Pseudosphenoptera boyi, Zerny, 1931

Pinheiro, L. R. & Gaal-Haszler, S., 2015, Illustrated catalogue of Neotropical Ctenuchina, Euchromiina and Pericopina types (Lepidoptera, Erebidae, Arctiinae, Arctiini) described by Hans Zerny, with discussion on their taxonomic status, Zootaxa 3925 (4), pp. 505-535 : 510

boyi Zerny, 1931

( Fig. 5 )

Pseudosphenoptera boyi Zerny, 1931a: 252 . Holotype male, by monotypy: BRAZIL, Pará, Santarém, ix.1922 (Boy); with two labels: printed label “Moju bei Santarem, H. C. Boy” with date handwritten on the underside “ix.’22”, and handwritten label ” Pseudosphenoptera boyi Zerny ♂ type ”.

Current combination. Pseudosphenoptera boyi Zerny, 1931 .

Condition of the type. Forewings slightly rubbed, otherwise in good condition.

Remarks. Pseudosphenoptera Butler, 1876 is a genus with incredible dimorphism sexual, which can be attested by the existence of four generic synonyms for a total of six species that are currently placed in it. The males are considerably smaller than the females, and have more hyaline areas on the wings. Pseudosphenoptera boyi is probably no exception, though the female is unknown, and correct association might require finding moths copulating, or perhaps DNA barcoding. To our knowledge the species is still known only from its holotype. Zerny (1931a) considered it close to Haematerion nephelophora ( Hampson, 1914) . However, it also appears close to P. basalis (Walker, 1854) , the type species of Pseudosphenoptera , meaning that H. nephelophora is likely misplaced in Haematerion Herrich-Schäffer, [1855].

The specific epithet boyi derives from the holotype’s collector, Hugo Charles Boy (1890–1937), who collected in the Brazilian and Peruvian Amazon in the 1920s ( Lamas 1980, Papavero & Overal 2011).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 24. 1) Eucyane phanoptoides (Lectotype); 2) Eucyane variabilis flavofasciata (Lectotype); 3) Eucyane variabilis variabilis (Lectotype); 4) Pseudophaloe xiphydria (Holotype); 5) Pseudosphenoptera boyi (Holotype); 6) Correbia rufescens columbiana (Lectotype); 7) Diptilum [sic] crassum (Holotype); 8) Ptychotrichos [sic] fenestrifer (Holotype); 9) Episcepsis flavipuncta (Lectotype); 10) Schasiura gymnelioides (Holotype); 11) Heliura hagmanni (Lectotype); 12) Cercopimorpha hoffmanni (Lectotype); 13) Teucer imbecillus (Holotype); 14) Desmotricha josioides (Lectotype); 15) Eucereon lychnis (Lectotype); 16) Eucereon maternum (Holotype); 17) Episcepsis melanoneura (Lectotype); 18) Episcepsis nereus (Lectotype); 19) Ceramidia pinguis (Holotype); 20) Ctenucha reimoseri (Holotype); 21) Episcepsis rotundipennis (Lectotype); 22) Eucereon sericeum (Lectotype); 23) Pompiliodes acroleuca (Lectotype); 24) Calonotos acutipennis (Lectotype). Scale bars: 1 cm.