Menevia vulgaricula, St. Laurent, Ryan A. & Dombroskie, Jason J., 2016

St. Laurent, Ryan A. & Dombroskie, Jason J., 2016, Revision of the genus Menevia Schaus, 1928 (Lepidoptera, Mimallonoidea, Mimallonidae) with the description of 11 new species, ZooKeys 566, pp. 31-116 : 90-95

Taxon classification Animalia Lepidoptera Mimallonidae

Menevia vulgaricula sp. n. Figs 62, 69, 70, 89, 102; Map 5

Type material.

Holotype, ♂: BRAZIL: Amazonas: Hyutanahan [ Huitanaã], Rio Purus, Brazil, S.M. Klages/ Jan. 1922/ Carn. Mus. Acc. 6963/ St. Laurent diss.: 6-19-15:1/ HOLOTYPE male Menevia vulgaricula St Laurent and Dombroskie, 2016 [handwritten red label]/ (CMNH). Type locality: Brazil: Amazonas: Huitanaã.

Paratypes, 2 ♂, 1 ♀: BRAZIL: Amazonas: 1 ♂, Hyutanahan [ Huitanaã], Rio Purus: II.1922, S.M. Klages, Carn. Mus. Acc. 6963, St. Laurent diss.: 4-25-15:14 (CMNH). 1 ♂, Nova Olinda, Rio Purus: V.1922, S.M. Klages, St. Laurent diss.: Carn. Mus. Acc. 6962, St. Laurent diss.: 6-19-15:2 (CMNH). 1 ♀, Rio Madeira: Juillet-Août (Fassl), Dognin Collection, USNM-Mimal: 2595, St. Laurent diss.: 4-25-15:15 (USNM). - All paratypes with the following yellow label: PARATYPE male/female Menevia vulgaricula St Laurent and Dombroskie, 2016.

Additional questionable specimens examined.

(3 ♀ total) [not included in type series] BRAZIL: Pará: 1 ♀, Likely Belém: A.M. Moss, Rothschild Bequest 1939-1, St. Laurent 7-21-15:2, BMNH(E) 1378755 (NHMUK). FRENCH GUIANA: 1 ♀, RN 2, Km 48: 14.VIII.1985, J. Haxaire, Bc-Her 2991 (Collection of Daniel Herbin, France). 1 ♀, Saül: 1.VIII.2011, Ph. Collet leg. (RAS).

Diagnosis.

Menevia vulgaricula is similar to the previous two species, but much smaller, both males and females are notably smaller than the respective sexes of Menevia vulgaris . The female of Menevia vulgaricula is easily differentiated from females of Menevia vulgaris by the width of the submarginal area, which is broader and decreases in width toward the apex much less gradually than the rapidly narrowing submarginal area of Menevia vulgaris . The genitalia of both sexes can be used to differentiate Menevia vulgaricula from similar species (except from the unexamined female of Menevia franclemonti ). In males, the phallus has a very prominent setae covered dorso-anterior bulge reminiscent of a dorsal phallic ridge, the tegumen, vinculum, and acutely triangular uncus are all very narrow and elongated, and the paired processes of the gnathos converge and bend upwards. Additionally, the divergent lobes at the proximal end of the phallus are not broad, but thin and peg-like. In the female, the lamella antevaginalis is very thin, unlike the usually broad, quadrate lamella of Menevia vulgaris .

Description.

