Grammia doris, (BOISDUVAL)

Schmidt, B. Christian, 2009, Taxonomic revision of the genus Grammia Rambur (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae: Arctiinae), Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 156 (3), pp. 507-597 : 519-520

GRAMMIA DORIS (BOISDUVAL) (FIGS 5, 42, 73, 98)

Chelonia doris Boisduval, 1869: 77 .

Chelonia nerea Boisduval, 1869: 77 .

Arctia michabo Grote, 1875: 196 .

Arctia minea Slosson, 1892: 257 .

Apantesis doris (Boisduval) ; Franclemont, 1983: 117. Apantesis doris minea (Slosson) ; Franclemont, 1983: 117.

Grammia doris (Boisduval) ; Ferguson & Opler, 2006: 10).

Grammia doris minea (Slosson) ; Ferguson & Opler, 2006: 10).

Type material: Chelonia doris : described from an unstated number of specimens, with a female syntype in the Oberthür Collection according to Smith (1938a). The types of the North American taxa described by Boisduval in the Oberthür Collection should be in the USNM (with the remaining Oberthür specimens in the BMNH), according to Miller & Brown (1981) [not examined]. The type locality was given as ‘from the South’ [southern CA, USA], but doris is not known to occur in CA, nor anywhere south of BC or west of CO and TX. Similarly, the types of Phyllodesma carpinifolia (Boisduval) (Lasiocampidae) stated by Boisduval to have come from ‘les bois de la Californie’ ( Boisduval, 1869: 83) actually most likely originated from GA through John Abbott ( Franclemont, 1973: 57). In light of this evidence, I believe that the G. doris types also came from GA and not CA. Because of the geographical variability in G. doris , and the distinct possibility that two species are currently included under nominal G. doris , the type locality is therefore restricted to the vicinity of Savannah, GA, USA, this region being the most likely source of the doris types.

Chelonia nerea : description based on an unstated number of female specimens; as noted above, the type material was part of the Oberthür Collection according to Smith (1938a), and the type should be in the USNM or BMNH [not examined]. For the same reasons discussed above under Chelonia doris , the type locality of CA is likely to be erroneous, and is hereby restricted to GA, USA .

Arctia michabo : female holotype in BMNH [photograph examined]; the type locality is ‘ Nebraska’ [ USA] .

Arctia minea : described from one male and two female syntypes from Franconia, NH, [ USA]; male syntype in USNM according to Smith (1938a) [not examined] .

Diagnosis: The lined forewings and broad pale band filling the costal cell distinguish G. doris and G. arge from all other Grammia . Compared to G. arge , G. doris has a narrowly lined Cu vein, not broadly banded as in G. arge , and the postmedial band meets the costa at a right or slightly obtuse angle, compared to an acute angle in G. arge . The hindwing postmedial and subterminal spots are much larger in G. doris , and never ‘split’ by pale vein lines as in G. arge specimens with well-developed spots. Internally, the valve is distinctly narrow and crescentic, unique among Grammia .

