Sophista spectrum, 2016

Siewert, Ricardo Russo, Zacca, Thamara, Mielke, Olaf Hermann Hendrik & Casagrande, Mirna Martins, 2016, Taxonomic revision and cladistic analysis of the genus Sophista Plotz, 1879 (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae) with description of a new species from north-east Brazil, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 177 (3), pp. 526-540 : 534-537

S OPHISTA SPECTRUM SIEWERT, ZACCA, MIELKE & CASAGRANDE SP. NOV.

( FIGS 15 – 18 , 51 – 58 , 63 , 70 – 72 )

Diagnosis

Sophista spectrum sp. nov. can be distinguished from the other species of the ‘ latifasciata group’ by the faded colour pattern on DW. Left valva with harpe approximately two times longer than wide; harpe and ampulla with dentate margin and without internal spines. Right valva with harpe approximately two times longer than wide; dorsal margin of harpe with spinous projection, curved inwards. Distal portion of aedeagus lanceolate and dorsally dilated at apical third. Left projection of sterigma covered with developed spines, similar to S. latifasciata ; ventrally with little-developed sclerotized projection in right basal third; right lobe developed.

Description

Head. Dark brown, frons with mixed white- and cream-coloured scales; eyes glabrous, brown; labial palpus porrect, ventrally white and dorsally dark brown; antennae dark brown, nudum with 16 – 17 segments (N = 4).

Thorax. Dorsally paler brown, ventrally with mixed white and cream-coloured scales; legs with mixed white and cream-coloured scales.

Wings ( Figs 15–18 ). Forewing (FW), male 11.0 – 12.0 mm (HT 11.0 mm), mean length 11.8 mm (N = 5); female 12.2 – 13.0 mm (AT 13.0 mm), mean length 13.0 mm (N = 3). DFW: ground colour pale brown; discal white band from costal to inner margin, submarginal line narrow, from radius to 2A; marginal line from apex to tornus; fringes with alternating cream-coloured and dark-brown scales. DHW: ground colour pale brown; costal margin greyish; discal white band from Sc + R 1 to 2A; submarginal line narrow, from Rs to 2A; marginal line from apex to 2A; fringes with alternating creamcoloured and dark-brown scales; inner margin greyish. VFW and VHW paler than in dorsal view.

Abdomen. Dorsally paler brown, ventrally with mixed white and cream-coloured scales; each segment ringed with cream-coloured scales.

Male genitalia ( Figs 51–58 ). Tegumen with lateroventrally asymmetrical expansion and tuft of scales on distal margin, ventrally developed on right side; tegumen separated from uncus by membranous region covered with hair-like scales; uncus long, undivided, and curved downwards; gnathos weakly developed, flattened ventrally; saccus short. Valvae asymmetrical and robust; left valva with harpe approximately two times longer than wide, and with median – dorsal expansion curved inwards; ampulla without spines and with dentate margin in its internal region. Right valva with harpe as long as wide, and with median – dorsal dentate and twisted expansion; ampulla without spines and with dentate margin. Aedeagus shorter than valva; vesica and aedeagus opening dorsally; distal portion of aedeagus lanceolate and dorsally dilated in apical third. Fultura superior sclerotized, somewhat rounded, with spine-like projections on median – posterior region.

Female genitalia ( Figs 73–75 ). Papilla analis rectangular, with well-developed apophysis; stergima sclerotized and asymmetrical, left side with projection covered with spines and right side with welldeveloped lobe; ostium bursae opening ventrally at right side, with spiracle in distal portion of sterigma; ductus bursae and bursa copulatrix completely membranous, signa absent.

Geographical distribution

Sophista spectrum sp. nov. is known only from its type locality (Pico das Almas, Rio de Contas , Bahia, Brazil; Fig. 76) .

Etymology

The specific epithet is from the Latin spectrum (appearance, apparition), in reference to its type locality, Pico das Almas (Hill of Souls), and also to the faded colour pattern on the dorsal wings.

