Parascepsis lantingi Grados, 2020

Grados, Juan, Mantilla, Karla & Ramírez, Juan José, 2020, The genusParascepsis Dognin, 1923 (Lepidoptera, Erebidae, Arctiinae, Ctenuchina) in Peru, with the description of three new species, a new combination and their geographical distributions, Zootaxa 4868 (2), pp. 221-242 : 228-231

Parascepsis lantingi Grados , sp. nov

( Figs. 21–32 )

Diagnosis: Similar to P. ockendeni , with patagia and tegulae metallic green, forewings with a yellowish androconial patch below 1A+2A, hindwings with an area somewhat ovoid with small light brown spicules, while in P ockendeni patagia and tegulae are grayish brown and have no specialized structures on the wings. The translucent area of the tegumen in P. lantingi is ovoid, while in P. ockendeni it is subquadrate. Transtilla bears spicules and the cornuti at the vesica are located on the dorsal surface in P. ockendeni , while in P. lantingi transtilla has no spicules and the cornuti are located at the proximal region of the ventral surface.

Description. Male ( Figs. 21–22 ). Head. Proboscis dark brown. Labial palpi curved upwards, exceeding the vertex. Palpi brown; first palpomer with whitish scales on the distal part; second one with whitish scales scattered on the frontal part and twice the length of the first one; third one, one third of the first one, with whitish scales on the anterior part. Frontoclypeus grayish brown; superior part with scales whitish gray. Vertex with scales opaque metallic green. Occiput with piliform scales whitish gray, with three opaque metallic green lines: a straight central one and two lateral ones curved towards the antennae. Postgena brown. Eye margin and antennal alveolus grayish. Ocelli light brown. Antenna brown with a faint metallic purple hue. Scape and pedicel opaque metallic green. Proximal rami small, increasing in length towards the middle part. Middle rami twice the width of the flagellum axis. Distal rami decreasing in length towards their end. Thorax. Patagia and tegulae metallic green with whitish scales in the central part. In ventral view, tegulae whitish at the anterior part. Mesoscutum grayish brown; metascutellum gray; a weak brown line along the central part of both; with scales opaque metallic green. Pleura grayish brown. Tymbal organ at the katepisternum covered with grayish brown scales. First pair of legs. Grayish brown; coxae with a whitish area at the anterior part; ectal part grayish. Epiphysis brown. Second and third pairs of legs. Grayish brown; femora and tibiae somewhat whitish at the mesal part.

Forewing. Forewing span (16–17.5 mm) (n = 23). Dorsal: Brown with some purple hue. Ventral: Brown. Frenulum brown and retinaculum grayish brown. At the base of Cu 2 -CuP, an area of slightly iridescent grayish brown scales. CuP-1A+2A and anal cell, slightly iridescent. At CuP-1A+2A an area of white scales up to the medial part involving part of the anal cell. At the anal cell, below the vein 1A+2A, a yellowish subproximal androconial patch. Below this, yellow piliform scales. Hindwing. Dorsal: Brown; central part slightly diaphanous. The costal margin down to R S -M 1 and part of the discal cell, whitish somewhat iridescent. Costal cell with an elongated area with small light brown spicules. Ventral: The costal margin up to R S -M 1 and the discal cell, brown, with a faint purple hue, the remaining part grayish brown, somewhat diaphanous. Abdomen. Grayish brown, with a faint bluish hue. First four tergites, with piliform scales grayish brown. Sternum grayish brown.

