Syllepte incomptalis Hübner, 1819

Solis, M. Alma, Mally, Richard, Hayden, James E. & Nuss, Matthias, 2023, Revision of the type species of Syllepte Hübner and other spilomeline genera recently synonymized (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), Zootaxa 5389 (3), pp. 343-361 : 345-346

Syllepte incomptalis Hübner, 1819 –1821

Material studied. Neotype ( Figs. 2–3 ): Male. Costa Rica: Alajuela, Area de Conservación Guanacaste , Sector San Cristobal, Sendero Vivero, 10.86739, -85.38744, elev. 730 m., Larva on Malvaviscus palmanus 03/15/2006, ecl. 04/01/2006, Gloria Sihezar, collector, 06-SRNP-2089. COI Barcoded. [ USNMENT01899038 ]. Forewing length: 10 mm. Deposited in the NMNH, SI, Washington, D.C.

Additional specimens examined. Fifty-one additional confirmed specimens at the NMNH from various localities in Costa Rica: 22 males (24 COI barcoded, 1 failed barcode) and 24 females (all but 3 COI barcoded) ( Janzen & Hallwachs 2009). In BOLD these specimens were previously identified as DHJ01 ( Ratnasingham & Herbert 2007) and congeneric to other species yet to be described. The Barcode Identification Number ( BIN) is BOLD: AAA8233 (https://doi.org/10.5883/ BOLD: AAA8233 ) .

Diagnosis.Average forewing length: 10.34 mm (n=22) (range 9–11 mm), males= 10.5 mm (n=12),females= 10.18 mm (n=10). In the male genitalia, the uncus apex with a membranous distal medial cleft in S. incomptalis ( Fig. 4 ) but rounded without a distal medial cleft in S. nitidalis ( Fig. 12 ); distal half in S. incomptalis is equal width, but almost paddle-shaped distally, that is broader distally. Although both S. incomptalis and S. nitidalis share a slightly protruding finger-like fibula, the saccular medial lobe ventral to the fibula varies. In S. nitidalis , the saccular medial lobe is elongate and flat, but small and round in S. incomptalis . The saccus in S. incomptalis is square-shaped anteriorly, but rounded and shorter than wide in S. nitidalis .

Description. See redescription of Syllepte below.

Larval host plants. Forty-six specimens at the NMNH have been reared in Costa Rica on two genera and four species of Malvaceae : Malvaviscus arboreus Cav. , that occurs in southeastern U.S. south to South America; M. palmanus Pittier & Donn. Sm. , that is endemic to Costa Rica; Pavonia schiedeana Steud. , that occurs from Mexico south to South America; and P. peruviana Gürke , that occurs from Nicaragua south to South America ( Janzen & Hallwachs 2009).

Remarks. This species was selected from the nitidalis species complex for compliance with ICZN rules, it is also composed of many specimens that can be deposited widely, many which have been COI barcoded, and many of the specimens were reared and are associated with host plant information (see above).

Figures

FIGURES 1–9. Syllepte incomptalis Hübner. 1, Original painting. 2, Neotype adult male, Costa Rica, Alajuela, Area de Conservación Guanacaste [USNMENT01899038]. 3, Neotype labels. 4, Male genitalia, Costa Rica,Alajuela,Area Conservación Guanacaste, USNM slide #116312 [USNMENT01894132]. 5, Sclerotized structure with modified scales on male 7th tergite, USNM slide #116223 [USNMENT01769416]. 6, Phallus, USNM slide #116312 [USNMENT01894132]. 7, Male 8th segment, USNM slide #116312 [USNMENT01894132]. 8, Tympanal organ, USNM slide #116312 [USNMENT01894132]. 9, Female genitalia, Costa Rica, Alajuela, Area Conservación Guanacaste, USNM slide #116314 [USNMENT01894003].

FIGURES 10–18. 10, Syllepte nitidalis (Dognin), lectotype adult male, Ecuador, Environs de Loja [USNMENT01433441]. 11, S. nitidalis,lectotypelabels.12,S.nitidalis,malegenitalia,paralectotype,Ecuador,Zamora,USNMslide#111085[USNMENT01769261]. 13, S. nitidalis, phallus, paralectotype, Ecuador, Zamora, USNM slide #111085 [USNMENT01769261]. 14, S. nitidalis, male modified structure and final segment, paralectotype, Ecuador, Environs de Loja, USNM slide #116219 [USNMENT01769438]. 15, Pantographa scripturalis (Guenée), lectotype adult female, Brazil [NHMUK01396720]. 16, P. scripturalis, lectotype labels. 17, P. scripturalis, male genitalia, Brazil, Parana, Castro, USNM slide #107232 [USNMENT01895419]. 18, P. scripturalis, female genitalia, Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, USNM slide #105696 [USNMENT01899000].