Type material

Holotype male with the following labels (separated by slashes): / HOLOTYPUS / Sophista spectrum Siewert, Zacca, Mielke & Casagrande det. 2014 / BRAZIL – Bahia: Rio de Contas – Pico das Almas, 1400 – 1600 m, 1-II-2005, Mielke & Casagrande leg. / DZ 26.473 / ( DZUP) . Allotype female with the following labels (separated by slashes): / ALLOTYPUS / Sophista spectrum Siewert, Zacca, Mielke & Casagrande det. 2014 / BRAZIL – Bahia: Rio de Contas – Pico das Almas, 1400 – 1600 m, 3-II-2005, Mielke & Casagrande leg. / DZ 26.474 / ( DZUP) .

Paratypes. Brazil. Bahia: Rio de Contas – Pico das Almas , 1400 – 1600 m, 28-I-2005, 2 males, Mielke & Casagrande leg., DZ 26.475, DZ 26.476 ( DZUP) . 1-II- 2005, 2 males, Mielke & Casagrande leg., DZ 26.477, DZ 26.478 ( DZUP) . 03-II-2005, 2 males, Mielke & Casagrande leg., DZ 26.479, DZ 26.480 ( DZUP) .

Character list

Head.

1. Antennae, apiculus, length related to clava: equal or longer (0); shorter (1).

2. Labial palpi, first and second segments, ventral, coloration: totally brown or mixed with creamcoloured scales (0); totally creamy (1).

3. Labial palpi, third segment, shape: cylindrical (0); conical (1).

Wings.

4. Veins, coloration: brown (0); white (1).

5. DFW, white elements: absent (0); present (1).

6. Discal band: FW band not contiguous with DW band (0); contiguous band in FW and DW (1).

7. Discal band: reaching costal margin (0); not reaching costal margin (1).

Abdomen.

8. Segments, distal region: totally brown (0); creamy coloured (1).

Male genitalia.

9. Tegumen, lateroventral projection: absent (0); present (1).

10. Tegumen, lateroventral projection: reduced (0); developed (1).

11. Gnathos, weakly developed (0); developed (1).

12. Fultura superior: absent (0); present (1).

13. Fultura superior: slightly developed (0); developed (1).

14. Fultura superior, spines projections, location: median region (0) ( Figs 61 – 63 ); in other region (1) ( Figs 59 – 60 ).

15. Valvae, symmetry: symmetrical or slightly asymmetrical (0); strongly asymmetrical (1).

16. Left valva, inner view, projections: absent (0); present (1).

17. Right valva, inner view, harpe, dorsal margin: with developed spine (0); serrated (1).

18. Right valva, inner view, harpe, dorsal margin: with one projection (0); with two projections (1).

19. Aedeagus, cornuti: absent (0); present (1).

20. Aedeagus, distal region: straight (0); strongly curved upwards (1).

Female genitalia.

21. Symmetry: symmetrical (0); assymetrical (1).

22. Sterigma: differentiated in lamellae post- and ante-vaginalis (0); not differentiated (1).

23. Sterigma, left projection: absent (0); present (1).

24. Sterigma, left projection, insertion location: dorsally (0); lateroventrally (1).

25. Ductus bursae: differentiated (0); totally membranous (1).

Cladistic analysis of Sophista

Twenty-five morphological characters were coded ( Table 1), from the head (3), wings (4), abdomen (1), male genitalia (12), and female genitalia (5). The parsimony analysis using equal weighting resulted in a single parsimonious tree of 25 steps, with a consistency index (CI) of 100 and a retention index (RI) of 100 ( Fig. 77 ). All characters used in the analysis were parsimony-informative, except for characters 1 and 3. The equal length of the apiculus and clava (character 1: 0) and the cylindrical shape of the third segment of the labial palpi (character 3: 0) were found only in Telemiades amphion , as observed in other Eudaminae species ( Evans, 1953).

The monophyly of Sophista was strongly supported (BS,>5; bootstrap, 100), with eight synapomorphies: white discal band on dorsal surface of wings (character 6: 1); tegumen with a lateroventral expansion (character 9: 1); gnathos weakly developed (character 11: 0); fultura superior developed (character 13: 1); left valva with spine-like projections or serrated (character 16: 1); distal region of aedeagus strongly curved upwards (character 20: 1); sterigma not differentiated in lamellae post- and ante-vaginalis (character 22: 1); left projection of sterigma present (character 23: 1) ( Figs 77 – 80 ). The ‘ latifasciata group’ was recovered in the cladistic analysis, and was supported by six synapomorphies through the heuristic search ( Fig. 77 ) and DEL- TRAN optimization ( Fig. 79 ), and by seven synapomorphies with ACCTRAN optimization ( Fig. 78 ). The ‘ aristoteles group’ was recovered only when the hypothetical female genitalia characters of S. matto were used ( Fig. 80 ), reinforcing the importance of these characters to better understand the internal relationships within the genus. In this case, the synapomorphies of the ‘ aristoteles group’ are the discal band on the dorsal wings not reaching the costal margin (character 7: 1), and the spinous projections of the fultura superior located in regions other than the median one (character 14:1), once these characters were not found in any Carcharodini here studied.