Genitalia ( Figs. 25–28 ). (Genitalia # JGA 720 MUSM). Tegumen H-shaped; anterior part wider than the posterior one, with branches arched and in somewhat oblong shape; posterior part an inverted U-shaped; an almost semicircular translucent area present at the central-lateral part of each side, a projection somewhat sclerotized, extending towards the anterior part. Joining of the tegumen and uncus membranous. Saccus acute with rounded apex. Anterior part of the uncus with two short and sclerotized extensions converging towards the center, forming a digitiform structure; in lateral view of the structure digitiform, the base twice the width of the distal end; distal end formed by a sclerotized hook. Valvae elongated, straight, sclerotized, wider at the base; with long setae at the dorsal and ventral part; ventral process small, sclerotized, slightly pointed; dorsal process elongated, membranous and with setae, slightly exceeding the uncus; in ventral view, valvae slightly concave at the base; an internal projection at the two anterior distal thirds, before reaching the terminal processes; numerous setae at the internal margin. Juxta subtriangular, somewhat sclerotized, postero-medial part as inverted V-shaped. Aedeagus elongated. Coecum penis slightly developed. Vesica longer than the aedeagus; patch of cornuti increases in size and thickness in all its extension, from the ventral part of the proximal region, towards the right side of the posterior part; dorsal part with a membranous projection.

Female ( Figs. 23–24 ). Forewing span (16–18 mm) (n = 11). Similar to the male, except for the following: rami smaller; middle rami almost half the width of the shaft. Frenulum light brown with two bristles. Forewing. Ventral: Without androconial patch. Hindwing. Dorsal: Without spicules. Female Genitalia ( Figs. 29–30 ) (Genitalia # JGA 722 MUSM). Eighth tergite slightly sclerotized to the sides. Anal papillae developed, with setae almost as long as the papillae on the posterior and latero-ventral surface; in lateral view, the length is 0.5 times its height. Posterior apophyses somewhat larger than the anterior ones. Ostium and antrum of central position. Antevaginal lamella membranous. Postvaginal lamella sclerotized. Ductus bursae and cervix bursae almost undifferentiated, wide and flattened, membranous at the ventral surface and sclerotized at the dorsal one. Corpus bursae globose, with a turn towards the dorsal part. No signum is observed. Ductus seminalis emerges at the distal end.

Etymology: lantingi is a latinized noun in genitive singular. The first author and Rainforest Expeditions SAC, which support the project “Discovery new species ” in Tambopata would like to dedicate the discovery of this new species to Frans Lanting, whom with wife Christine Eckstrom were key players in raising awareness and establishing the international standing of Tambopata so that it became known in every corner of the world.

Distribution ( Fig. 59 ): Cusco and Madre de Dios.

Comments: This species has surely been confused in several collections. It can be distinguished from the other similar species by the metallic green color of the head and the thorax. By now only known in the Amazonian area of southeastern Peru, reaching the lower parts of the mountain forests of the Eastern Slope of the Andes (890 m, 6 km WSW of the Pongo de Mainique).

