Telchin atymnius futilis ( Walker, 1856 )

García-Díaz, José De Jesús, Espinoza-Sanabria, Bernardo A., Worthy, Robert, González, Jorge M., Janzen, Daniel H. & Hallwachs, Winnie, 2024, Synopsis of the Castniidae (Lepidoptera) of Costa Rica, Zootaxa 5481 (2), pp. 151-202 : 159-160

4. Telchin atymnius futilis ( Walker, 1856)

( Figs. 2A, 2B , 11H, 11I , 13A ) (BIN: BOLD:AAC9188)

Castnia futilis Walker, 1856 ; Walker, 1856. List Spec. Lepid. Coll. Brit. Mus. Vol. 7, p. 1581.

Castnia salasia Boisduval, [1875] ; Boisduval, [1875]. Spec. Gén. des Lép. Hét. Tome 1: Sphin., Sesi., Cast., p. 529.

Castnia humboldti f. brunneata ; Strand, 1913, in Seitz. Die Gross-Schmett. der Erde vol. 6, p. 8.

Castnia atymnius f. defasciata ; Strand, 1913, in Seitz. Die Gross-Schmett. der Erde vol. 6, p. 8.

Castnia salasia ; Strand, 1913, in Seitz. Die Gross-Schmett. der Erde vol. 6, p. 8.

Castniomera (Phaeosema) salasia ; Houlbert, 1918. Étud. Lép. Comp. 15, pp. 63, 209, 679, 707, 726, pl. CDXLI, fig. 3785.

Castniomera defasciata ; Apolinar, 1945. Rev. Ac. Col. Cienc. Ex., Fis & Nat. 6 (22–23), p. 322.

Castniomera atymnius futilis ; Miller, 1995, in Heppner. Castnioidea: Castniidae : Castniinae , Checklist part 2, Atlas Neo. Lep. , p. 135.

Castniomera atymnius futilis ; Lamas, 1995. Revta. Per. Ent. 37, p. 80.

General comments. Currently, Telchin atymnius (Dalman, 1825) includes seven subspecies, T. a. futilis being the one with the northernmost distribution, occurring in Mexico and throughout Central America ( Lamas 1995; García-Díaz 2022a). Telchin atymnius futilis was described (as Castnia futilis ) from Nicaragua ( Walker, 1856). The taxa Castnia salasia (Boisduval, [1875]) , Castnia humboldti f. brunneata ( Strand, 1913) and Castnia atymnius f. defasciata ( Strand, 1913) , were described later from Mexico, Honduras, and Panama respectively, but were synonymized with T. a. futilis by Lamas (1995). This subspecies is one of the best-represented castniids in entomological collections, due to its status as a pest of some crops and ornamentals ( LAICA 2016, 2017; Salazar-Blanco et al. 2018; Cadet-Piedra et al. 2019; Lugo-Cruz et al. 2020; García-Díaz 2022a). Telchin atymnius futilis , like most species/subspecies in the genus, is sexually dimorphic. Females tend to be larger than males and have more rounded forewings; more importantly, females have a band of subapical spots on the forewing that is absent or very faint in males, the creamy-white diagonal band that goes from the mid costa to the anal margin also tends to be more marked and wider than in males ( Houlbert 1918; Miller 1986; García-Díaz 2022a).

Even though T. a. futilis and T. a. drucei , are easily distinguished from each other and from other species in the genus, they have been confused in various works (and in iNaturalist) with T. licus ( LAICA 2016; José Daniel Salazar, pers. comm.). Curiously, both subspecies fly together in some sugar cane plantations in the country ( LAICA 2017; Salazar-Blanco et al. 2018; Cadet-Piedra et al. 2019; García-Díaz 2022a; José Daniel Salazar, pers. comm.).

Besides T. a. futilis and T. a. drucei , Telchin atymnius humboldti (Boisduval, [1875]) has been also mentioned in Costa Rica. Lara (1964a, 1964b, 1965, 1966a, 1966b) did a very thorough study about “ Castniomera humboldti ” affecting Musa spp. ( Musaceae ) plantations in La Estrella Valley , in Limón province, on the Caribbean slope of Costa Rica. Lara described the adults and the life cycle of this taxon and provided ecological, behavioral, and management information about the pest, as well as details of collecting methods. After a thorough literature review, T. a. humboldti (as a species or subspecies) has not been recorded as being collected in Costa Rica by other authors. After analyzing Lara’s (1964a) description and drawings of the male and female of the specimens he collected, his description and drawings are similar to that of T. a. futilis , which, as stated above, is known to be present in Costa Rica. Lara (1964a) mentions that he sent voucher specimens to the British Museum (NHMUK) to be identified. Unfortunately, after a thorough curation of the Castniidae collection in NHMUK by one of us (RW), that voucher couple was not found. Thus, we are unable to corroborate the subspecies name by examining this research material. However, the evidence and descriptive details provided by Lara (1964a, 1964b, 1965, 1966a, 1966b), lead us to believe that he was working with T. a. futilis , and not T. a. humboldti . Thus, we confirm herein that this latter taxon is not present in Costa Rica.

