Digonis aspersa Butler, 1882

Ramos-González, Mario I., Venegas-González, María Francisca, Zamora-Manzur, Carlos & Parra, Luis E., 2024, Revision of the genus Digonis (Lepidoptera, Geometridae): new species and new genera, ZooKeys 1216, pp. 173-200 : 173-200

Digonis aspersa Butler, 1882

Figs 2 A – D , 3

Digonis aspersa Butler, 1882: 361; Bartlett-Calvert 1886: 333; Angulo and Casanueva 1981: 12; Scoble 1999: 229; Pitkin 2002: 248.

Material examined.

Syntype. Chile • 1 male; Pines Valley ; “ XII ” [labeled]; “ Chili, 82-107 ” [labeled]; “ Type ” [red labeled]; T. Edmonds leg.; NHMUK .

Other material examined.

Chile — San Antonio Prov. • Algarrobo ; 10-I-1950; n. n. leg.; MZUC-UCCC . — Diguillín Prov. • 1 male; Ninhue ; 19-IV-2011; G. Moreno leg.; MZUC-UCCC • Las Trancas ; III-2013; - 36.889694, - 71.471611; “ Mirg- 006 ” [genitalia slide]; MZUC-UCCC • Las Trancas; 16-IV-2010; G. Moreno leg.; “ UCCC-MZUC-Lep 0258 ” [ Museum ID]; MZUC-UCCC • 1 female; Las Trancas ; 8-II-2011; G. Moreno leg.; “ UCCC-MUZ-Lep-1056 ” [Museum ID]; “ Mirg- 022 ” [genitalia slide]; MZUC-UCCC • Las Trancas ; 20-I-2012; G. Moreno leg.; “ UCCC-MZUC-Lep 0377 ” [Museum ID]; MZUC-UCCC . — Concepción Prov • 2 males; Concepción ; 8-I-2001; J. Artigas leg.; MZUC-UCCC • 1 male; Concepción, Cerro Caracol ; 15-II-2001; J. Artigas leg.; “ Mirg- 003 ” [genitalia slide]; MZUC-UCCC • 1 male; Concepción, Cerro Caracol ; 30-II-2002; J. Artigas leg.; MZUC-UCCC • 1 male; Concepción ; 3-II-1960; Trampas leg.; MZUC-UCCC • Concepción ; 22-I-1960; Trampas leg. M MZUC-UCCC • Concepción ; 1-IV-1960; Trampas leg.; MZUC-UCCC • Concepción ; 5-III-1959; Trampas leg.; MZUC-UCCC • Concepción ; 21-III-1962; Trampas leg.; MZUC-UCCC • Concepción ; 30-IX-2001; J. Artigas leg.; MZUC-UCCC • Concepción, Cerro Caracol ; 30-II-2002; J. Artigas leg.; MZUC-UCCC • Concepción ; 7-I-1961; Trampas leg.; MZUC-UCCC • 3 males; Concepción, Barrio Universitario ; 4-V-1985; Carrasco leg.; MZUC-UCCC • Concepción ; 29-XII-1958; Trampas leg.; MZUC-UCCC • Concepción ; 16-III-1960; Trampas leg.; MZUC-UCCC . — Arauco Prov. • 1 male; Lanalhue ; 22-I-2018; L. Parra leg.; “ Mirg- 001 ” [genitalia slide]; MZUC-UCCC • Lanalhue ; 23-I-2018; L. Parra leg.; MZUC-UCCC . — Biobío Prov. • P. N. Laguna del Laja ; 6-XII-2008; G. Moreno leg.; MZUC-UCCC . — Malleco Prov. • Nahuelbuta; Río Picoyquen ; 22-XII-1960; Fetis leg.; MZUC-UCCC • Collipulli ; 24-X-2014; E. Sepulveda leg.; “ UCCC-MZUC-Lep 0308 ” [Museum ID]; MZUC-UCCC • Río Blanco; 19 / 25-II-1995; H. Thöny leg.; ZSM . — Valdivia Prov. 1 male; Valdivia ; 30-IX-1987; Trampas leg.; MZUC-UCCC • 1 male; Valdivia; “ 5003 ” [Museum ID]; MNNC . — Llanquihue Prov. • Katalapi; 22-IV-2011; MZUC-UCCC . — Coyhaique Prov. • Coyhaique ; I-1934; E. Ureta leg.; “ Museo 5004 ” [Museum ID]; MNNC • 1 female; Lago Verde, R. N. Coyaique ; 21-I-2007; MZUC-UCCC . — Aysen Prov. • 1 female; Río Maca, Cuenca Cuervo ; - 45.114703, - 73.016065; 21-II-2008; “ Mirg- 020 ” [genitalia slide]; MZUC-UCCC . — Capitán Prat Prov. • Los Mellizos ; 22-I-2008; Muñoz-Escobar leg.; MZUC-UCCC .

