Dyscophellus porsena Bell, 1934

Austin, George T., 2008, Hesperiidae of Rondônia, Brazil: Taxonomic comments on “ night ” skippers, with descriptions of new genera and species (Lepidoptera: Eudaminae), Insecta Mundi 2008 (29), pp. 1-36 : 23-25

Dyscophellus porsena Bell, 1934 , reinstated status

( Fig. 69, 72 , 103 , 127 )

Discophellus porsena Bell, 1934

Dyscophellus ramusis astrapaeus (Hewitson, 1876) : Evans, 1952

The dorsal color of male D. porsena (mean FW length = 27.7 mm [26.7-29.0, n = 7]) in Rondônia varies from brown to red-brown. The macules on the ventral hindwing vary as do those of D. diaphorus . Male genitalia are as illustrated by Bell (1934).

The relationships of the taxa included by Evans (1952) and Mielke (2004, 2005) as subspecies (or synonyms) of Papilio ramusis , including Eudamus astrapaeus Hewitson, 1876 , Netrocoryne damias Plötz, 1882 , Discophellus porsena Bell, 1934 , and Dyscophellus ramusis ramon , need to be examined. The morphologies of the valvae of these taxa, as indicated by descriptions and figures ( Bell 1934, Hayward 1948, Evans 1952), show differences as great as those between unquestionably recognized species within Dyscophellus . Wing shape and colors differ ( Evans 1952) and both D. ramon and D. damias have been treated as full species (e.g., Bridges 1988, Warren 2000). Evans (1952) provisionally included D. porsena as a synonym of D. r. astrapaeus . This is incorrect since not only do the genitalia differ from that taxon, its color is different: “ochreous brown” ( Evans 1952) for D. r. astrapaeus and “rusty-red” ( Bell 1934) for D. porsena . Also, D. porsena occurs in Peru and western Brazil, within the distribution of D. ramusis and away from that of D. r. astrapaeus in northern South America ( Evans 1952, Mielke 1973, Cock and Alston-Smith 1990). For these reasons, D. porsena is here raised from synonymy and recognized as a species-level taxon.

Also, examination of material from Central America reaffirms that D. ramon ( Fig. 63, 66, 70, 73 ) is a distinct species as it has been treated by some authors (e.g., Freeman 1976, de la Maza and de la Maza 1985, Bridges 1988, de la Maza et al. 1991, Warren 2000; see also Janzen et al. 2005). Its male genitalia ( Fig. 102 ) are quite different from those of D. ramusis (see figure in Evans 1952). The female genitalia are also illustrated ( Fig. 109 ). Accordingly, Dyscophellus ramon Evans, 1952 , new status, is here formally raised to species-level status.

Dyscophellus porsena is uncommon in the vicinity of Cacaulândia, with records in February, April to June, and November ( Fig. 127 ). The species was known only from Peru ( Bell 1934).

Figures

Figure 62-73. Pseudonascus, Dyscophellus, and Nascus (from BRAZIL: Rondônia, unless noted otherwise; dorsum and venter of same specimens). 62, 65) P. paulliniae male, Fazenda Rancho Grande, 16 Nov 1994. 63, 66) D. ramon male, COSTA RICA: Puntarenas Prov.; Playa Herradura, 20 Sep 1987. 64, 67) N. salon salon male, Fazenda Rancho Grande, 5 Dec 1991. 68, 71) P. paulliniae female, 5 km S of Cacaulândia, 12 Apr 1995. 69, 72) D. porsena male, Fazenda Rancho Grande, 16 Nov 1994. 70, 73) D. ramon female, COSTA RICA: Puntarenas Prov.; 1.1 km N Tarcoles, 20 Sep 1987.

Figure 98-103. Male genitalia of Dyscophellus (from BRAZIL: Rondônia, unless noted otherwise). Structures shown are lateral, dorsal, and ventral views of tegumen, uncus, gnathos, and associated structures; lateral internal view of right valva; lateral view of aedeagus and associated structures; and ventral view of transtilla and juxta. 98) D. porcius porcius (GTA #3419). 99) D. erythras (GTA #1787). 100) D. diaphorus (GTA #3916). 101) D. mielkei (GTA #2879). 102) D. ramon (GTA #3363), COSTA RICA. 103) D. porsena (GTA #3204).

Figure 125-130. Phenology of some night skippers from central Rondônia, Brazil. 125-126) Bungalotis species. 127) Dyscophellus species. 128) Salatis salatisand Sarmientoia similis. 129) Nicephellus nicephorus and Euriphellus euribates. 130) Pseudonascus paulliniae and Nascus species.

Figure 104-110. Female genitalia (ventral view) of Dyscophellus and Sarmientoia (from BRAZIL: Rondônia, unless noted otherwise). 104) D. phraxanor, ECUADOR (GTA #7210). 105) D. porcius porcius, COSTA RICA (GTA #7201). 106) Dyscophellus sp. (D. sebaldus?), COSTA RICA (GTA #7205). 107) S. similis (GTA #7224). 108) D. erythras (GTA #7206). 109) D. ramon, COSTA RICA (GTA #7208). 110) Dyscophellus sp. (D. diaphorus?), COSTA RICA (GTA #7209).