Male.Head: Gray, eyes large comprising about two-thirds of head area, eyes bordered posteriorly by brownish gray collar of scales reaching labial palpi, labial palpi very small, segments weakly defined ventrally, dorsally with darker scales contrasting with overall gray coloration. Scape and pedicel tufted. Thorax: As for genus. Light gray. Legs: As for genus. Tibial spurs moderate length, thin, somewhat hooked distally. Forewing dorsum: Forewing length: 19-22 mm, avg.: 21 mm, n = 3. Acutely triangular, apical half of outer margin concave, apex falcate. Ground color gray with brown or reddish brown suffusion, especially near interior edge of postmedial line and medial area, reddish coloration near apex along apical interior of postmedial line, overall lightly speckled by dark petiolate scales. Discal spot faintly marked by light gray oblong shape, thin gray mark connecting discal spot to costa. Apex marked by black scales above extended apical dash. Postmedial line mostly straight except when approaching apex, line black, strongly contrasting. Submarginal area light gray with whitish suffusion mesally, sometimes appearing as a faint zigzag, postmedial lunule as white band originating from apical dash, white band follows postmedial line from apex to anal wing margin. Antemedial line faint, brown, curved outwards. Forewing venter: As in forewing dorsum but antemedial area lighter gray, more contrasting, blood red suffusion more expansive, antemedial line absent, small black discal spot occasionally present. Hindwing dorsum: Triangular, anal angle weakly accentuated, reddish coloration near anal angle, similar coloration and patterning as forewings, antemedial line absent, postmedial line moderately bent toward anterior wing margin, weakly concave mesally. Hindwing venter: Following similar pattern as forewing venter, but red coloration near anal angle much darker, discal mark absent or very faint. Abdomen: As for genus but somewhat elongated, nearly sphingiform. Coloration a continuation of gray thoracic color. Midventral stripe absent. Genitalia: (Fig. 89) n = 3. Tegumen elongated, narrow, somewhat constricted near base of gnathos. Vinculum elongated, narrow. Valves relatively narrow, saccular edge of left valve with large triangular tooth proximal to transtilla, right valve with tooth slightly reduced in size, both valves with smaller mesal costal projection originating from central ridge of valve, mesal costal projection immediately above saccular edge teeth, apex of projection pointed toward saccular edge. Valves rounded apically. Uncus very narrow, acutely triangular. Gnathos as two prominent, converging, flattened, sclerotized, flap-like, somewhat triangular, upward facing extensions with somewhat truncated apices. Juxtal processes shorter than phallus, curving toward apex of phallus. Juxtal processes thin, covered in fine setae. Base of phallus with paired, backwards facing, short, peg-like, diverging lobes. Phallus cylindrical, irregularly edged dorsum with accentuated bulging ridge-like projection situated anteriorly, covered in setae. Left edge of rolled phallus uneven but forming anteriorly situated bulge, base of the sclerotized terminus of phallus with prominent ventral bump, angled away from distal end of phallus, distal tip of phallus separated into two distinct points. Vesica elongate, covered in setae laterally, originating from progressively weakened sclerotization. Female.Head: As in male but with light brown tint. Thorax: As in male but with brownish tint. Legs: As in male, tibial spurs shorter or about same length. Forewing dorsum: Forewing length: 27 mm, n = 1. Maculation as in male, wing broader, barely more elongate, less triangular, less falcate, postmedial line straighter, nearly parallel to wing margin until just before apex, submarginal area rectangular not triangular, antemedial line fainter. Forewing venter: As in forewing dorsum but lighter gray, with pinkish suffusion, antemedial line absent, thin black discal mark present. Hindwing dorsum: As in male but more rounded, less triangular, postmedial line concave mesally, but still moderately bent toward anterior wing margin. Hindwing venter: Following similar pattern as forewing venter, reddish suffusion near anal angle much darker, contrasting. Abdomen: As in male but more robust. Sternite of VIII with pair of thin sclerotized bands converging near anterior margin of VIII forming a “V”. Genitalia: (Fig. 102) n = 1. Tergite of VIII forming posteriorly directed triangle, without membranous gap mesally. Apophyses anteriores about same length as apophyses posteriores. Lamella antevaginalis very thin, indistinct, curved. Ductus bursae short. Papillae anales elongated, covered in relatively long setae.

Distribution

(Map 5). This new species is restricted to the Amazon region, specifically in the vicinity of Rio Madeira and Rio Purus, but may be more widespread, see remarks. This species is sympatric with Menevia vulgaris .

Etymology.

Menevia vulgaricula is named for its appearance as a diminutive Menevia vulgaris .

Remarks.

Menevia vulgaricula is an interesting species due to its remarkable external resemblance to Menevia vulgaris , with which Menevia vulgaricula is sympatric. Despite notable similarity in external characters, Menevia vulgaricula is much smaller and displays distinct genitalia characters, in both the male and the female.

Both Menevia vulgaris and Menevia vulgaricula were collected by S. M. Klages during the same period at both Huitanaã and Nova Olinda, Amazonas, Brazil (CMNH). Therefore, not only are these two species sympatric, but are also apparently both active at the same time of year. Size and distinct differences in genitalia likely afford some form of a prezygotic barrier. The last two new species described below are very similar to Menevia vulgaricula , in that each species is very small relative to the larger Menevia vulgaris and Menevia franclemonti , and both display prominent anterior phallic bulges. These species however are widely allopatric. Therefore, the modes of isolation between sympatric Menevia vulgaris and Menevia vulgaricula certainly warrants future investigation.

Additional females from Pará, Brazil and French Guiana were examined, but cannot be included in the type series because we lack the more easily identifiable males from these localities. Also, these specimens display deeper red coloration and wavier forewing postmedial lines, characters not seen in all other examined Menevia vulgaricula . Although the small size of these females and the genitalia of the Pará specimen suggest that they are probably Menevia vulgaricula , Pará and French Guiana are distant from both Rio Madeira and Rio Purus, the two relatively nearby localities known to support Menevia vulgaricula .