Additional records.

Chile. — Itata Prov. • La Palma ; - 36.567368, - 72.689177; 9-IX-2021; observed by Claudio Maureira and submitted to iNaturalist in: https://inaturalist.mma.gob.cl/observations/100908464 . — Concepción Prov. • Concepción ; 4-XII-2021; - 36.834994, - 73.011375; observed by Flor Susana and submitted to iNaturalist in: https://inaturalist.mma.gob.cl/observations/102608301 . • Concepción ; 5-V-2023; - 36.8354793349, - 73.0287251249; observed by Luis Chavarriga and submitted to iNaturalist in: https://inaturalist.mma.gob.cl/observations/159871318 . • Coliumo ; 9-II-2023; - 36.5526014, - 72.9574049; observed by fpizarro and submitted to iNaturalist in: https://inaturalist.mma.gob.cl/observations/148464516 . • Concepción ; 20-XII-2023; - 36.8263187829, - 73.0265376168; observed by Antonio Maureira Navarrete and submitted to iNaturalist in: https://inaturalist.mma.gob.cl/observations/144894518 • Concepción ; 15-XII-2022; - 36.7784506232, - 73.0294558602; observed by Antonio Maureira Navarrete and submitted to iNaturalist in: https://inaturalist.mma.gob.cl/observations/144446815 . • Concepción ; 20-XII-2023; - 36.8263187829, - 73.0265376168; observed by Antonio Maureira Navarrete and submitted to iNaturalist in: https://inaturalist.mma.gob.cl/observations/144894518 — Biobío Prov. • Polcura ; - 37.285095, - 71.718547; 20-III-2022; observed by Flor Susana and submitted to iNaturalist in: https://inaturalist.mma.gob.cl/observations/110011024 . — Osorno Prov. • Osorno ; - 40.565175, - 73.161816; 19-VI-2021; observed by Ricardo Huenuanca and submitted to iNaturalist in: https://inaturalist.mma.gob.cl/observations/83672367 • Osorno ; - 40.565183, - 73.161729; 02-V-2021; observed by Ricardo Huenuanca and submitted to iNaturalist in: https://inaturalist.mma.gob.cl/observations/76765927 • Osorno ; - 40.565303, - 73.162031; 09-I-2021; observed by Ricardo Huenuanca and submitted to iNaturalist in: https://inaturalist.mma.gob.cl/observations/67836032 .

Diagnosis.

This species can be easily distinguished from D. punctifera (Butler) , D. gungnir Ramos-González & Parra , sp. nov., and D. cervinaria by its brownish forewings crossed by slightly sinuous bands and bicolored spots in the postmedial band at the level of veins R 3, R 4, R 5, M 1, M 2, M 3, CuA 1, CuA 2, and 1 A + 2 A. Externally, it differs from D. apocrypha Ramos-González & Parra , sp. nov. because its bicolored spots appear on both sides of both pairs of wings with an equal proportion of white and black scales. It can be easily distinguished from its congeners by three other genitalia characters: a tongue-shaped furca that does not surpass the height of the transtilla, the presence of lateral spines in the distal half of the furca, and anterior apophyses directed towards the tergum.

Redescription.

