Phintia, WALKER, 1854

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 : 784-788

PHINTIA WALKER, 1854

Figures 304 , 328–330 ; plate 31

Phintia Walker, 1854: 306 . Type species: Phintia podarce Walker, 1854 (by original designation).

DIAGNOSIS: Phintia species are easy to recognize. These are the only Josiini in which males exhibit greatly elongate, elbowed labial palpi (fig. 328D), extending over the front and reaching past the antennal bases. The junction between Lp2 and Lp3 is fused (fig. 328A). Furthermore, at the apex of Lp2, males possess a long scale tuft (fig. 328D). This tuft, whose shape is unique for the Dioptinae , terminates on the vertex of the head when the palpi are folded upward, and rests in a cavity of scales, formed between the antennal bases. The labial palpi of females are shorter and less elaborate, but are still longer than in any other josiine. The palpi of Phintia roughly resemble those found in some genera of the Dioptini , such as

♀ genitalia.

Erbessa (fig. 35A–E), Phaeochlaena (fig. 70A, B), Argentala (fig. 84A, D), and Polypoetes (e.g., figs. 89B, 90A, 90D). However, phylogenetic evidence confirms that the elongate palpi of Phintia have evolved independently (fig 7). In all cases, their function is unknown.

The two described species of Phintia are small moths, with FW lengths ranging between 11.5 and 15.0 mm. Forewing vein M 1 is stalked with the base of Rs 1 –Rs 4 (fig. 328E). This configuration, while not typical of josiines, occurs in five additional genera, including Proutiella (fig. 284C), a taxon arising at the base of the tribal cladogram (fig. 283).

REDESCRIPTION: Male. FW length 5 11.5–14.0 mm. Head (fig. 328A–D): Labial palpus extremely long, with an elbowlike joint, palpus held somewhat away from front, apex reaching to antennal base; Lp2 over twice as long as Lp1, with a distal tuft of greatly elongate, hairlike scales; Lp3 fused with Lp2; scales of front pointing upward, longer at outer margins, forming lateral ridges and crestlike tufts toward antennal bases; eye large, bulging, forming a dorsoventrally compressed, elongate oval; scales on vertex with a deep, midsagittal ‘‘part’’ between antennal bases; antenna bipectinate, rami fairly long, at least 20 apical annulations simple.

Thorax: Epiphysis of foreleg wide, foliate, extending to beyond foretibia apex; tegula long, apex narrow, blunt, with a strong transverse sulcus below, ventral process acute; metathoracic tympanum kettledrum shaped, region below and behind tympanal opening scaleless; tympanal membrane large, enclosed, oriented horizontally.

Forewing (fig. 328E; pl. 31): Elongate; vein Rs 1 arising from radial sector; veins Rs 2 –Rs 4 in the pattern [2+3]+4; M 1 long stalked with base of radial sector; DC approximately one-half FW length; M 3 and CuA 1 stalked; a light yellow or lemon-yellow transverse band, either straddling distal margin of DC ( P. broweri ) or located immediately beyond DC ( P. podarce ).

Hind wing (fig. 328E; pl. 31): Somewhat elongate, angulate at apex; M 3 and CuA 1 stalked.

Abdomen: Narrow, elongate, acute at terminus.

Terminalia (figs. 329A–C, E–G; 330A, B): Tg8 narrowing posteriorly, anterior margin with lateral angles produced, apodemes absent, posterior margin with a deep, Vshaped or U-shaped mesal excavation; St8 longer than Tg8, narrower posteriorly, anterior margin with a long, robust, broadly tapered mesal apodeme, posterior margin with a wide, U-shaped mesal excavation; socii laterally compressed; base of socii/uncus complex moderately wide; tegumen approximately equal in height to vinculum, expand- ed dorsally near junction with socii/uncus complex; vinculum narrow, ventral margin horizontal; valva large, taller than ring, with ‘‘upright’’ orientation, lateral surfaces membranous, fragile; BO large, occupying over two-thirds of valva; a tapered sclerite along middle of BO; valva bases broadly sclerotized, meeting below lower margin of vinculum; region between BO and valva apex membranous, with transverse striations bearing fine, hairlike androconia; costa sclerotized, fairly wide, with a flangelike process below apex; apex itself membranous; transtillar arms straplike at base, pointing downward, broadening toward midline to form a wide, slightly concave, mesal sclerite; aedeagus long, narrow (compared to most Josiini ), weakly sinuate, gradually tapered to a ventral point distally; vesica long, narrow in basal third, sharply angled upward in distal two-thirds; a scattered group of short, spinose cornuti dorsally near base of vesica, distal portion covered with moderately long, spinelike cornuti on posterior surface.

Female. FW length 5 12.0–15.0 mm. Head: Similar to male except labial palpus shorter, without an elbowlike joint between Lp1 and Lp2, lacking a long apical tuft on Lp2; antenna ciliate.

Thorax: Similar to male.

Forewing: Broader than male, outer margin more convex.

Hind wing: Broader than male, outer margin more convex; frenulum with two bristles (all Josiini ).

Abdomen: Wider than male, not elongate.

