Tessellota cancellata ( Burmeister, 1878 )

Beccacece, Hernán Mario & Zapata, Adriana Inés, 2017, Taxonomic changes of some neotropical species of Arctiini Leach (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae), Zootaxa 4272 (3), pp. 421-429 : 427

Tessellota cancellata ( Burmeister, 1878)

Tessellota pura Breyer, 1957 syn. n. ( Fig. 9 )

The description of Tessellota pura Breyer, 1957: 11 ; figs. 1.1–5, 1.7 was based on a male holotype from Buenos Aires, Argentina, currently deposited in Breyer collection, MLP ( Fig. 9 ). Breyer stated that T. pura is very similar to T. cancellata ( Burmeister, 1878: 445) , but lacks the discoidal points on the hindwings. He also stated that both species have a very similar distribution (center and east of Argentina). Furthermore, Breyer (1957) observed some differences in the male genitalia between the two species (e.g. distal part of the valva, juxta process and cornuti). The differences were drawn by Breyer (1957) but in this particular case line drawings are very difficult to interpret. Recently, Beccacece et al. (2014) illustrated and designed a female lectotype of T. cancellata from Buenos Aires, deposited in MACN. This specimen shows a similar habitus to that of the holotype of T. pura . For this reason, specimens with one, two, no discoidal dots were dissected and compared, together with a male paratype of T. pura deposited in MLP ( Figs. 19–27 ). No difference could be found in their genitalia morphology. Therefore, a new synonymy is here proposed. The differences observed by Breyer (1957) could be due to the preparation of the male genitalia. Those preparations were not found and are possibly lost.

Material examined. Argentina, Córdoba: 1 ♂: 20-I-1901 ( MZUC) . 2 ♀: Capital department, 18-XI-1901 (MZUC). 1 ♂: Huerta Grande, 27-II-1947 (IFML). 1 ♂: 18-XI-1948, Fray López leg. (IFML). 1 ♂ (paratype): Colón deparment, Salsipuedes , 09-V-1953, J. S. de Orfila leg. ( MLP) ( Figs. 25–27 ) . 1 ♀: Obispo Trejo (ex college), Köhler leg. (IFML). 1 ♂: Natural Forest Reserve Chancaní, 351 m, 10-XI-2010, S 31°22'38'' W 65°28'48'', H.M. Beccacece, S. Naretto & A. Cuchietti leg. ( MZUC) . 1 ♂: Las Barrancas - Miramar , 75 m, 13-II- 2011, S 30°55'52'' W 62°42'03'', H.M. Beccacece, N. Soria, A. Cuchietti & M. Michelutti leg. ( MZUC) . 9 ♂ and 1 ♀: Tulumba and Simbolar route, 598 m, 06-III-2011, S 30°27'11'' W 64°03'21''. H.M. Beccacece, A.I. Zapata & M.E. Drewniak leg. ( MZUC) ( Figs. 22–24 ) . La Rioja: 1 ♂ and 1 ♀ ( MACN) . Salta: 1 ♂: La Candelaria, II-1928 ( IFML) . Tucumán: 1 ♀: 1906 ( IFML) . 1 ♀: Buruy Chilcas , 10-XI-1979, Golbach leg. ( IFML) . 1 ♂: San Pedro de Colalao, XII-1984, Pierotti leg ( IFML) .

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 9. Type specimens of the studied species. 1. Agaraea klagesi (Rothschild, 1909) female lectotype. 2. Agaraea nigrotuberculata Bryk, 1953 male holotype 3. Agaraea nigrostriata (Rothschild, 1909) female holotype. 4. Opharus fasciatus Rothschild, 1909 female holotype. 5. Pelochyta pallida Dognin, 1910 male holotype 6. Opharus ochracea Joicey & Talbot, 1918 female lectotype. 7. Melese paranensis Dognin, 1911 male holotype. 8. Melese flavescens Joicey & Talbot, 1918 male holotype. 9. Tessellota pura Breyer, 1957 male holotype. Scale bar: 10 mm.

FIGURES 10 – 27. 10 – 14. Agaraea nigrostriata (Rothschild, 1909). 10. Habitus. 11. Male genitalia. 12. Aedeagus. 13. Coremata. 14. Female genitalia. 15 – 17. Halysidota infucata Berg, 1882 15. Habitus. 16. Male genitalia. 17. Aedeagus. 18 – 21. Melese paranensis Dognin, 1911. 18. Habitus. 19. Male genitalia. 20. Aedeagus. 21. Female genitalia. 22 – 24. Tessellota cancellata (Burmeister, 1878). 22. Habitus. 23. Male genitalia. 24. Aedeagus. 25 – 27. Tessellota pura Breyer, 1957. 25. Male paratype. 26. Male genitalia. 27. Aedeagus. Scale bar: 10 mm.