Josia mononeura (Hübner), Hubner, 1806

Miller, James S, 2009, Generic Revision Of The Dioptinae (Lepidoptera: Noctuoidea: Notodontidae) Part 2: Josiini, Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2009 (321), pp. 675-1022 : 818

Josia mononeura (Hübner) Figure 336F ; plate 32

Hypocrita Tineiformis mononeura Hübner, 1806 : pl. 182, figs. 1–4.

TYPE LOCALITY: Unknown.

TYPE: Syntype ³/ ♀ (not seen).

Josia mitis Walker, 1856: 1645 .

TYPE LOCALITY: Brazil, Rio Grande.

TYPE: Holotype ♀, ex Saunders Collection ( OUMNH).

DISCUSSION: Josia mononeura is larger than its close relatives, J. insincera and J. similis , and has a more southerly distribution. Josia mononeura is common. For example, there is a series of nearly 50 specimens in the AMNH holdings, and a comparable series at the USNM. Bienzanko collected all of these at Pelotas, Brazil, in the mid-1950s. His specimens appear at the MCZ as well.

Although the Hübner type of J. mononeura will probably never be found and no type locality is known, the identity of this species is quite certain. The male and female moths figured in Hübner (1806) show a gray FW as well as a gray abdominal venter, the latter being a diagnostic feature distinguishing J. mononeura from J. similis and J. insincera .

My dissection of Walker’s type of Josia mitis (OUMNH) confirms that his name is conspecific with J. mononeura . That synonymy is therefore retained following Bryk (1930) and others.

DISTRIBUTION: Brazil (AMNH, BMNH, CUIC, MCZ, MNHN, MPM, NMW, OUMNH, USNM, VOB, ZMC, ZMH); Paraguay (AMNH, USNM); Uruguay (ZMH); Argentina (BMNH, FML, MNHN, USNM).

DISSECTED: ³, Brazil, Pelotas , Rio Grande do Sul, 21 Mar 1952, leg. C. Biezanko, AMNH (genitalia and appendage slide no. JSM-288 ; wing slide no. JSM-175 ) ; ♀ type of mitis Walker , Brazil, Rio Grande do Sul, OUMNH (genitalia slide no. JSM-1738 ) ; ♀, Brazil, Pelotas , Rio Grande do Sul, 21 Mar 1952, leg. C. Biezanko, AMNH (genitalia and appendage slide no. JSM-289 ) .

Figures

Fig. 336. Morphology of Josia. A, J. fustula ³ head, lateral view; B, J. fustula ³ head, lateral view; C, J. ligula ³ head, lateral view; D, J. ligula ³ head, frontal view; E, J. ligula ³ head, posterior view; F, J. mononeura ³ wings; G, J. frigida ♀ wings; H, J. ligula ³ wings; I, J. megaera ³ tegula; J, J. megaera ³ labial palpus (illustration by J.S. Miller).