Male (Fig. 2 A – C ). Head: antennae slightly serrate; palpi long, one-third larger than eye diameter and slightly pointing upward; frons and vertex covered with mottled brownish gray scales. Thorax: patagia covered with elongated scales of same color as background; tegulae covered with piliform scales of same color as background; tibial spur formula 0-2 - 4. Forewings: subtriangular with acute apex and outer margin excavated between apex and M 3, with a slight mucronate extension; fovea absent; background color variable, ranging from yellowish brown to dark brown with numerous small scattered blackish spots on the surface; antemedial band dark brown to blackish, slightly arched and marked by three bicolored spots (proximal half with whitish scales and distal half with blackish scales) at the level of radial, cubital, and anal veins respectively; medial band diffuse, blackish to smoky brown, more noticeable along the costal margin; postmedial band dark brown, slightly sinuous with the costal sector, strongly arched, with bicolored spots (proximal half with blackish scales and distal half with whitish scales) at the level of veins R 3, R 4, R 5, M 1, M 2, M 3, CuA 1, CuA 2, and 1 A + 2 A, also visible on ventral side; subterminal band diffuse and marked only by dark spots in subapical region, at the level of medial veins and along the anal margin; discal spot visible, punctiform, and blackish. Hindwings: subrectangular with small mucronate apex at the level of M 3; background color grayish brown; postmedial band slightly smoky dark brown, marked by bicolored spots (proximal half with blackish scales and distal half with whitish scales) at the level of veins, also visible on ventral surface; discal spot visible only on ventral surface. Male genitalia (Fig. 3 A, B ). Uncus conical, apically club-shaped; gnathos U-shaped with expanded apex forming a pair of spiny lobes; valvae subrectangular, costa strongly sclerotized with distal lobe before apex, crescent-shaped, slightly convex, and cucullus extending beyond apex of costa; transtilla truncated; saccus subrectangular; juxta emarginated anteriorly, with a median dimple, and furca straight, short, does not surpass the height of the transtilla, tongue-shaped, spiny only laterally in the distal half; anellus sclerite weak, pentagonal in shape. Aedeagus tubular, straight; vesica without cornuti.

Female (Fig. 2 D ). Similar to male, but with simple antennae and well-defined Σ-shaped antemedial band. Female genitalia (Fig. 3 C ). Ductus bursae one-sixth the length of corpus bursae; lamella antevaginalis wide, strongly sclerotized; corpus bursae membranous, subpyriform with an annular, hollow, strongly denticulated signum anteriorly; posterior apophyses twice as long as anterior apophyses, anterior apophyses slightly bent towards tergite.

Distribution.

This species is found between the Chilean provinces of San Antonio and Capitán Prat, with records in Neuquén, Argentina ( Chalup 2020). It is distributed in parts of the biogeographic provinces of Santiago, Central Chilean subregion; Maule and Valdivian Forest, Subantarctic subregion, in the Andean region.

Flight period.

Specimens were captured or observed in January, February, March, April, May, June, September, October, and December. There are no records for other months.

Remarks.

Although the holotype stands out due to its yellowish tone, most examined specimens exhibit a brownish coloration. There is no evidence to suggest that this color variation reflects sexual dimorphism. The genitalia of these brown specimens are congruent with those of the holotype, indicating high variability in wing coloration.

Figures

Figure 2. Habitus of Digonis adults A Digonis aspersa (male in dorsal view) B Digonis aspersa (male brown-morpho in dorsal view) C Digonis aspersa (male brown-morpho in ventral view) D Digonis aspersa (female in dorsal view) E Digonis cervinaria, stat. rev. (male olivaceous-morpho in dorsal view) F Digonis cervinaria, stat. rev. (male olivaceous-morpho in ventral view) G Digonis cervinaria, stat. rev. (male fuscous-morpho in dorsal view) H Digonis cervinaria, stat. rev. (female in dorsal view) I Digonis cervinaria, stat. rev. (female olivaceous-morpho in ventral view) J Digonis cervinaria, stat. rev. (female brown-morpho in ventral view) K Digonis punctifera (male in dorsal view; photo courtesy of A. Hausmann) L Digonis punctifera (female in dorsal view) M Digonis gungnir Ramos-González & Parra, sp. nov. (holotype in dorsal view) N Digonis apocrypha Ramos-González & Parra, sp. nov. (holotype in dorsal view) O Digonis apocrypha Ramos-González & Parra, sp. nov. (holotype in ventral view) P Phasmadigonis alba, comb. nov. (male in dorsal view) Q Gugnelve butleri Ramos-González & Parra, sp. nov. (holotype in dorsal view) R Gugnelve butleri Ramos-González & Parra, sp. nov. (allotype in dorsal view). Scale bar: 10 mm.

Figure 3. Genitalia of Digonis aspersa A male genitalia in ventral view B aedeagus in lateral view C female genitalia in ventral view. Scale bar: 1 mm.