Digonis apocrypha Ramos-González & Parra, 2024

Ramos-González, Mario I., Venegas-González, María Francisca, Zamora-Manzur, Carlos & Parra, Luis E., 2024, Revision of the genus Digonis (Lepidoptera, Geometridae): new species and new genera, ZooKeys 1216, pp. 173-200 : 173-200

Digonis apocrypha Ramos-González & Parra sp. nov.

Figs 2 N, O , 7

Type material.

Holotype. Chile: 1 male; pinned; Ñuble, Las Trancas ; 31-III-2011; G. Moreno leg.; “ Holotype Digonis apocrypha ” [red handwritten label], “ UCCC_MZUC_Lep_0300 ” [Museum ID], “ Mirg- 021 ” [genitalia slide] ( MZUC-UCCC) . Paratypes. Chile — Diguillín Prov. • 1 male; pinned; Ñuble, Recinto ; 06-II-2011; G. Moreno leg.; MZUC-UCCC • 1 male; pinned; same data as holotype but “ UCCC_MZUC_Lep_0304 ” [Museum ID] ( MZUC-UCCC) • 2 males; pinned; same data as holotype but 12-IV-2013; “ UCCC_MZUC_Lep_1729 ” and “ UCCC_MZUC_Lep_1730 ” [Museum ID]; MZUC-UCCC • 2 males; pinned; same data as holotype but 20-III-2011; “ UCCC_MZUC_Lep_0330 ” and “ UCCC_MZUC_Lep_0320 ” [Museum ID]; MZUC-UCCC • 1 male; pinned; same data as holotype but 16-IV-2010; “ UCCC_MZUC_Lep_0303 ” [Museum ID]; MZUC-UCCC • 2 males; pinned; same data as holotype but 7-IV-2010; MZUC-UCCC • 1 male; pinned; same data as holotype but “ UCCC_MZUC_Lep_0301 ” [Museum ID]; MZUC-UCCC • 1 male; pinned; same data as holotype but 29-V-2011; “ UCCC_MZUC_Lep_0302 ” [Museum ID]; MZUC-UCCC • 1 male; pinned; same data as holotype but 18-III-2012; “ UCCC_MZUC_Lep_1160 ” [Museum ID]; MZUC-UCCC . — Valdivia Prov. • 1 male; pinned; 09-IV-2010; Huilo-Huilo, Mocho-Choshuenco volcano ; - 39.911943; - 71.969167; L. Roa and D. Vergara leg.; MZUC-UCCC . — Capitán Prat Prov. • 1 male; pinned; Cochrane ; 11-IV-2008; Parra and Alvarado leg.; “ sampled in scrub of Notro-Ñirre ” [labeled] ( Embothrium coccineum ( Proteaceae ) - Nothofagus antarctica ( Nothofagaceae )); MZUC-UCCC .

Diagnosis.

This species is distinguished from the other species in the genus by the presence of elongated blackish marks with small whitish point at the level of veins in the postmedial band of the forewings, which are not visible in ventral view. In the male genitalia, it differs from D. aspersa by the elongated and striated furca, more similar to that of D. cervinaria . It also differs from D. cervinaria because it has spines around the distal half of the furca. This species stands out for the presence of a U-shaped gnathos with an expanded apex like a denticulate plate, transtilla with a digitiform process at the apex, and aedeagus with a fine and elongated caecum, half the total length of the aedeagus.

Description.

Male (Fig. 2 N, O ). Head: antennae slightly serrate; palpi long, one-third longer than the eye diameter, porrect; frons and vertex covered with grayish brown scales. Thorax: patagia covered with elongated scales of same color as background; tegulae covered with piliform scales of same color as background; tibial spur formula 0-2 - 4. Forewings: subtriangular with acute apex and outer margin excavated between apex and M 3, with slight mucronate extension; fovea absent; pale ashy background with a large number of small blackish spots scattered over the surface; antemedial band diffuse, slightly zigzagging, marked by three dark brown points at the level of radial, cubital, and anal veins respectively; medial band light brown, diffuse; postmedial band, diffuse, light brown, with bicolored spots (elongated blackish mark with the center marked by a whitish point) at the level of veins R 4, R 5, M 1, M 2, M 3, CuA 1, CuA 2, and 1 A + 2 A, not visible on ventral surface. Hindwings: subrectangular with small mucronate apex at the level of M 3; pale ashy background, without visible bands or spots; discal spot visible. Male genitalia (Fig. 7 ). Uncus conical, apex club-shaped; gnathos U-shaped with an expanded apex like a denticulate plate; valvae subrectangular, costa strongly sclerotized with a distal lobe before the apex, rounded, and cucullus extended beyond the apex of the costa; transtilla bifid; saccus membranous, weakly defined; juxta poorly defined, with a central depression and furca, long, surpassing the height of the gnathos, club-shaped with two longitudinal stripes, densely spiny towards the distal half; anellus sclerite weakly defined. Aedeagus tubular, straight; fine, elongated caecum, half the total length of the aedeagus; vesica without cornuti.

Female. Unknown.

Etymology.

The species name is an adjective from Greek aprocryphos (“ not genuine ”), referring to the deceptive maculation pattern, superficially resembling Digonis aspersa Butler.

Distribution.

This species is found between the provinces of Diguillín and Capitán Prat. It is distributed in parts of the biogeographic provinces of Maule, Valdivian Forest, Magellanic Forest, Subantarctic subregion, in the Andean region.

Flight period.

Specimens were captured in February, March, April, and May. There are no records for other months.

Figures

Figure 2. Habitus of Digonis adults A Digonis aspersa (male in dorsal view) B Digonis aspersa (male brown-morpho in dorsal view) C Digonis aspersa (male brown-morpho in ventral view) D Digonis aspersa (female in dorsal view) E Digonis cervinaria, stat. rev. (male olivaceous-morpho in dorsal view) F Digonis cervinaria, stat. rev. (male olivaceous-morpho in ventral view) G Digonis cervinaria, stat. rev. (male fuscous-morpho in dorsal view) H Digonis cervinaria, stat. rev. (female in dorsal view) I Digonis cervinaria, stat. rev. (female olivaceous-morpho in ventral view) J Digonis cervinaria, stat. rev. (female brown-morpho in ventral view) K Digonis punctifera (male in dorsal view; photo courtesy of A. Hausmann) L Digonis punctifera (female in dorsal view) M Digonis gungnir Ramos-González & Parra, sp. nov. (holotype in dorsal view) N Digonis apocrypha Ramos-González & Parra, sp. nov. (holotype in dorsal view) O Digonis apocrypha Ramos-González & Parra, sp. nov. (holotype in ventral view) P Phasmadigonis alba, comb. nov. (male in dorsal view) Q Gugnelve butleri Ramos-González & Parra, sp. nov. (holotype in dorsal view) R Gugnelve butleri Ramos-González & Parra, sp. nov. (allotype in dorsal view). Scale bar: 10 mm.

Figure 7. Genitalia of Digonis apocrypha Ramos-González & Parra, sp. nov. (holotype) A male genitalia in ventral view B aedeagus in lateral view. Scale bar: 1 mm.