Notascea brevispinula, Miller, 2009

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 : 798-800

Notascea brevispinula , new species Figures 304 , 333 ; plate 32

DIAGNOSIS: This, the largest species of Notascea (³ FW length 5 16.0 mm), differs from other members of the genus in showing vibrant orange color in the FW, and in having a blacker FW and HW ground color (pl. 32). The FW veins in N. obliquaria are more extensively lined with black (pl. 31), whereas the forewings of N. nudata and N. loxa exhibit fewer black veins (pl. 31). A subtle feature of the FW sets N. brevispinula apart; the veins in the outer portion are lined with charcoal-gray scales, contrasting against the black ground color. The male genitalia of N. brevispinula are unique in that the set of cornuti on the dorsum of the vesica (fig. 333C), near its base, are short and delicate. In other Notascea species these are more robust.

DESCRIPTION: Male. Forewing length 5 16.0 mm. Head: Labial palpus moderately long, porrect, Lp3 drooping slightly downward; Lp1 covered with light gray scales, a loose fringe of longer scales below; Lp2 longer than Lp1, more tightly scaled, covered with light gray to gray-brown scales; Lp3 short, bullet shaped, light gray-brown; front gray-brown, somewhat darker toward middle, covered with appressed, ventromesally pointing scales; occiput light gray; eye large, bulging outward; vertex covered with anteriorly directed, light gray to gray scales, frosty gray between antennae; vertex scales forming a slight, longitudinal groove between antennal bases; scape and dorsum of antennal shaft covered with glossy, dark brownishgray scales.

Thorax: Legs covered with glossy, gray to dark gray-brown scales; tibial spurs light gray; pleuron covered with elongate light gray to dark gray scales; patagium dark gray; tegula dark gray to gray-brown, fringed with long, hairlike dark gray scales; dorsum uniformly dark gray.

Forewing: (Dorsal) Basal two-thirds forming a large, orange-yellow triangle (pl. 32); costal region, outer third, and anal margin blackish gray; radial sector, including fork of R 1, and cubitus widely lined with black in orange triangle; a few scattered black scales lining basal extension of M 2 within DC; a small number of black scales scattered along anal fold; all black lines arising from base, but falling well short of distal margin of orange area; fovea, between black-lined fork of R 1 and base of Rs 1 –Rs 4, an elongate oval, sparsely clothed with short, light orange scales, its surface somewhat shiny; associated fold between bases of M 1 and M 2 scaleless; outer margin of orange triangle crossing at a gentle oblique angle, its edge slightly irregular; orange area extending only to fork of M 3 +CuA 1; veins in dark outer third lined with lighter gray scales. (Ventral) Similar to dorsal surface except colors less intense; triangle almost uniformly orange-yellow, without black veins except near base of cubitus; fovea sparsely covered with small, ovoid, light yellow scales; anal margin glossy light gray.

Hind wing: (Dorsal) Ground color uniformly dark, blackish gray (pl. 32); anterior margin lighter gray. (Ventral) Slightly lighter gray than dorsal surface, especially near anal margin.

Abdomen: Uniformly dark, brownish gray.

Terminalia (fig. 333): Tg8 slightly narrow- er distally, posterior margin with a wide, Ushaped mesal excavation, anterior margin broadly concave; anterior apodeme on St8 wide, relatively short, its apex truncate; posterior excavation on St8 wide; costa of valva long and narrow, straight, distal portion gently expanded, forming an acute point at apex; rugose area at dorsum of BO weakly defined; aedeagus wide, rounded at base, forming an acute distal process, bent slightly downward; vesica equal in width to aedeagus, dorsal group of cornuti extremely short, distal group of spinelike cornuti numerous (n 5 24), relatively short and robust; vesica with approximately 10 caltrop cornuti below apex.

Female. Unknown.

ETYMOLOGY: The species name combines the Latin words for ‘‘short’’ (brevis) and ‘‘little spine’’ (spinula), in reference to the group of short dorsal cornuti on the male vesica (fig. 333C), a characteristic of this taxon. Other Notascea species have a set of long, robust cornuti in that location.

DISTRIBUTION: The only known example of N. brevispinula is from Petrópolis in eastern Brazil, on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro (fig. 304). Extensive sampling in the forests along the Brazilian coast will be crucial for delimiting the range of this species.

DISCUSSION: Unfortunately, a search of the world’s collections produced only a single male specimen of N. brevispinula . Two females are potential candidates: The first (AMNH) is from Tijuca on the coast of Brazil, slightly south of Rio. A second (USNM) matches the wing pattern of the type male with precision. That specimen (pl. 32), from the William Schaus Collection, bears no locality data. After carefully studying characters such as scale arrangements on the head and thorax, I decided that neither of these females conclusively matches the male brevispinula type. Their label data are summarized below (Other Specimens Examined). Description of females must therefore await discovery of additional material.

HOLOTYPE: Male (pl. 32). BRAZIL: Rio de Janeiro: Petropolis , 650 m, 10–20 Oct 1985, leg. V. O. Becker (genitalia slide no. JSM-481 ). The type specimen is deposited in the Vitor Becker Collection, Serra Bonita, Brazil.

PARATYPES: None.

OTHER SPECIMENS EXAMINED: BRAZIL: Rio de Janeiro: 1♀, Tijuca, no. 7760, Collection Hy. Edwards ( AMNH; genitalia slide no. JSM-1517 ) ; 1♀, [no data], Wm. Schaus Collection ( USNM; genitalia slide no. JSM-1518 ) .

DISSECTED: Holotype ³ (genitalia slide no. JSM-481 ).

Figures

Fig. 304. Known distributions of newly described South American Josiini: Josia neblina, Notascea brevispinula, Notascea loxa, Phintia broweri, Polyptychia hermieri, and Scea torrida.

Fig. 333. Holotype ³ genitalia of Notascea brevispinula, sp. nov. (JSM-481). A, genitalia; B, St8; C, aedeagus; D, Tg8.