Castnia cronida

Lamas, Gerardo, 2017, A review of the genus Haemonides Hübner, [1819] (Lepidoptera: Castniidae), Zootaxa 4320 (2), pp. 245-271 : 253-256

cronida (Herrich-Schäffer, [1854])

Castnia cronida Herrich-Schäffer , [1854]: Sammlung neuer oder wenig bekannter aussereuropäischer Schmetterlinge: pl. [29], fig. 142. (figs. 8, 38–41).

Type material– Lectotype designation: A male syntype collected by August Kappler (1815–1887) is in SMNS and has had a lectotype label added by one of us (GL), this is hereby designated as the lectotype to fix it as the sole name-bearing type of the nominal taxon Castnia cronida . The specimen was discussed and illustrated in Häuser et al. (2003).

A male syntype, now paralectotype, from the Herrich-Schäffer collection is in MNHU, the paralectotype is also from Surinam.

Type locality. Surinam . The type locality cannot be further restricted.

Taxonomic status. A valid species.

Male genitalia. Uncus simple, covered with setae at the apex (setae not shown in figures). Uncus, tegumen, gnathos and valvae heavily sclerotised. Valvae with setae mainly at the apex. Saccus divided and moderately sclerotised. Penis slightly curved, heavily sclerotised, aedeagus slightly twisted. Aedeagus twice the length of the coecum. Contour of subterminal section of aedeagus slightly irregular (figs. 52, 71).

Distribution. The nominotypical subspecies is found in the Guianas and south-eastern Venezuela. In Brazil there are records from much of the way along the River Amazon, from Belém as far west as São Paulo de Olivença (fig. 43).

Discussion. The name Castnia cronida appeared for the first time printed on the wrappers for part 7 of the first series (moths) of the plates of the first volume of Herrich-Schäffer's Sammlung neuer oder wenig bekkanter aussereuropäischer Schmetterlinge, as the unnumbered plates bear no names, only numbers for the figures. Part 7 was published first [May 1854], whereas the relevant text (pp. 53–84) was published later, [April 1858]. For the complex publishing history and dating of Herrich-Schäffer's Sammlung …, see Häuser et al. (2003).

As stated above, this is the eastern subspecies of H. cronida (figs. 8, 38–41, 43); to the west of these localities it is replaced by ssp. pebana (figs. 7, 35–37, 43). A specimen in the collection of Thierry Porion from “Mexico- Chiapas 6-72” is mentioned by González (2008); however, this origin was rejected because of its provenance from a dealer known to sell mainly material from Brazil ( González 2008). The northernmost known specimens of this species are from south-east Venezuela, south of the Orinoco River ( González 1998) and French Guiana ( Bénéluz & Gallard 2012).

Haemonides c. cronida is not uncommon in French Guiana and appears to be regular in some localities along the River Amazon in Pará and Amazonas states, Brazil; however, it appears to be rare in the rest of its range.

Material examined. For this study as well as large series from French Guiana we have examined 6 males from Surinam , 2 males from Guyana , 1 male and 6 females from Belém , Pará, Brazil , 1 other male from Pará, Brazil , 11 males from Amazonas, Brazil , 1 female from an unknown locality, Brazil , and 2 females from Bolívar, Venezuela .