Charadra cakulha Schmidt & Anweiler, 2010

Schmidt, Christian & Anweiler, Gary, 2010, The North American species of Charadra Walker, with a revision of the Charadra pata (Druce) group (Noctuidae, Pantheinae), ZooKeys 39 (39), pp. 161-181 : 173-175

Charadra cakulha Schmidt & Anweiler , sp. n.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:3FCD51C4-A812-49D5-B653-56922696F08B

Figs 7, 25

Type material. Holotype ♁ – MEXICO: “MEX., San Cristobal / de Las Casas, Chi[apa]s. / June 17 1969 / A. Mutuura ” ; “ HOLOTYPE / Charadra cakulha / Schmidt & Anweiler” [red label]. CNC . Paratypes – same data as holotype, (1♁). CNC .

Etymology. A deity from Mayan mythology, Cakulha is the ruler of the lesser lightning bolts, and brother of Coyopa. It is a noun in apposition.

Diagnosis. Externally recognizable by the very pale greyish-white outer third of the forewing and thorax, unique among the pata group. In addition to the wing markings, C. cakulha is distinguishable from the similar C. oligarchia by the lateral, symmetrical cornuti that are fused to the aedeagus (in C. oligarchia they are at the base of the vesica with one cornutus massive and one small).

Figures 30–34. Female genitalia of Charadra species. 30 C. franclemonti paratype, Madera Cyn., Santa Rita Mtns., AZ 3Ι C. tapa paratype, Ramsey Cyn., Huachuca Mtns., AZ 32 C. moneta paratype, Walnut Cyn., Coconino Co., AZ 33 C. deridens, Morehead , KY 34 C. dispulsa, Sinton , TX.

Description. Female unknown. Forewing length 19.7 mm. Head, thorax and abdomen – as in C. franclemonti , differing in the following characters: vestiture much paler grey, nearly white; thorax with margin of tegulae and patagia bordered with black scales. Forewing light grey, distal third powdery whitish grey; reniform spot not discernible, reniform area entirely whitish; orbicular broadly oval, whitish with brown diffuse central area; subterminal line poorly defined medially by irregular white line, black scales at costal and anal margin, expanded to a thick, prominent line at anal margin. Male genitalia (Fig. 25) – Valves simple, subquadrate apically with a strongly incurved, scoop-shaped dorsocaudal apex; costal process absent; clasper a simple scoop-shaped process about 1/6 length of dorsal valve margin, with broad surface directed dorso- cephalad; sacculus unmodified; uncus strongly constricted medially and apex bifid, with an overall Y-shaped appearance; tegumen expanded dorsally; saccus V-shaped; juxta triangular; subscaphium strongly sclerotized; aedeagus 3 × longer than wide, with a very wide, dorsally directed opening to vesica, opening about 1/3 total length of aedeagus; vesica directed at about 90 degrees to aedeagus; cornuti usually placed on base of vesica and fused laterally to aedeagus, so aedeagus armed distolaterally with two stout, laterally projecting spines, left one placed slightly more apically; one medial and one distal diverticulum of similar size, oriented dorsally.

Distribution and biology. Known only from the two specimens of the type series, collected in mid-June at San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico.