rothschild to the NHMUK in 1937 ( Stearn 1981).

Additional material examined. 1Ƌ, 1♀, Victoria, Grampians, Rose Creek Rd / Taylors Tk , 460m, 3707’ S 14224 ’E, 15.i.2012, E. Friedrich ( CEF) ( Figs 11–14 ) ; 1♀, Victoria, Grampians, ca 10 km SW of Halls Gap, Rosea Tk, NE side of Moora Moora Creek , ca 400 m, 10.ii.2011, leg. F. Douglas, A. Kallies, G. Rudolph ( CFD) ; 10Ƌ, 5♀, Victoria, Big Desert, Chinaman’s Well Tk, 3559.48’S 14142.13’E, 16.xi.2003 (9Ƌ, 4♀), 30.x.2004 (1Ƌ, 1♀), A. Kallies , F. Douglas, D. Hilton ( CAK) ; 1Ƌ, 1♀, Victoria, Big Desert, Milmed Tk , 3547.41’S 14147.16’E, 1.xi.2004, A. Kallies & F. Douglas ( CAK) ; 1Ƌ, 1♀, Great Otway NP, near Wensleydale , 3821’47 S 14403 ’03E, 4.i.2011, Mei-Yu Chen & U. Buchsbaum ( CUB) ; 1Ƌ, Victoria, Mailes Bushland Reserve , 2.1 km NW Great Western, 3707.692’S 14251.138’E, 28.xi.2019, F. Douglas ( CFD) ; 1Ƌ, 1♀, South Australia, Goolwa , 19.xii.2004, A. Kallies ( CAK) ; 1♀, South Australia, Kangaroo Island, Gosselands , 20.xii.2004, A. Kallies ( CAK) .

This species was described by Felder (1874) from material collected by George French Angas. The type locality was given as ‘Adelaide’. Angas lived in Adelaide, South Australia, at times between January 1844 and February 1863; however, he spent most of this period away from South Australia. On 10 February 1861 Angas despatched Lepidoptera specimens to C. Felder when living at Angastown, South Australia ( Tregenza 1980). Thus, the specimens could have been collected in Adelaide or another part of South Australia. The type series contains 5 specimens, belonging to two different species. Three specimens that are conspecific with the taxon currently considered under the name S. parthenoides (sensu Common 1990, Douglas 1993, Edwards 1996, Douglas 2008, Grund & Stolarski 2012), and two specimens conspecific with S. discalis Strand, 1911 . We therefore select one of the first three specimens as lectotype for S. parthenoides , for which we consider Adelaide the type locality. The two paralectotypes, which belong to S. discalis , possibly came from Port Lincoln, South Australia, where the species was common in the past.

Boisduval [1875] illustrated a female of S. parthenoides from ‘Nouvelle-Hollande’ ( Australia). Subsequently, Strand (1911a, b) erected the taxon partita based on this specimen, which was treated as a synonym of S. parthenoides by Edwards (1996). The specimen figured by Boisduval, the holotype for partita, could not be located, although Boisduval implied that it was in his collection. Boisduval’s Castniidae went via Oberthür and Levick to the NHMUK ( Horn & Kahle 1936, Riley 1964). However, some Boisduval Lepidoptera went elsewhere. Search for a possible specimen in NHMUK and MNHN was unsuccessful. Thus, it remains unclear whether partita is indeed conspecific with S. parthenoides .

Grund & Stolarski (2012) redescribed this species, figured the male genitalia, provided distribution records for South Australia, and described the early stages and biology in detail. Furthermore, they erected a new subspecies, S. parthenoides valma Grund & Stolarski, 2012 , for populations of S. parthenoides from the Yorke Peninsula, which differ in details of their coloration, genitalia and biology.

