Ghost-moths of Trinidad and Tobago with description of a new genus and a new species (Lepidoptera: Hepialidae)
Mielke, Carlos G. C.
Grehan, John R.
Cock, Matthew J. W.
Zootaxa
2020
2020-03-27
4758
1
181
190
(Schaus, 1940)
Mielke & Grehan & Cock
2020
Schaus
1940
[151,605,873,900]
Insecta
Hepialidae
Wallacella
Animalia
Lepidoptera
3
184
Arthropoda
species
guianensis
comb. nov.
( Figs 1a, 1b, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 11, 12, 13a, 13b, 13c, 14, 15)
Diagnosis. The single known species may be recognized using diagnostic attributes of the genus. However, it is also easily recognized by the distinctive posterior abdomen and male genitalia: i) tergal lobe spatulate on the left and digitiform on the right; ii) ventral projection of the saccus pocket-like with posterior edge serrate; iii) number of antenomeres in the male ~67. These characters are unique among all known Neotropical species.
Redescription. Male( Figs 1a, 1b, 2, 3, 4, 6, 10, 11, 12, 14). Head. Frons dark orangish-brown to brown. Antenna with ~67 antenomeres. Thorax. Coloured as the head. Legs( Fig. 10). Epiphysis and arolium absent. Forewing length: 22–31 mm; wingspan: 44–60 mm. Forewing dorsally. Elongated, tornus not distinguished; costal margin straight, apex angle sub-obtuse [almost right angled], outer and inner margins convex. Ground colour orangish-brown to brown with four light gray transverse lines ( Fig. 3): i) proximal antemedial line almost straight; ii) distal antemedial line oblique (the most oblique one); iii) proximal postmedial line almost in parallel to the proximal antemedial line, and; iv) premarginal line straight or concave which angles outward from M 2to costal margin; lighter areas present proximally to all the lines. Stigma concolourus with lines, but not always present. Hindwing dorsally. Orangish-brown to brown, generally lighter than forewing. Forewing and hindwing ventrally. Uniformly coloured, light orangish-brown to brown, but paler and without markings. Abdomen( Figs 11, 12, 14). Dorsally as the thorax, ventrally lighter. Tergum VIII with left lobe pronounced and tapered; sternum VIII lunulate and deeply concave anteriorly, with an irregular sclerotized plate of each side posteriorly. Male genitalia( Figs 13a, 13b, 13c, 15). Tegumen (= intermediate plate) rectangular and slightly curved inward, fused to pseudotegumen. Saccus U–shaped with robust lateral arms and with a conspicuous pocket-like posterior projection; posterior edge of the pocket V-shaped, strongly sclerotized with serrate borders. Left tergal lobe spatulate, right lobe digitiform. Pseudotegumen laterally rectangular, but forming a ring around the phallocrypt that is unfused dorso-posteriorly and strongly fused antero-ventrally, producing a tapered and projected backwards process, serrated antero-ventrally. Fultura inferior (= juxta) subrectangular, enlarged at its base. Fultura superior (= trulleum) subsquare. Valva L-shaped, digitiform, but enlarged at base; tip, base and anterior margin setose. Phallus membranous, as long the height of the genitalia when everted, with several spine-like cornuti. Female( Fig. 4). Same pattern as the male, but with paler and longer forewing. Forewing length: 49 mm; wingspan: 101 mm. Geographical distribution. Wallacella guianensisis known from Trinidad, southern Venezuela, Guyana, and French Guiana ( Fig. 20). FIGURES 7−9. Gymelloxes juliusboosi sp. nov.7, Male holotype (enlarged 2x): 7a, dorsal view; 7b, ventral view (NHMUK). 8, Male paratype (CGCM 35.247; enlarged 2x): 8a, dorsal view; 8b, ventral view (NHMUK). 9, Female paratype: 9a, dorsal view; 9b, ventral view (UWIZM). Scale bar = 1 cm. Ethology. Specimens were attracted to light at dusk.
Host plant. Unknown.
