Disphragis hemicera (Schaus, 1910)

Sullivan, J. Bolling & Pogue, Michael G., 2014, The Disphragis notabilis (Schaus) species-group in Costa Rica (Lepidoptera, Notodontidae), ZooKeys 421, pp. 21-38 : 24-26

Taxon classification Animalia Lepidoptera Notodontidae

Disphragis hemicera (Schaus, 1910) stat. rev. Figs 2, 5, 11, 15, 19, 23, 26-29

Heterocampa hemicera Schaus, 1910, Annals and Magazine of Natural History 6: 582.

Type locality.

Costa Rica.

Diagnosis.

Maculation will usually separate Disphragis hemicera and Disphragis sobolis from Disphragis notabilis and Disphragis bifurcata . Their appearance is mottled, grayish brown with a distinct dark band next to the PM line. Males may be distinguished by the shape of the phallus, which in Disphragis sobolis has a distinct dorsal projection. Females can be separated by the shape of the genital plate, which in Disphragis sobolis is bifurcate at the distal tip and in Disphragis hemicera has a middle phalanx with lateral “wings” from the base. Geographic distribution also separates Disphragis hemicera from Disphragis sobolis , with Disphragis hemicera in Central America and western Colombia, and Disphragis sobolis along the western slopes of the Andes.

Description.

Male. (Figs 2, 5) Head -labial palp upturned, mahogany brown on basal segment, medial segment with cream scaling along distal margin particularly near the terminus, and apical segment mostly cream scaled with scattered brown scales. Denuded medial segment is 3.2 × length of apical segment that is shortened relative to Disphragis bifurcata . Eye round, large, surrounded tightly with scaling. Front scaling mostly cream with scattered brown scales. Vertex with additional brown scales among cream scaling. Scape with cream and brown scaling, cream scaling extending onto antennal shaft for about 14-18 segments. Antenna bipectinated basally for 33 segments, then with minute basal seta on segments to apex (73 segments). Rami noticeably longer than in Disphragis bifurcata , longest rami 0.53 mm. Thorax a blend of brown and cream scales giving a tan appearance. Metathorax with a central white spot with row of darker brown scales anteriorly. Abdomen with appressed brown scaling. Forewing (17.9 mm, n = 10) elongate, rounded apically and with broad light brown subcostal streak from base of wing to apex. Streak encloses chocolate reniform spot and has several slightly darker brown lines crossing obliquely from costa. Basal dash below streak perpendicular to thorax. White streak below dash; warm brown patch distal to white streak bordered by white; AM and PM lines wavy. Distinct brown line bisecting warm brown patch. Chocolate shading from middle of forewing below costal streak and forming a wedge to margin (below costal streak to anal angle). Gray crescent on lower half of margin with distinct brown band inward to PM line. Hind wing uniformly fuscous with brown anal markings forming something of a spot at anal margin. Light streak along anal edge. Underside of forewing fuscous with yellowish subapical crescent along costa. Basal half of hind wing yellowish, no well-differentiated margin. Legs a mixture of brown and white scales appearing somewhat yellowish with white scales forming rings at distal end of tarsal joints. Tibial spines 0-2-4. Male genitalia (Figs 15, 19) (12 dissections). Uncus lightly sclerotized and rounded, turning 90 degrees ventrally and forming a rounded, setose pad. Socii small, upturned and pointed slightly, blade-like. Tegumen broad, triangular, similar in size to vinculum. Valve elongated rounded at apex and costal half sclerotized. Anal half of valve membranous and enclosing deciduous hair-like scent scales. Distal third of valve enlarged dorsally ending abruptly with shelf-like narrowing. Second narrowing of sclerotized subcostal area 1/3 distance from base, a rounded projection less shelf-like that distal projection, but more heavily sclerotized. Juxta shovel shaped with handle toward aedeagus. Vinculum rounded to saccus. Aedeagus long, narrow and with basal 2/3 membranous, subbasal keel present. Distal 1/3 sclerotized with two prominent toothed plates at junction with membranous portion. Vesica tube-like emerging dorsally then turning 90 degrees forward to plane of phallus. Distinct lateral diverticulum to left of midpoint. Cornuti absent. Ctenophore on pelt absent. Eighth tergite broadly rounded, slightly sclerotized and crenulated medially at distal end. Sternite lightly sclerotized with "happy face" consisting of two membranous flaps for “eyes” and a broad anterior one for “mouth.” Anterior edge tapered to blunt, indented terminus. Female. (Fig. 5). Female similar to male only larger (Forewing 21.0 mm, n = 5) and with fasciculate antennae. Female genitalia (Figs 23, 26-29) (10 dissections). Papillae anales bluntly rounded, slightly setose. Extension of 9th tergite forming dorsal flap in Disphragis bifurcata greatly reduced to small crescent in Disphragis hemicera . Anterior apophysis short, 25% as long as posterior apophysis. Genital plate small, slightly elongate, consisting of a middle phalanx with lateral “wings” from base. Phalanx usually shorter than in Disphragis bifurcata . Tip of phalanx variable, usually blunt but can be indented or bifurcate. Ductus bursae slightly shorter than corpus bursae, narrow and tending to twist, membraneous. Corpus bursae egg shaped with large signum on dorsal surface. Signum shield-like, about half as long as corpus bursae. Signum egg shaped with stippled lateral flanges below midpoint. Proximal margin lightly sclerotized and faintly stippled.

Barcodes.

Fifty eight barcoded specimens exhibit seven haplotypes that differ from each other by a maximum of 0.30%. They differ from those of Disphragis bifurcata by a minimum of 5.61%, from Disphragis notabilis by a minimum of 5.65%, and from Disphragis sobolis by a minimum of 6.13%. The most common haplotype (11-CRBS-2519) is:

AACTTTATATTTTATTTTTGGAATTTGAGCAGGAATAGTAGGAACTTCTTTAAGTCTTTTAATTCGTGCTGAATTAGGAACCCCCGGGACTTTAATTGGAGATGATCAAATTTATAATACTATCGTAACAGCTCATGCTTTTATTATAATTTTTTTTATAGTTATACCTATTATAATTGGAGGATTTGGAAATTGATTAGTCCCTTTAATACTAGGAGCACCAGATATAGCTTTCCCACGAATAAATAATATAAGTTTTTGACTATTACCCCCTTCTTTAATACTTCTAATTTCAAGAAGTATTGTAGAAAATGGAGCTGGTACAGGATGAACAGTTTATCCCCCACTGTCATCAAATATTGCTCACGGAGGAAGCTCTGTTGATTTAGCTATTTTTTCCCTTCATTTAGCGGGTATTTCCTCAATTTTAGGGGCTATTAATTTTATTACAACAATTATTAATATACGATTAAATAATATATCTTTTGATCAAATACCTTTATTTGTATGAGCTGTAGGAATTACTGCTTTTCTACTTTTACTTTCACTCCCAGTATTAGCTGGAGCTATTACTATACTTTTAACCGATCGTAATTTAAATACATCTTTTTTCGACCCTGCTGGGGGAGGAGATCCTATTTTATACCAACATTTATTT

Distribution.

Disphragis hemicera occurs throughout Costa Rica at moderate altitudes. It is found south along the western coast of Colombia and may extend to the west coast of Ecuador. The northern limits are unknown but it probably occurs at least into Nicaragua.

Remarks.

Disphragis hemicera is by far the most common member of the group in Costa Rica and appears to be absent below 500 m. At moderate altitudes both Disphragis hemicera and Disphragis bifurcata occur together.