Polyctor appeared as a sister group of Sophista with moderate support (BS, 3; bootstrap, 99) and three synapomorphies: first and second segments of labial palpi totally cream-coloured ventrally (character 2: 1); wings with white elements (character 5: 1); male genitalia with valvae strongly asymmetrical (character 15: 1). Evans (1953) suggested that Polyctor and Illiana are the most closely related to Sophista , based on their general appearance and the morphological similarities in the uncus. The positions of Iliana , Pachyneuria , and Cyclosemia are consistent with the basal placement of these genera within Carcharodini , as reported by Warren et al. (2009); however, further investigations are required to evaluate the monophyly and to better understand the relationships of the genera of Carcharodini .

Key to species of Sophista

1. Veins covered by brown or dark scales; discal band not reaching costal margin in FW....... 2 ( aristoteles group) – Veins covered by white scales; discal band reaching costal margin in FW.... 3 ( latifasciata group).

2. DW with wide discal band (about 3 – 5 mm; Figs 1 – 4 )....... Sophista aristoteles (Amazonia) – DW with narrow discal band (about 2 mm; Figs 5 – 8 )..... Sophista plinius stat. rest. (southern and central – western Brazil).

3. DFW with discal band bifurcated in R – M 3 ; wide discal band ( Figs 9 – 12 ).... Sophista latifasciata (Cerrado; Brasılia, Goias, Minas Gerais)

– DFW with discal band not bifurcated in R – M 3 ...... 4.

4. DW ground colour dark brown ( Figs 13 – 14 )....... Sophista matto stat. nov. (Mato Grosso) – DW ground colour pale brown ( Figs 15 – 18 )........ Sophista spectrum sp. nov. (Bahia).

Figures

Figures 1–18. Species of Sophista, dorsal and ventral views: 1–4, Sophista aristoteles, male and female from Amazonas, Brazil; 5–8, Sophista plinius, male and female from Parana, Brazil; 9–12, Sophista latifasciata, male from Distrito Federal, Brazil, and female from Parana, Brazil; 13, 14, Sophista matto, male from Mato Grosso, Brazil; 15–18, Sophista spectrum sp. nov., holotype and allotype. Scale bar: 1 cm.

Figures 19–58. Male genitalia of Sophista species: lateral view; left valva in internal view; right valve in external view; right valve in internal view; tegumen and uncus in dorsal view; tegumen, uncus, and gnathos in ventral view, and aedeagus in dorsal and ventral views; 19–26, Sophista aristoteles; 27–34, Sophista plinius; 35–42, Sophista latifasciata; 43–50, Sophista matto; 51–58, Sophista spectrum sp. nov., paratype. Scale bar: 1 mm.

Figures 59–63. Male genitalia of Sophista species, fultura superior: 59, Sophista aristoteles; 60, Sophista plinius; 61, Sophista latifasciata; 62, Sophista matto; 63, Sophista spectrum sp. nov., paratype. Scale bar: 1 mm.

Figures 64–75. Female genitalia of Sophista species: sterigma in lateral and left view; sterigma in lateral and right view; sterigma in ventral view; 64–66, Sophista aristoteles; 67–69, Sophista plinius; 70–72, Sophista spectrum sp. nov., paratype; 73–75, Sophista latifasciata. Scale bar: 1 mm.

Figures 77–80. Cladograms obtained from the analysis based on 25 morphological characters: 77, heuristic analysis; 78, ACCTRAN optimization; 79, DELTRAN optimization; 80, with hypothetical characters for female of Sophista matto. Filled circles indicate synapomorphies; characters are indicated above and characters states are indicated below.