Ecology and behavior. Several works have focused on the ecology and behavior of Telchin atymnius , mostly associated with its status as a pest on certain ornamentals and crops. García-Díaz (2022a) studied Mexican populations of the species, recording nine hosts, seven of which were in the genus Heliconia L., 1771 ( Heliconiaceae ). Based on bibliographic sources, García-Díaz (2022a) found that T. a. futilis has not been reported on bananas and plantains (as other ssp.) and confirmed that it is frequently reported as a pest in sugarcane plantations in Costa Rica. Salazar-Blanco et al. (2018) and Cadet-Piedra et al. (2019) conducted studies into the population dynamics of T. a drucei and T. a. futilis in two sugarcane farms of the Quebrada Azul Sugar Mill (Peje Viejo and Murillo) in San Carlos, Alajuela, Costa Rica. They concluded that the population dynamics of both subspecies are closely related to the phenology of the crop, highlighting that both are bivoltine and adults are frequently sighted during March–May, and September–November. Likewise, they observed that more adults were collected when the rains decreased, the temperature exceeded 25°C and the relative humidity was below 90% ( LAICA 2016, 2017). As noted in iNaturalist (2023), Heliconia rostrata Ruiz & Pav and other Heliconiaceae are hosts of T. a. futilis . Adults of this subspecies are diurnal, flying mainly on sunny days but might fly on cloudy ones too, males are territorial, and their flight is fast, straight, and a little erratic ( García-Díaz 2022a). Females are not fast flyers and have been observed hovering above ground close to the base of their hosts before ovipositing ( García-Díaz 2022a).

Distribution and biogeography. Telchin atymnius futilis has been recorded from Mexico to Panama ( Miller 1986; Miller 1995; Lamas 1995; González & Hernández-Baz 2012; Van den Berghe et al. 2020; García-Díaz 2022a). The northernmost known distribution for this taxon is Xilitla, San Luis Potosí, Mexico ( García-Díaz 2022a). Based on Morrone et al. (2022), in Costa Rica T. a. futilis flies mostly in localities that belong to the Guatuso-Talamanca province of the Pacific dominion and in the Pacific Lowlands province of the Mesoamerican dominion, both in the Brazilian subregion. It is frequently recorded on the Caribbean slope of Costa Rica within the following provinces and cantons: Alajuela: Alajuela, Guatuso, San Carlos, San Ramón, Upala; Cartago: Cartago, Jiménez, Oreamuno, Paraíso, Turrialba; Guanacaste: Bagaces, La Cruz, Liberia, Tilarán; Heredia: Sarapiquí; Limón: Guácimo, Limón, Matina, Pococí, Siquirres, Talamanca; San José: Vázquez de Coronado.

Based on information collected from material deposited in different entomological collections, as well as records in iNaturalist (2023) and other references, except four doubtful records from the province of Puntarenas and records from sugarcane plantations where it has been collected along with T. a. drucei ( LAICA 2016, 2017; Salazar-Blanco et al. 2018; Cadet-Piedra et al. 2019), T. a. futilis and T. a. drucei seem to be naturally allopatric in Costa Rica; the former is found on the Caribbean slope while the latter is on the Pacific slope. However, they might eventually become sympatric, and populations might mix due to the establishment of more sugarcane plantations in the country, since as previously noted, there are sugarcane farms in Costa Rica where both subspecies fly together.

Figures

FIGURE 2. A–B: Telchin atymnius futilis; A: ♂, Alajuela, Cariblanco, Cuesta Angel, 15-V-82, R. Canet, 750m, INBIOCRI001055978 (MNCR); B: ♀, Prov. Alajuela, San Ramón, Est. Biol. Villa Blanca, Send. Higuerón, 1115m, 18MAY- 6JUN 2009, R. Rojas, Colecta libre, L_N_242482_483371, # 97580, INB0004223743, MNCR-A4223743 (MNCR); C–D: Telchin atymnius drucei; C: ♂, Corcovado National Park, Osa Peninsula, 5–14 Aug 1978, D. H. Janzen, INBIOCRI002607807, MNCR-A2607807 (MNCR); D: ♀, Prov. Heredia, Santo Domingo, Santa Rosa, INBio. 1100m, 30 OCT 2001, J. Montero, Manual, L_N_217300_526200. #64940, INB0003380476, MNCR-A3380476 (MNCR). Scale bar = 2cm.

FIGURE 11. A–C: Telchin evalthe tica; A: ♂, Pococí, Limón, 03-IV-2008 (photo: Steven Daniel); B: ♂, Coto Brus, Puntarenas, 27-V-2022 (photo: Randall Jiménez); C: ♀, Golfito, Puntarenas, 12-VII-2008 (photo: Gernot Kunz); D–E: Telchin licus microsticta; D: ♀, Alajuela, San Ramón, 22-IV-2020 (photo: Gustavo Orozco); E: ♂, San Carlos, Alajuela, 29-V-2023 (photo: Colin Allen); F–G: Telchin atymnius drucei; F: ♂, Golfito, Puntarenas, 18-I-2022 (photo: Heiner Ziegler); G: ♀, Puriscal, San José, 31-VIII-2022 (photo: Kirby Wolfe); H–I: Telchin atymnius futilis; H: ♂, Pococí, Limón, 16-I-2020 (photo: Alexandre Terrigeol); I: ♀, Sarapiquí, Heredia, 26-II-2022 (photo: Kyle Horner).

FIGURE 13. Distribution maps of the genus Telchin in Costa Rica. A: T. atymnius futilis; B: T. atymnius drucei; C: T. evalthe tica; D: T. licus microsticta.