Ephialtias monilis (Hübner), Hubner, 1806

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 : 749-750

Ephialtias monilis (Hübner) Figures 311D , 317 ; plate 29 [EX]

Hipocrita (Tineiformis) monilis Hübner, 1805 : pl. 183, figs. 1–4.

TYPE LOCALITY: Not known.

TYPE: Not seen.

DISCUSSION: Ephialtias monilis is similar in wing pattern to typical examples of E. choba (pl. 29), differing in showing a pair of yellow spots, rather than a single spot, in the position of the FW cross band. These are formed by having the transverse band abruptly narrowed, sometimes broken, at the point beyond the DC where M 2 arises. However, as is discussed above, some rare wing pattern variants of E. choba (‘‘ transita ’’, pl. 29) show a broken transverse band nearly identical with that of E. monilis . More reliable wing pattern differences are the width of the yellow-orange HW band—wide in E. monilis , but narrow in E. choba —and, on the FW ventral surface, a basal streak in E. choba not found in E. monilis .

The labial palpi provide another method for separating males of E. monilis and E. choba : Lp2 and Lp 3 in E. monilis bear long, bristlelike scales at their apices, forming a diffuse tuft. This tuft is absent in choba . Interestingly, a homologous palpus tuft occurs in E. dorsispilota , a species with an unbroken FW band and a uniformly blackish HW (pl. 28). Genital similarities further suggest that E. monilis and E. dorsispilota are sister species (figs. 316, 317).

Ephialtias monilis , widely distributed throughout the Upper Amazon Basin, also occurs in French Guiana. The species is common in museum collections, often being represented by large series. A single female, in the Naturhistorisches Museum, Vienna, bears labels indicating that it was captured in

Chiriquí, Panama. That specimen, purchased by Staudinger, was apparently collected in August 1886, although the collector is not given. The veracity of this label seems doubtful ( G. Lama , personal commun.), but were it to be correct, this is the first record of E. monilis for Central America.

During the course of its taxonomic history, this species has resided in Josia ( Walker, 1854) , Brachyglene ( Kirby, 1892) , and Actea ( Prout, 1918; Hering, 1925; Bryk, 1930).

DISTRIBUTION: Brazil (AMNH, BMNH, CMNH, LACM, NMW, OUMNH, USNM, ZMH); Peru (AMNH, MUSM, USNM, ZMH); Ecuador (BMNH); French Guiana (AMNH, BHC); Panama (NMW).

DISSECTED: ³, Peru, Madre de Dios, Parque Manu, Pakitza , 12 ° 07 9, 70 ° 58 9, 400 m, 21 Sept 1989, leg. R. Robbins, USNM (genitalia slide no. JSM-1543 ) ; ³, [no data], colln. W. Schaus, USNM (genitalia slide no. JSM-1347 ) ; ♀, [no data], colln. W. Schaus, USNM (genitalia slide no. JSM-1348 ) .

Figures

Fig. 311. Morphology of Ephialtias (33). A, head of E. dorsispilota, lateral view; B, head of E. dorsispilota, frontal view; C, head of E. dorsispilota, posterior view; D, head of E. monilis, lateral view; E, E. pseudena labial palpus; F, E. abrupta labial palpus; G, head of E. draconis, lateral view; H, E. draconis wings (illustration by J.S. Miller, except G by S. Goodman).

Fig. 317. Genitalia of Ephialtias monilis (3 JSM-1347, ♀ JSM-1348). A, 3 genitalia; B, 3 Tg8; C, aedeagus; D, 3 St8; E, ♀ genitalia (illustration by A. Trabka).