Sophista matto, EVANS, 1953

Siewert, Ricardo Russo, Zacca, Thamara, Mielke, Olaf Hermann Hendrik & Casagrande, Mirna Martins, 2016, Taxonomic revision and cladistic analysis of the genus Sophista Plotz, 1879 (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae) with description of a new species from north-east Brazil, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 177 (3), pp. 526-540 : 534

S OPHISTA MATTO EVANS, 1953 STAT. NOV.

( FIGS 13, 14 , 43 – 50 , 62 )

Sophista latifasciata matto Evans, 1953 ;. Cat. Amer. Hesp. 3: 43; [holo] type male, Cuiaba, Mato Grosso, [ Brazil]; BM(NH). Bridges, 1983;. Lep. Hesp. 1: 73; 2: 34. Bridges, 1988b; Cat. Hesp. 1: 115; 2: 55. Mielke, 2004; Hesperioidea, p. 55, in Lamas (ed.). Checklist: Part 4A, Hesperioidea – Papilionoidea, in Heppner (ed.). Atlas Neotrop. Lep. 5A. Mielke, 2005; Cat. Amer. Hesperioidea 3: 711. Mielke et al., 2008; Revta Bras. Ent. 52: 287. Pinheiro et al., 2010, in Diniz et al. Cerrado, pp. 235, 237.

(no genus) matto ; Beattie, 1976. Rhop. Direct., p. 196.

Diagnosis

Sophista matto stat. nov. can be distinguished from S. latifasciata by the narrow white band on DW. Left valva with harpe approximately three times longer than wide; harpe and ampulla with dentate margin and without internal spines; ampulla curved inwards. Right valva with harpe approximately two times longer than wide; harpe with median – dorsal spinous projection, curved inwards. Distal portion of aedeagus lanceolate and dorsally dilated at apical third.

Taxonomic comments

Sophista matto stat. nov. closely resembles S. latifasciata , and indeed was originally described as a subspecies of S. latifasciata ( Evans, 1953) . Despite their superficial resemblance, the two species have very distinctive male genitalia.

The holotype male is deposited in the NHMUK, with the following labels (separated by slashes): / Cuyaba Matto Grosso, Brazil / ex. coll. Hamilton Druce 1919 / J.J. Joicey coll. B.M. 1925-451 / [label with the male genitalia dissected by Evans] /.

Geographical distribution

Sophista matto is considered endemic to the Brazilian Cerrado biome, and is known only from the gallery forests of Mato Grosso state ( Mielke et al., 2008; Pinheiro et al., 2010), more specifically in the Chapada dos Guimar ~ aes and Cuiaba ( Fig. 76).

Host plant

Unknown.

Examined material

Brazil. Mato Grosso: Chapada dos Guimar aes ~, Buriti , 700 m, 12-IV-1979, 3 males, Ebert leg., 3327, 3325, 3326, ex-coll. Ebert, DZ 26.470, DZ 26.471, DZ 26.472 ( DZUP) . Cuiaba, Alto Rio Juruena , km 506, estr. Cuiaba P. Velho, 620 m, 5-VII-1972, 1 male, Mielke & Brown leg., DZ 26.463 ( DZUP) .

Figures

Figures 1–18. Species of Sophista, dorsal and ventral views: 1–4, Sophista aristoteles, male and female from Amazonas, Brazil; 5–8, Sophista plinius, male and female from Parana, Brazil; 9–12, Sophista latifasciata, male from Distrito Federal, Brazil, and female from Parana, Brazil; 13, 14, Sophista matto, male from Mato Grosso, Brazil; 15–18, Sophista spectrum sp. nov., holotype and allotype. Scale bar: 1 cm.

Figures 19–58. Male genitalia of Sophista species: lateral view; left valva in internal view; right valve in external view; right valve in internal view; tegumen and uncus in dorsal view; tegumen, uncus, and gnathos in ventral view, and aedeagus in dorsal and ventral views; 19–26, Sophista aristoteles; 27–34, Sophista plinius; 35–42, Sophista latifasciata; 43–50, Sophista matto; 51–58, Sophista spectrum sp. nov., paratype. Scale bar: 1 mm.

Figures 59–63. Male genitalia of Sophista species, fultura superior: 59, Sophista aristoteles; 60, Sophista plinius; 61, Sophista latifasciata; 62, Sophista matto; 63, Sophista spectrum sp. nov., paratype. Scale bar: 1 mm.