A new species and taxonomic changes relating to the Notodontidae (Lepidoptera) of Trinidad, West Indies
Author
Cock, Matthew J. W.
text
Zootaxa
2021
2021-08-12
5020
2
307
327
journal article
10.11646/zootaxa.5020.2.4
1175-5326
5223310
8BACEA22-7A69-43BA-9F00-78F437192FD7
Farigia magniplaga
Schaus, 1905
(
Notodontidae
,
Heterocampinae
)
(
Figs. 7
,
8
)
Farigia xenopitha
Druce, 1911
,
syn. nov.
Schaus (1905)
described
F. magniplaga
from French Guiana (
♂
type
USNM) and the
type
is illustrated by
Schintlmeister (2016)
and
USNM (2020)
. Subsequently,
Druce (1911)
described
F. xenopitha
from Caparo,
Trinidad
, and a single male
type
from Cuparo (an alternative spelling of Caparo in material from the beginning of the last century) is in NHMUK. It resembles
♂
1 in
Fig. 7
, but is paler. This record was repeated by subsequent authors.
In their catalogue of
Trinidad
moths,
Kaye and Lamont (1927)
appear to have overlooked Druce’s description as they do not include
F. xenopithia
, but they do include
F. moresca
Schaus, 1910
(
type
USNM,
♂
Costa Rica
), citing a specimen from St. Ann’s in NHMUK.
Farigia moresca
is now treated as a synonym of
F. vecina
Schaus, 1901
(
type
USNM,
♀
TL Mexico) (
Schaus 1928
). I located the St. Ann’s specimen in NHMUK, and considered it, along with other material from
Trinidad
to represent a single phenotypically variable species, which at that time I identified as
F. xenopithia
by comparison with the
type
.
Thiaucourt (1988)
noted that the type of
F. xenopithia
bears a close resemblance to the Central American species
F. vecina
. In the same paper, he suggested that of the seven species assigned to the
vecina
group, only
F. magniplaga
occurs in the Guiana-Amazon area. Paul Thiaucourt (pers. comm.) subsequently suggested to me that
F. xenopithia
may be a synonym of the variable species,
F. magniplaga
. The
lectotype
of
F. magniplaga
, shown online (
USNM 2020
) and by
Schintlmeister (2016)
, has an extensive dark patch on the forewing dorsum, and the rest of the forewing is mostly pale brown and mossy green; it does not fall within the range of variation I have observed in
Trinidad
(
Fig. 7
). However, no taxonomic changes were formalized and
Becker (2014)
listed all seven species of this group as valid. I have now dissected a
Trinidad
male resembling the type of
F. xenopithia
(
Fig. 8
), and found it to match Thiaucourt’s terminalia figures of
F. magniplaga
(
Thiaucourt 1988
,
Fig. 17
). Taking into consideration the wing pattern variability observed in
Trinidad
material (
Fig. 7
), I conclude that
F. xenopithia
should be treated as a synonym of
F. magniplaga
, as suggested by Thiaucourt.
Within the
Trinidad
fauna, this variable species is quite distinctive and can be recognised by the mostly mottled green dorsal forewing, which may or may not have a white postdiscal band or a black streak from the base to the submarginal area, the hindwing is uniformly brown on the dorsal and ventral surfaces. In
Trinidad
,
F. magniplaga
is an occasional species found in forested areas, with most records from the north of the island. It has not been recorded from
Tobago
(
Cock 2017
).
Trinidad
material examined.
Arima
Blanchisseuse Road
, milestone 9.75, MVL:
♂
21.ix.1982
(
M.J.W. Cock
) [
MJWC
]. Cumaca Road,
4.6 miles
, MVL:
4♂
,
♀
21.x.1982
(
M.J.W. Cock
) [
2♂
MJWC
, dissection 1013];
2♂
,
♀
UWIZM
CABI.8200–8202].
Cuparo
:
♂
S.M. Klages
[
NHMUK
,
type
of
F. xenopithia
].
Curepe
, MVL:
♂
13.vi.1979
(
M.J.W. Cock
) [
MJWC
].
North Coast Road
, milestone 6,
Carisal Trace
, MVL:
♂
5.iv.1979
(
M.J.W. Cock
) [
MJWC
].
Parrylands Oilfield
, MVL:
♀
13.xi.1980
(
M.J.W. Cock
) [
MJWC
].
St.Ann’s
:
♀
[
NHMUK
, as
F. vecina
=
F. moresca
].
Valencia Forest
, MVL:
2♂
31.vii.1980
(
M.J.W. Cock
) [
NHMUK
;
UWIZM
CABI.8199];
♀
5.viii.1981
(
M.J.W. Cock
) [
MJWC
]