Holotype male ( Figs. 21–22 ): PERU, Cusco, San Martín C, 11°47’S, 72°41’W, 480 m, 28.iii.1997, J. Grados. 33 paratypes (22 males and 11 females). PERU, Cusco, 1 male, R. C. Machiguenga, Campamento Mapi OX, 35.5 Km O de Nuevo Mundo, 11°31’24’’S, 73°28’32’’W, 712 m, 13-18.i.2010, J. Grados, (Voucher DNA-Artc # 00833 -JGA MUSM); 1 male, San Martín C, 11°47’S, 72°41’W, 480 m, 30.iii.1997, J. Grados; 1 female, idem except, (Genitalia # JGA 723 MUSM); 1 male, idem except, 31.iii.1997, (LT trap / MV); 1 male, idem except, 02.iv.1997; 1 male, Las Malvinas, Río Urubamba, 11°52’S, 72°55’W, 480 m, 23.ix.1997, J. Grados, (Genitalia # JGA 778 MUSM) (LT/ MV); 1 female, Cashiriari, 11°52’S, 72°39’W, 690 m, 04.xii.1997, J. Grados, (7:00-8:00); 1 male, 6 km OSO del Pongo de Mainique , 12°15’02’’S, 72°52’28’’W, 890 m, 01.x.2010, C. Carranza & C. Cavero; 1 male, La Convención, Echarate, CC. Pomareni, 12°15’24.42’’S, 72°50’27.18’’W, 598 m, 12.xi.2009, C. Carranza & C. Rossi, (LT); 1 male, La Convención, Echarate, CC. Pomareni, 12°15’28.38’’S, 72°50’8.89’’W, 477 m, 09.xi.2009, C. Carranza & C. Rossi, (LT); 1 male, idem except, (Voucher DNA-Artc # 00834- JGA MUSM). Madre de Dios , 1 female, Río Los Amigos , CICRA, 12°35’S, 70°05’W, 09.iii.2005, P. Centeno, (Genitalia # JGA 722 MUSM); 1 male, Albergue Refugio Amazonas, 12°52’30’’S, 69°24’35’’W, 241 m, 19.ix.2017, D. Couceiro, (Voucher DNA-Artc # 00606- JGA MUSM); 1 male, Albergue Refugio Amazonas. 12°52’30’’S, 69°24’35’’W, 241 m, 7.xi.2018, J.D. Shoobridge (Voucher DNA-Artc # 00864 JGA MUSM); 1 male, idem except, 18.xi.2018 (Voucher DNA-Artc # 867- JGA MUSM); 1 female, idem except, 29.xi.2018 (Voucher DNA-Artc # 00863- JGA MUSM); 1 female, idem except, 03.i.2019 (Voucher DNA-Artc # 00865- JGA MUSM); 1 male, Río Los Amigos , CICRA, 12°33’S, 70°06’W, 280 m, 25.vii.2006, A. Asenjo, (Genitalia # JGA 721 MUSM); 1 male, Río Alto Madre de Dios , ca. Atalaya, 12°53’S, 71°22’W, 587 m, 23.vi.2006, P. Centeno, ( MV Light Trap; 11:00-00:00 am); 1 male, idem except, 20.viii.2006, P. Centeno, ( MV Light Trap; 9:00-10:00 pm); 1 male, idem except, ( MV Light Trap; 8:00-9:00 pm); 1 male, idem except, 24.viii.2016; 1 female, idem except, 27.viii.2006, ( MV Light Trap; 11:00-0:00 am); 1 male, idem except, 18.x.2006, ( MV Light Trap; 6:00-7:00 pm); 1 male, idem except, 20.x.2006, ( MV Light Trap; 11:00-00:00 am); 1 female, 15.ii.2007, ( MV Light Trap; 11:00-0:00 am); 1 male, idem except, 18.ii.2007, ( MV Light Trap; 11:00-0:00 am); 1 female, idem except, ( MV Light Trap; 9:00-10:00 pm); 2 males, idem except, 20.ii.2007, ( MV Light Trap; 8:00-9:00 pm); 1 female, idem except, 20.viii.2006, (Genitalia # JGA 724 MUSM) ( MV Light Trap; 6:00-7:00 pm); 1 female, idem except, 20.viii.2006 ( MV Light Trap; 8:00-9:00 pm); 1 female, Tambopata Research Center, 13°08’S, 69°36’W, 300 m, 15.v.2001, J. Grados, (Light Trap MV).

Figures

FIGURES 59. Geographical distribution of Parascepsis ockendeni Rothschild, P. lantingi Grados new species, and P. solox (Dognin).

FIGURES 21–24. Parascepsis lantingi Grados new species. 21–22. Holotype male. 21. Dorsal view. 22. Ventral view. 23–24. Paratype female (Tambopata Research Center). 23. Dorsal view. 24. Ventral view. Scale= 5 mm.

FIGURES 25–28. Male genitalia of Parascepsis lantingi Grados new species. (Genitalia # JGA 720 MUSM). 25. Dorsal view. 26. Ventral view. 27. Lateral view. 28. Aedeagus. Scale= 1 mm.

FIGURES 29–30. Female genitalia of P. lantigni Grados new species. (Genitalia # JGA 722 MUSM). 29. Lateral view. 30. Dorsal view. Scale= 1 mm.

FIGURES 31–32. Wings of Parascepsis lantigni Grados new species. 31. Forewing. 32 Hindwing.