Redescription. Male ( Figs 11, 12 ). Forewing length, range 35–46 mm. Head, vertex dark grey with piliform and lamellar scales, frons with dark grey piliform scales, labial palpi porrect, projecting just beyond frons, grey above, white beneath, haustellum well developed, antenna black annulated with white scales, distal few flagellar annuli white beneath, club black above, white proximally beneath, nudum 16–18 orange on anterior half of club, apiculus long narrow of single annulus. Thorax above dark grey, paler scales bordering tegulae, of mixed piliform and broad lamellar scales, beneath white to pale orange, legs grey brown above, white to pale orange beneath, epiphysis clothed in short spines, pointed at tip, reaching to about end of foretibia. Abdomen with T2–4 black with long brown hair scales, remainder orange brown, orange laterally and white ventrally.

Forewing costa slightly arched, apex rounded, termen rounded, inner margin straight. Upperside black with markings of white or pale blue scales, a small spot of white scales at base, an ill-defined area of pale blue scales extending from near base to postmedian area but not defined into bands, a white patch at end of cell, triangular, sometimes obscured by pale blue scales, surrounded by pale blue scales, a subapical band of white spots from R2 to M2 an ill-defined band of pale blue scales beyond subapical band, a submarginal band of ground colour from near apex to near inner margin, a marginal band of pale blue scales and a fine black terminal line. Cilia grey. Under side black with white or orange markings; orange basally and along subcosta, a broad orange band from costa to 1A+2A displaced distally at M3, a broad orange subapical band from R1 to beyond M3, spots from R1 to M1 white at centre, a submarginal band of discrete white or orange spots, approximately of equal size extending from costa to inner margin, a terminal black line. Cilia white at apex, remainder grey.

Hindwing termen evenly rounded, tornus rounded. Upperside black with orange spots, a large orange spot at end of cell, a median band of orange spots extending from M1 to 1A+2A, spots between M1 and M3 confluent, a gap of ground colour from M3 to CuA1 and two adjacent orange spots between M3 and 1A+2A, separated by a narrow strip of ground colour along CuA2, a submarginal band of orange spots from M1 to 1A+2A, anal area black at base but with light brown hair scales and orange scales extending to a subtornal orange spot. Cilia grey, orange from Rs to M2 and 1A+2A to tornus and inner margin. Underside black with orange spots, basal and anal area orange, a large orange spot at distal end of cell, a median band of orange spots, confluent except between M3 and CuA1, extending from Rs to tornal spot, a submarginal row of orange spots from M2 to 1A+2A, anteriorly from Sc+R1 to M2 there are small white spots, a narrow terminal black line. Cilia white in apical area, grey on termen to 1A+2A and orange at tornus.

Female ( Figs 13, 14 ). Forewing length, range 41–56 mm. Similar to male, larger, wings slightly broader, coloration similar to male but orange spots usually larger.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 22 ). Uncus moderately narrow, slightly pointed at tip, with long setae; gnathos arms shorter than uncus; anal tube well sclerotized; tegumen broad, slightly curved, of constant width; vinculum angled, evenly sclerotized; saccus with well-developed bifurcated arms, broad and well separated; juxta not well developed; valva very elongate, narrow, strongly curved ventrally, tip truncated to upturned point, sacculus and costa with stout setae; phallus moderately long, narrow, of even diameter, well sclerotized, tip oblique, gently curved anteriorly with phallobase slightly recurved; ductus ejaculatorius about equal length to phallus with several coils.

Female genitalia. Papillae anales narrow, sharply pointed, short and heavily sclerotized; ovipositor long, narrow, extensible heavily sclerotized, with numerous stout dorsal and lateral spines near tip; apophyses long, heavily sclerotized, apophyses anteriores about half length of apophyses posteriores which extend from the tip of the papillae; sinus vaginalis broad; ostium bursae from long unsclerotized window extending about one third of way down S7; ductus seminalis from close to ostium; ductus bursae long, not coiled, rugose, corpus bursae large, approximately spherical, rugose, without signum.

