Oxycanus subvaria ( Walker, 1856 )

Beaver, Ethan P., Moore, Michael D., Velasco-Castrillón, Alejandro & Stevens, Mark I., 2020, Three new ghost moths of the genus Oxycanus Walker, 1856 from Australia (Lepidoptera: Hepialidae), Zootaxa 4732 (3), pp. 351-374 : 355-356

Oxycanus subvaria ( Walker, 1856)

( Figs 1B ; 3 I–J; 4D–F; 7B; 8A & D)

Elhamma subvaria Walker, 1856: 1562 . Nielsen et al. 1996: 26. Nielsen et al. 2000: 858.

Lectotype: male ( Fig. 1B ), Lectotype, ♂ ‘ Lectotype / Elhamma subvaria Wkr, Van Diemans Land / Specimen photographed E.S. Nielsen 1984’, NHM. Lectotype selected by Ebbe S. Nielsen, here designated.

Type locality: ‘Van Diemen’s Land’ (Tasmania).

Oxycanus subvarius Walker 1856: 1575 . Tindale 1935: 324.

Oxycanus lamnus Tindale 1935: 325 , synonymized by Nielsen et al. 1996: 26.

Holotype male, Manly, ( NSW) 31 May 1907, I18881, SAMA Database no. 31-000363’, SAMA.

Paratypes: 3 males, 1 female. ♀, Manly, ( NSW), 30 May 1907, SAMA Database no. 31-000364’, two ♂, ‘Manly, SAMA Database no. 31-000366’ and ‘ SAMA Database no. 31-000367’, one ♂, ‘Clifton NSW SAMA Database no. 31-000365’, SAMA .

Type locality: Manly, New South Wales, Australia.

Oxycanus hildae Tindale, 1964: 665 . Nielsen et al. 2000: 858; syn. n.

Holotype male, Jacob Creek , ( VIC), 25 April 1946, C. G. L. Gooding, I19113, SAMA Database no. 31-000517’, SAMA.

Paratype: 1 female. ♀: ‘ Jacob Creek , ( VIC), 25 April 1946, C. G. L. Gooding, I19113, SAMA Database no. 31-015511’, SAMA .

Type locality: Jacob Creek, Victoria, Australia.

Additional material examined: in total 77 specimens (65 ♂, 12 ♀). 1 ♂, Manly, NSW, 23 May 1909. 1 ♂, Austin- mer, NSW, 22 April 1923, Nicholson. 8 ♂, Ridgeway, TAS, 07 April 1950, M. Tagg. 9 ♂, 8 ♀, Moe , VIC, C.G.L. Gooding, 23 April 1929 , 5 ♂, same data except 30 April 1929 , 1 ♂ same data except 30 April 1930 , 1 ♀ same data except 28 April 1937 , 6 ♂, 3 ♀ same data except 16 April 1938 , 12 ♂ same data except 17 April 1938 , 5 ♂, same data except 30 April 1942 (all in SAMA) . 1 ♂ same data except 03 May 1948 . 1 ♂, Cambridge, TAS , J. R. Cun- ningham, 10 May 1953 (both in TMAG) . 2 ♂, Croydon , VIC, B.M.W. Prieby, 03 May 1908 . 2 ♂, Moondarra Dam , VIC, M&G Coulson, 16 May 1972 . 1 ♂, Trafalgar , VIC, J.A. Kershaw, 01 March 1909 . 1 ♂, Hazlewood , VIC, J.H. Courtenay, 06 May 1948 . 1 ♂, Beaconsfield , VIC W.E. Drake, 05 March 1910 . 5 ♂, Mt Kiera , NSW, C.E. Chad- wick, May–June 1954 . 1 ♂, Narara , NSW, B.L. Middleton, May 1947 . 1 ♂, Cathcart , NSW, N.B. Tindale, 11 March 1958 . 1 ♂, Lorne , VIC, J. Womerley, 19 March 1952 . 2 ♂, Mt Disappointment , Whittlesea, VIC, M.D. Moore & N. Temby, 06 March 2017 . 1 ♂, no data (all in SAMA). 2 ♂, Mt Disappointment , Whittlesea, VIC, 18 March 2017, K. Green, specimen no. 18066 and 18069 . 1 ♂, Burramunga , VIC, 38°37’24.3”S 143°44’10.8”E, J. Schubert, 09 March 2019 (all in EPBC) .

