Castnia papilionaris, (Walker, [1865])

Worthy, Robert, González, Jorge M. & Zilli, Alberto, 2022, A review of the genera Amauta Houlbert, 1918 and Divana J. Y. Miller, 1982 (Lepidoptera: Castniidae) with description of a new genus, Zootaxa 5194 (3), pp. 301-342 : 332

papilionaris (Walker, [1865])

( Figs. 8C–H , 9A–D )

“ CASTNIA PAPILIONARIS .” Walker, [1865], List of the specimens of lepidopterous insects in the collection of the British Museum, 31: 42–43.

Type material: Walker ([1865]) lists only one specimen “ From Mr. Stevens’ collection”, which is therefore the holotype by monotypy of this taxon. The holotype, a male, is in NHMUK ( Fig. 8D ) .

Type locality: The original description gives “ Bogota,” Colombia. This is confirmed by the label on the holotype .

Taxonomic status: A valid species of Amauta .

Male genitalia: ( Fig. 4E ) Uncus simple with wide and round almost pointed apex. Gnathos moderately sclerotised, bifid anteriad. Cucullus and valvula almost quadrate, slightly rounded apically. Valvae are short and wide with ventral margin sharply cut. Sacculus projected and continues with the arms of the saccus. Phallus curved, its distal section three times the length of coecum, narrowed beyond junction with this, then straight, with subterminal portion enlarged and barely or incompletely contorted. Apex of phallus with a terminal, sclerotised section. The vesica opens to left proximad to distal sclerotised termination of phallus.

Distribution: Venezuelan specimens are known from Mérida and Táchira states.The only Colombian specimens we have seen with precise data are from Boyacá department. We have also seen specimens from the Rio Magdalena and Rio Dagua. It is also found throughout Ecuador and northern and central Peru as far south as Chanchamayo (Junín department) ( Fig. 14 ).

Discussion: The nominotypical subspecies has always been considered to be confined to Colombia where it appears to be very rare and is only known from old specimens. It is replaced to the north in Panama by ssp. amethystina ( Houlbert, 1917) which is also very rare. The very few specimens known from Venezuela appear to be intermediate but are probably referable to p. papilionaris . Subspecies velutina was described from Ecuador but we can see no justification for this subspecific separation (see velutina ). We also extend the range of velutina to include northern and central Peru (see affinis ).

Material examined: 8 males and 4 females were examined for this study. As well as the holotype, the following specimens were examined: VENEZUELA : 1♂ Merida, (Briceño) ( NMHUK) ; 1♂ Via Chorro del Indio , 1200 m, V- [19]82, C.F. R., crepuscular ; 1♀ idem V-[19]82 7pm ( CFR). COLOMBIA : 1♂ Rio Magdalena ; 1♂, 1♀ Rio Dagua , W. Colombia, 600–1000m., W Hopp ; 1♀ N. Grenada, ex Smith, ex Druce ( NMHUK) ; 1♂ F. Ovalles [this is the name of the collector/supplier] ; ♀, F. Johnson; 2♂♂ Muzo, F. Johnson ( AMNH). We have also studied all the specimens listed under velutina .

Figures

FIGURE 4. Genitalia drawings. A: ♂ Amauta procera (coll. RW); B: ♂ A. cacica (coll. RW); C: ♂ A. angusta (coll. RW); D: ♂ A. papilionaris amethystina (NHMUK); E: ♂ A. p. papilionaris (coll. RW); F: ♂ A. p. lionela (coll. RW); G: ♂ Vadina h. hodeei (NHMUK); H: ♂ V. h. kruegeri (coll. RW).

FIGURE 8. Figures A, B: Amauta papilionaris amethystina (Houlbert, 1917): A, ♂, Panama, ex OberthÜr, dissected by J.Y. Miller, NHMUK010474233 (NHMUK); B, ♂, Costa Rica, Provincia de Limón, Limón, Nicholas Zakharoff gift (CAS). Figures C–H: Amauta papilionaris papilionaris (Walker, [1865]): C, ♂ HT (from Westwood, 1887). D, ♂ HT, Bogota, [Colombia], BMNH(E)806993 (NHMUK); E, ♂, Merida, Ven[ezuela], (Briceno), NHMUK010474234 (NHMUK); F, ♀, Via Chorro del Indio, 1200, IV-82, CR, crepuscular last p.m. (coll. CFR); G, ♀, W Columb[ia], Rio Dagua, 600–1000m, W. Hopp S, ex Joicey, NHMUK010474231 (NHMUK); H, ♀ HT, ambatensis (Houlbert, 1917), Ecuador, Hacienda Macháy, Paroisse Baños, Canton Pillaro, Province Ambato, Vallée du Pastaza, (J. Stolzmann), NHMUK010474227 (NHMUK).

FIGURE 9. A–D: Amauta papilionaris papilionaris (Walker, [1865]): A, ♂ ST, velutina (Houlbert, 1917), D’un envoi fait de Guayaquil, par Erich Feyer à Carl Zacher d’Erfurt, saisi en mer par le vapeur italien “Sienna” et vendu à Toulon par le service des prises le 7-10-1915 en exécution du décret du 18-3-1915, ex Oberthür, NHMUK010474229 (NHMUK); B, ♀ ST, velutina (Houlbert, 1917), D’un envoi fait de Guayaquil, par Erich Feyer à Carl Zacher d’Erfurt, saisi en mer par le vapeur italien “Sienna” et vendu à Toulon par le service des prises le 7-10-1915 en exécution du décret du 18-3-1915, ex Oberthür, NHMUK010474230 (NHMUK); C, ♂, Pozuzu, Huanuco, 800–1000 m (W. Hoffmanns), NHMUK010605257 (PLT of affinis) (NHMUK); D, ♀, Tingo Maria, Huanuco, Peru, October 2009 (coll. RW). E–G: Amauta papilionaris lionela Lamas, 1995: E, ♂ LT, affinis Rothschild, 1919, Songo, Bol[ivia], Garl[epp], NHMUK010605256 (NHMUK); F, ♂ PLT, affinis Rothschild, 1919, Yahuarmayo, S.E. Peru, 1200ft, Febr. Mrch. 1912, (H. & C. Watkins), NHMUK010605254 (NHMUK); G, ♀, PLT, affinis Rothschild, 1919, Yahuarmayo, S.E. Peru, 1200ft, Febr. Mrch. 1912, (H. & C. Watkins), NHMUK010605255 (NHMUK).

FIGURE 14. Distribution map of all known collecting localities of Amauta papilionaris, sspp. amethystina (blue circles), papilionaris (red squares) and lionela (yellow stars). The black triangle is the type locality of ambatensis, the black star is the type locality of affinis.