Diagnosis. Synemon parthenoides is similar to S. sophia , S. discalis and S. cf. leucospila . From all three species it differs by the male genitalia, which are characterised by the long extended valvae. For further differentiation from S. sophia , see diagnosis in here; for a detailed diagnosis from S. discalis see Grund & Stolarski (2012). The same authors also compare S. parthenoides in detail to S. larissa , which appears identical with or very close to S. cf. leucospila (see notes under S. sophia ).

Variation. Within populations individuals vary in the size of the orange spots on the hindwing and in the size and number of the white subapical spots on the forewing. The number of submarginal orange spots on the hindwing anterior to M3 varies and they may be absent. Rarely the orange spots of the median and submarginal bands may merge into one another between CuA1 and 1A+2A. The spots of the hindwing are usually of the same orange hue but rarely specimens may have paler orange spots. Notable variation between populations has not been observed.

Distribution. This species is restricted to the western half of Victoria and the south-east of South Australia. In the east of its range, it occurs from the coast to the Big Desert, in the western part it occurs from Kangaroo Island, throughout the Fleurieu Peninsular to the Mt Lofty Ranges, reaching as far west as the Yorke Peninsula ( Douglas 2008, Grund & Stolarski 2012 and data in here). Some records from Victoria, which are currently based on images only require confirmation: 1 specimen, Anglesea, 3824’39.32”S 1449’39.66”E, 3.xii.2018, J. Lenagan; 1 specimen, Brisbane Ranges, Anakie, -37.875226 144.213878, 23.xi.2014, James Peake (iNaturalist).

Habitat and Biology. Synemon parthenoides occurs in open heath and heathy woodland, typically on sand where its hostplants grow. In the Grampians in Victoria it also occurs on sandstone. The flight period extends from late October in the north-west of Victoria to early January in the coastal parts of its range. In the Grampians, individ-ual specimens were found as late as early February. Douglas (2008) and Grund & Stolarski (2012) have described the biology, habitat and behaviour of S. parthenoides in detail, and their data is consistent with our own observations. Its primary hostplant is the Black Rapier-sedge ( Lepidosperma carphoides F.Muell. ex Benth. , Cyperaceae ) ( Tindale 1928, McQuillan & Forrest 1985 (as S. sophia ), Common 1990, Douglas 2008, Grund & Stolarski 2012). Douglas (2008) reported that females were also ovipositing on Tufted Bog-sedge ( Schoenus racemosus J.M.Black , Cyperaceae ), strongly suggesting that this plant is another host of S. parthenoides . The same author also observed occasional probing of females on Lepidosperma viscidum R.Br., and Douglas and Kallies observed specimens of S. parthenoides on a sandstone plateau dominated by L. viscidum in the Grampians, Victoria. Synemon parthenoides ssp. valma uses Lepidosperma congestum R.Br. as its hostplant as described by Grund & Stolarski (2012) who also provide detailed descriptions and figures of the eggs, early and late instar larvae and the pupa.

Remarks. The common name of this species, Orange-spotted Sun-moth, was introduced by McQuillan & Forrest (1985), although it was misidentified as S. sophia by these authors.

Figures

FIGURES 1–2. 1. Synemon sophia, lectotype, male (NHMUK). 2. Synemon parthenoides, lectotype, female (NHMUK).

FIGURES 11–18. Synemon species adults. Upperside (left), underside (right). 11–14. Synemon parthenoides, Victoria, Grampians, Ƌ (11, 12), ♀ (13, 14) (CEF). 15–18. Synemon maja, Ƌ, Canna Silo (15, 16) (ANIC); ♀, Howatharra Hill (17, 18) (ANIC).

FIGURES 21, 22. Synemon species, male genitalia. a. Unrolled. b. Lateral view, right valva removed. c. Valva. d. Phallus 21. Synemon cf. leucospila (genitalia slides 11834, 11836) (ANIC). 22. Synemon parthenoides (genitalia slides 11808, 11809) (ANIC).