Etymology. It is likely that Schaus (1940)proposed the specific name after the locality of the holotypespecimen, Guyana. Examined material( 19 males, 1 female). Trinidad and Tobago. 3 males, Trinidad, Off Saunders Rd, Inniss Field, 50m, MV light: 17.V.1999, M. J. W. Cock leg. ( CGCM 35.217, 35.356( MJWC)); 1 male, Trinidad, F. Birch leg. ( NHMUK). Venezuela: 1 male, Amazonas, Rio Mavaca Cp. 65°06’ W, 2°2’ N, 150 m, 16.–27.III.1989, D. Grimaldi leg., Exp. Phipps-Fudeci( AMNH). Guyana. 1 male( Fig. 4; holotype), Bartica, Kartabo, 22.IX.1922( USNM). French Guiana. 1 male, Rd. Paul Insard, 94 m, 5°17’02’’ N, 53°58’00’’ W: 6.X.2015, D. Herbin leg. (CGCM 33.107; CGCM); 5 males, Rd. de la Montagne de Fer, 106 m 5°18’51’’ N, 53°32’00’’ W: 3.X.2015, D. Herbin, M. Laguerre& Felis leg. ( CGCM 32.951, 32.997, 33.340, 33.398, 33.526; CGCM); 1 male, Saül, Crique Limonade, 210 m, 4°32’42’’ N, 52°09’10’’ W: 19.X.2013( CGCM 32.943; CGCM); 1 male, Plateau des Mines, 5°20’42’’ N, 54°4’31’’ W: 4.X.2015, D. Herbin, M. Laguerre& Felis leg. ( CGCM 33.159; CGCM); 1 male, Rd. Belizon Km.7, 67 m, 4°19’28’’ N, 52°20’7’’ W: 10.X.2015, D. Herbin& M. Laguerre leg. ( CGCM 33.392); 1 male, Rd. Apatou-Layons Km.26, 99 m, 5°14’46’’ N, 54°11’52’’ W: 2.X.2013, D. Herbin, M. Laguerre& Felis leg. ( CGCM 29.958; CGCM); 1 male, Rd. Coralie, 46 m, 4°29’41’’ N, 52°23’41’’ W: 13.X.2013, D. Herbin leg. ( CGCM 30.042; CGCM); 1 male, Cariocou, 4°51’30’’ N, 52°17’ W: 4.X.1996, B. Hermier leg. ( CGCM 30.672; CGCM); 1 male, Grand-Santi, 100 m, 4°17’05’’ N, 54°21’06’’ W: 14–18.X.2017, Vincent, Lévêque& Barbut leg. ( CGCM 35.366; CGCM); 1 male, Rd. Kaw, 286 m, 4°32’57’’ N, 52°08’52’’ W: 27.X.2013, D. Herbin leg. ( CGCM 30.158; CGCM); 1 female( MNHN).
Remarks. In Trinidad and Tobago, this species has been recorded only in Trinidad. Inniss Field is a low altitude area of disturbed forest with scattered oil wells in the South of Trinidad.
2592156081
1999-05-17
CGCM, MJWC
M. J. W. Cock
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad
50
35.217
Inniss Field
71
35.356
Off Saunders Rd
4
185
3
3
2592156083
NHMUK
F. Birch
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad
4
185
1
1
2592156085
1989-03-16
1989-03-27
1989-03-16
AMNH
D. Grimaldi & Exp. Phipps-Fudeci
Venezuela
150
2.0333333
Rio Mavaca Cp.
1307
-65.1
4
185
1
1
Amazonas
2592156074
1922-09-22
USNM
Guyana
Kartabo
Bartica
4
185
1
1
holotype
2592156080
[466,1436,2016,2043]
2015-10-06
D. Herbin
Guyana
94
5.283889
Rd. Paul Insard
21
-53.966667
4
185
1
1
holotype
2592156079
2015-10-03
CGCM
D. Herbin & M. Laguerre & Felis
106
5.314167
Rd. de la Montagne de Fer
21
-53.533333
5
186
CGCM 32.951, 32.997, 33.340, 33.398, 33.526
5
5
2592156072
2013-10-19
CGCM
210
4.545
Saul
21
-52.15278
Crique Limonade
5
186
CGCM 32.943
1
1
2592156082
2015-10-04
CGCM
D. Herbin & M. Laguerre & Felis
5.3450003
Plateau des Mines
21
-54.075275
5
186
CGCM 33.159
1
1
2592156077
2015-10-10
CGCM
D. Herbin & M. Laguerre
4.3244443
Rd. Belizon Km.
21
-52.335278
5
186
CGCM 33.392
1
1
2592156066
2013-10-02
CGCM
D. Herbin & M. Laguerre & Felis
5.246111
Rd. Apatou-Layons Km.
21
-54.19778
5
186
CGCM 29.958
1
1
2592156078
2013-10-13
CGCM
D. Herbin
46
4.494722
Rd. Coralie
21
-52.394726
5
186
CGCM 30.042
1
1
2592156068
[353,1432,404,431]
1996-10-04
CGCM
B. Hermier
4.858333
Cariocou
922
-52.283333
5
186
CGCM 30.672
1
1
2592156073
2017-10-14
2017-10-18
2017-10-14
CGCM
Vincent & Leveque & Barbut
100
4.2847223
Grand-Santi
21
-54.351665
5
186
CGCM 35.366
1
1
2592156070
2013-10-27
CGCM
D. Herbin
286
4.5491667
Rd. Kaw
21
-52.14778
5
186
CGCM 30.158
1
1
2592156071
[258,470,513,539]
MNHN
5
186
1
1