Description: Head – Palps black, frons and vertex pinkish buff; male antennae moderately bipectinate, rami averaging 3.74 ¥ 10 - 1 mm, (N = 4); female antennae slightly biserrate; dorsal scales dark brown, rarely with scattered buff scales; eyes well developed. Thorax – Vestiture black with pink-buff borders on vertex, patagia, and tegulae; sides of ventral thorax black, pinkish centrally at base of coxae; coxa and femur black basally, pinkish red apically; tibia pinkish buff and black or entirely black; tarsi black. Abdomen – Dorsal ground colour pink, apex rarely slightly paler; medial and lateral markings black; medial band variable, nearly obsolete (southern populations) to broad (boreal populations); pinkish buff ventrally, lateral black markings variable, but not confluent. Forewing – Male forewing length averaging 19.9 mm (N = 4 males), northern populations averaging slightly smaller; black dorsally, vein lines complete, lines and bands light pinkish buff, rarely bright pink; antemedial and medial band variable, usually restricted to bar in discal cell, sometimes absent; postmedial band usually well developed, sometimes reduced and fragmentary or reduced, strongly angled at M 3; subterminal and postcubital well developed; costal cell entirely or mostly pale, except at wing base; fringe and anal margin concolourous with pale markings, anal margin band broad, often confluent with anal vein line; ventral markings similar, but dark markings slightly paler, and pale markings with distinct pink cast; sexes similar. Hindwing – Ground colour light pink, black markings variable in extent; antemedial spots when present not streaked basad, more clearly expressed ventrally; medial spot usually large and prominent; postmedial and subterminal elements never confluent, subterminal spots reduced or absent; postmedials usually consisting of three discrete spots; ventral markings and colours similar to dorsum, sexes similar. Male genitalia – Distal portion of valve narrow and elongate, crescentic with rounded apex; clasper moderately developed, appearing prominent as a result of narrow distal portion of valve; median ridge moderately developed; juxta slightly longer than wide, with v-shaped dorsal cleft extending 2/3 of distance to base; pronounced medial dorsoventral groove; uncus broad-based, process evenly tapered to point, three to four¥ as long as width of base; aedeagus relatively short and wide, curved dorsad at apex; vesica with basal and medial chamber approximately equal in length and width; basal chamber and diverticulum reduced; medial diverticula enlarged and prominent, particularly first medial; distal chamber medium-sized, twice as long as width of medial chamber, only slightly wider than medial chamber; apical and medial chamber finely scobinate; vesica about twice as long as aedeagus. Female genitalia – Lateral plates of ostium bursae absent; ductus bursae unsclerotized, relatively short and narrow; corpus bursae of moderate size, approximately four¥ width of ostium, globose; signa round, to rounded-triangular, scobinate, and relatively large; posterior apophysis slightly longer than papillae anales.

Biology: Although it can be locally common in the south-eastern USA, this is one of the most rarely collected Grammia species , and most records represent a few historical specimens. Unlike other rarely collected Grammia , its scarcity cannot be attributed to diurnality. Habitat preferences are not clear in the northern parts of the range, as most records are based on single specimens. Extensive trapping in dry, open forest habitats in southern ON have not yielded this species (J. Troubridge, pers. comm.), nor has it been recorded in extensive surveys carried out in dry and mesic boreal forest, and prairie grassland habitats in western Canada (C. Schmidt, unpubl. data). The few recent records indicate that this species may be associated with wetlands or riparian habitats.

Distribution: Occurs from NF west to southern BC, south to TX and FL, but records are lacking for many regions ( Fig. 98 ).

Molecular variation: Two specimens from the northwestern ( ssp. minea ) and one from the south-eastern ( ssp. doris ) range limits of doris exhibited two haplotypes, with 1.3% divergence between the two geographical regions. Grammia doris haplotypes were most similar to G. arge , with a minimum difference of 4.9% ( Table 2, Fig. 133 ).

Remarks: The rarity of this species across most of its range is puzzling, and may be the result of inadequate sampling in the appropriate habitat. Under the current concept of doris , this species has an exceptionally large geographical range, occurring from the subtropical region (FL) northward and nearly reaching the sub-Arctic (NF). This is very unusual for any nonmigratory moth species, certainly so for Grammia , and suggests that subspecies minea should perhaps be treated as a distinct species. The molecular divergence between north-western and south-eastern populations supports this, but additional samples from intervening regions should be evaluated, both genetically and morphologically. Unfortunately, this species is rarely collected, and the paucity of specimens currently available prevents any further insight into this interesting situation. Grammia doris was flagged as a species of special interest in OH ( Metzler & Lucas, 1990) because of its rarity in that state.

Figures

Figure 133. Neighbour-joining tree of cox1 ‘barcode’ haplotypes of Grammia species and Holarctia obliterata. Two-letter codes correspond to the species name in a given lineage. The Kodara Lineage includes Grammia quenseli (QE1), Grammia williamsii (WI1), and Grammia virgo (VI14) haplotypes. Haplotypes of the Western and Eastern lineages are shown separately in Figs 134 and 135, respectively. Numbers in parentheses indicate number of sampled specimens.

Figures 96–101. Distribution of examined specimens of Holarctia and Grammia.