Terminalia (fig. 329D, 330C): Tg7 large, broad, wider at anterior margin than at posterior one; anterior margin of Tg7 simple, posterior margin with an extremely deep, wide excavation extending anteriorly to over three-fourths tergum length; St7 equal in length to Tg7; St7 roughly quadrate, slightly tapered toward posterior margin, anterior and posterior margins simple; Tg8 almost completely membranous, represented dorsally by a thin, tapered band; AA thin, straight, moderately long; PA small, no dorsal lobe; PP long, extremely thin, bent slightly downward; postvaginal plate lightly sclerotized, wide, wrapping upward laterally; ostium wide, dorsoventrally compressed, lower surface membranous; DB membranous, fairly long, wide, dorsoventrally compressed; CB mostly membranous, coarsely wrinkled; CB with a large, laterally compressed, membranous dorsal appendix; DS arising from right side of appendix, base of DS wide; dorsum of CB with a long, narrow, sclerotized band, slightly wider posteriorly, tapered anteriorly; signum a transverse sclerite with a few long internal lateral spines; central portion of signum smooth, knob shaped, protruding from DB membrane.

DISTRIBUTION: Phintia species are restrict- ed to lowland Amazonian forests; no specimens have been recorded above 200 meters. Phintia podarce , the more widespread taxon, has been captured along the entire length of the Amazon River in Brazil, from Pará west to São Paulo d’Olivença (Amazonas) near the Peruvian border. Continuing west to the upper reaches of the Amazon, the moth can be found in Peru as far as the Río Pacaya, which feeds into the Río Ucayali above Iquitos (see fig. 5). Phintia podarce has also been collected at Tambopata Reserve on the Madre de Dios, as well as in French Guiana. Its sister species, P. broweri , is known exclusively from a relatively small area of southeastern Peru and northern Bolivia (fig. 304).

These records suggest that our biogeographical knowledge of Phintia is incomplete. For example, the range of P. podarce probably extends across a broad arc of the Amazon Basin, from southern Peru north to the Guyana Shield. Amazingly, a single specimen of Phintia (AMNH) was collected in Veracruz, Mexico. This example, an undescribed species, extends the range of the genus north over 3000 miles. Cases such as this highlight the incredible need for additional collecting, to fully understand the biodiversity and biogeography of groups such as the Dioptinae .

BIOLOGY: Phintia adults are diurnal, but they are rare and difficult to collect. The larvae have never been found. Since Phintia plays a pivotal role in the phylogeny of the Josiini (fig. 283), it will be important to focus future fieldwork on a search for its host plants. Broad-based searches in Phintia habitat on the foliage of plants in the Achariaceae , Turneraceae , and of course Passifloraceae (see table 6), would be a well-advised starting point.

DISCUSSION: The genus name Phintia first became available when Walker (1854) applied it to ‘‘Group 6’’ of Josia . Walker described four species in Group 6— hyperia , podarce , cercostis , and lanceolata —all from Pará, Brazil. The first of these is now a synonym of Ephialtias abrupta (appendix 2), and the last is no longer in the Dioptinae . Kirby (1892) raised Phintia to generic status, listing only two species, P. podarce and P. cercostis . Subsequent to Kirby, the name Phintia fell out of use. Prout (1918) placed cercostis and podarce (here considered a single species, podarce ) in Josia , and they have remained there ever since. My analyses now suggest that podarce and its sister species, the newly described broweri , do not belong in Josia . Instead, they arise as a separate clade (fig. 283) that is sister to a diverse josiine lineage (44 spp.) comprising three genera— Notascea , Josia , and Scea . I therefore reinstate Phintia to generic status.

1.

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KEY TO PHINTIA SPECIES Plate 31

Hind wing central area light lemon yellow to light greenish yellow; transverse band of FW narrow; posterior margin of male Tg8 with a U-shaped mesal excavation (fig. 329G); male St8 narrow (fig. 329F); dorsal sclerite of female CB wide (fig. 330C), with a longitudinal seam; FW length 5 11.5–15.0 mm (Amazonian Brazil, E Peru, French Guiana).................. podarce Walker HW completely brownish black to black; transverse FW band wide; posterior margin of male Tg8 with a deep V-shaped mesal excavation (fig. 329E); male St8 wide (fig. 329B); dorsal sclerite of female CB narrow (fig. 329D), without a seam; FW length 5 13.5–14.5 mm (SE Peru, NE Bolivia)................ broweri , sp. nov.

SPECIES INCLUDED AND MATERIAL EXAMINED

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. 328. Morphology of Phintia broweri (³). A, head, lateral view; B, head, frontal view; C, head, posterior view; D, head, lateral view; E, wings (A–C, E: illustration by J.S. Miller; D: illustration by S. Goodman)

Fig. 329. Genitalia of Phintia. A, ³ of P. broweri (JSM-848); B, P. broweri ³ St8; C, aedeagus of P. broweri; D, ♀ of P. broweri (JSM-849); E, P. broweri ³ Tg8; F, P. podarce (JSM-313) ³ St8; G, P. podarce ³ Tg8 (illustration by J.S. Miller).

Fig. 330. Genitalia of Phintia podarce (³ JSM-1466, ♀ JSM-1511). A, ³ genitalia; B, aedeagus; C,