Dissected: 4 ♂: Moe, VIC 16 April 1938, Dissection ID 31-019120-EPB. ‘Victoria’, Dissection ID 31-019149 EPB. Ridgeway, TAS 7 April 1950, Dissection ID 31-019104-EPB. Manly, NSW, 23 May 1909, Dissection ID 31- 019096-EPB (all in SAMA) .

Justification of the synonymization act. Oxycanus subvaria is highly variable in both wing pattern and colouration, this coupled with subtle variation in the shape of the pseudotegumen and valva in male genitalia has led to some taxonomic confusion, with Oxycanus lamnus representing an extreme of this variation. Oxycanus lamnus was described by Tindale (1935) as having a larger marginal process of the pseudotegumen, and “suspensorial spines” (interpreted as the ventral arms of pseudotegumen) as produced and curved. However, these features exist in many examples of O. subvaria and vary among sympatric and synchronic specimens. Tindale also noted that the species differ by the position of the markings on the wings. However, examination of a large series of O. subvaria reveals this feature to be highly variable and insufficient for identification. Oxycanus lamnus was recognised as a synonym of O. subvaria by Nielsen et al. (1996). A similar situation has occurred with Oxycanus hildae syn. n. that Tindale (1964) described as having a “simple arcuate latus” of the pseudotegumen, however the ventral arms of the pseudotegumen, so typical of O. subvaria are present in the O. hildae holotype, the structure is however partially contracted into and obscured by the vinculum, which may have led to the apparent confusion. The external genitalia of the female paratype conforms to that of other O. subvaria from Victoria. The speckled wing patterning is not unique, an O. subvaria specimen containing the same wing pattern is in the EPB collection and a similar living specimen with this pattern is figured in Kallies et al. (2015). One Oxycanus hildae syn. n. paratype from Cathcart NSW could not be located. Kallies et al. (2015) speculated on the validity of O. hildae syn. n. and it became necessary to deal with, so we state here unambiguously Oxycanus hildae Tindale (1964) is a synonym of O. subvaria ( Walker, 1856) .

Remarks. A lectotype status is formally recognised for Elhamma subvaria concerning a male specimen in the NHM ( Fig. 1B ). The specimens intended to be designated as lectotypes for several Australian Hepialidae species were selected by Ebbe S. Nielsen however were unpublished before his death in 2001 (see Simonsen 2018, pg. 7 for additional information). Herewith we designate the lectotype for Elhamma subvaria species-group name. The lectotype specimen ( Fig. 1B ) was chosen by Ebbe S. Nielsen from the syntype series at the NHM, London and carries the following labels “ Lectotype / Elhamma subvaria Wkr, Van Diemans Land / Specimen photographed E.S. Nielsen 1984”. The purpose of this lectotype designation is to ensure the taxonomic stability of species-group nomenclature within the genus Oxycanus .

Figures

FIGURE 1 (A–F). Adult male Oxycanus species: A, Oxycanus ephemerous sp. nov. holotype, ©SAMA; B, Oxycanus subvaria lectotype; C, Oxycanus flavoplumosus sp. nov. holotype, photo by T. Simonsen, ©Trustees of the NHM; D, E, O. flavoplumosus sp. nov. paratypes, ©SAMA; F, O. byrsa, courtesy of J. Schubert. Scales 10 mm.

FIGURE 3 (A–L) Antennae of male Oxycanus spp. A, B, O. byrsa; C, D, O. flavoplumosus sp. nov; E, F, O. determinata; G, H, O. petalous sp. nov.; I, J, O. subvaria; K, L, O. ephemerous sp. nov. Abbreviations: br—bar. ra—primary rami. ri—ridge. Scale bar in A–C is 500 µm; D is 200 µm; E, F is 500µm; G is 150µm H, I is 250 µm; J is 250 µm; K is 500 µm; L is 250 µm.