Cyphoedma ashleyorum Matson, 2024

Matson, Tanner Alex, 2024, Cyphoedma n. gen. now described after a century of use, with the addition of a new species from Central America (Geometridae, Ennominae), Revista Brasileira de Entomologia (e 20230088) 68 (1), pp. 1-7 : 2-6

Cyphoedma ashleyorum Matson , n. sp.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:22432483-C4F8-483A-9CE5-6411ACEDAA65

( Figures 2 a-2d, 3a-b, 4a, 5)

Diagnosis. Cyphoedma ashleyorum is the predominant Cyphoedma in Central America and is not known to occur in South America. In males, the ground color is typically darker than congeners, and the darkened area of the hindwing underside does not extend as broadly down the outer margin to the tornus as seen in C. mirafloresa (see arrows, Figs. 2b, 2f ). Males of both C. ashleyorum and C. mirafloresa also have more starkly contrasted hindwing undersides than seen in C. transvolutata ( Figs. 2b, 2f, 2j ). Genitalia appear to be too similar among congeners to adequately diagnose, but COI barcode data readily supports the recognition of this new taxon (see Molecular characterization).

Male description ( Figs. 2 a-b, 3a-b). Nearly redundant with generic description.Forewing length 20–25 mm. Head: Antenna filiform, brown scales above. Vertex dark brown with lighter brown scales near scape. Frons mostly dark brown, but with lighter brown scales medially; ventral margin white. Labial palpus porrect, slightly longer than diameter of eye, cream to white on inner surface, and variably brown and white on outer surface. Proboscis well-developed. Chaetosemata well separated. Thorax: Patagium mostly gray. Tegula brown. Mesothorax brown above, white below. Foreleg with large epiphysis; tibial spur formula 0–2–4; hindtibia swollen, bearing plume of long androconia folded into longitudinal groove on inner surface (when not deployed). Legs often whiter on internal surface and variably banded or speckled with yellow and dark brown on external surface; hind leg generally less speckled. Forewing: Predominantly brown with slightly falcate apex speckled with white and yellow. Costal and subapical areas given toward mustard-brown; costa sometimes with frosty highlights. Curved transverse silvery-white antemedial and postmedial lines. Dark brown medial transverse line through frosted central part of wing. Small black discal spot.Irregular, central, light brown patch distal to postmedial line.Subterminal area sometimes with jagged silvery-white line, especially toward apex.Outer margin with silvery-white highlight.Underside pale brown to white in proximal half; transitioning to dark brown in distal half. Fringe brown. Hindwing: Concolorous with forewing, but more frosted in basal half; bearing arcing, medial, transverse silvery-white line that joins with antemedial line of forewing. Small black discal spot present. Subterminal area sometimes with small, lighter brown flecks. Outer margin with silvery-white highlight. Underside pale brown to white in proximal two-thirds; transitioning to dark brown in distal third around apex. Fringe brown. Abdomen: Dark brown above, pale white to cream below. Third sternite with comb of setae. Male Genitalia: ( Fig. 3 a-b): Uncus short and tapered toward apex. Juxta plate-like and not strongly sclerotized. Vesica with two separate fields of small dentate cornuti on adjacent diverticula. Female description ( Figs. 2 c-d, 4a). Forewing length 23–26 mm.Head: As in male.Thorax: As in male; though lacking hind tibial androconia. Forewing: As in male, but often with lighter brown ground color and less pronounced central light brown patch distad to postmedial line above. Underside brown to tan in proximal half; transitioning to darker brown in distal half.Hindwing: As in male, but underside brown to tan in proximal half and transitioning to darker brown in distal half (less contrasted than male).Abdomen: As in male, but lacking third sternite comb of setae. Female Genitalia: ( Fig. 4a ): Papillae anales rounded; posterior apophysis 2.5x longer than anterior apophysis. Ductus bursae more heavily sclerotized at junction with corpus bursae. Corpus bursae pyriform; signum absent.

Type material

Holotype

COSTA RICA • ♂; ACG [Area de Conservación Guanacaste], Guanacaste, Sector Santa Rosa, Area Administrativa , (10.8376°, -85.6187°); elev. 295 m; 08 Sep. 2016; H. Cambronero & R. Franco leg.; light trap; Voucher Code: 16-SRNP-105545 ; BOLD Process ID: BLPAA1558-17 ; USNMENT01771276 ; USNM.

Paratypes (9♂, 9♀)

COSTA RICA • ♂; ACG [Area de Conservación Guanacaste], Guanacaste, Sector Pitilla, Estacion Pitilla, (10.9893°, -85.4258°); elev. 675 m; 12 Mar. 2021; R. Franco & H. Cambronero leg.; light trap; Voucher Code: 21-SRNP-101527; USNMENT01771274; USNM. ♂; ACG [Area de Conservación Guanacaste], Guanacaste, Sector Santa Maria, Crater Bosque Sendero Adentro, (10.8035°, -85.3273°); elev. 1594 m; 21 Jul. 2017; S. Rios leg.; light trap; Voucher Code: 17-SRNP-104721; BOLD Process ID: BLPAA 10532-17; USNMENT01771275; USNM. ♀; ACG [Area de Conservación Guanacaste], Guanacaste, Sector Pitilla, Estacion Pitilla, (10.989°, -85.426°); elev. 675 m; 03 Mar. 2006; H. Cambronero & F.Quesada leg.; light trap; Voucher Code: 06-SRNP-102944; BOLD Process ID: BLPAD 125-06; GenBank:JN806613; USNMENT01771277; USNM. ♀; ACG [Area de Conservación Guanacaste], Guanacaste, Sector Del Oro, Serrano, (11°, -85.456°); elev. 585 m; 08 Nov. 2007; F.Quesada & S. Rios leg.; light trap; Voucher Code:07-SRNP-109827; BOLD Process ID: BLPCF 522-08; GenBank: JQ562061; USNMENT01771278; USNM. ♀; ACG [Area de Conservación Guanacaste], Guanacaste, Sector Del Oro, Bosque Aguirre, (11.004°, -85.441°); elev. 571 m; 18 Nov. 2009; F. Quesada & S. Rios leg.; light trap; Voucher Code: 09-SRNP-110910; BOLD Process ID: BLPDM 1533-10; GenBank: HM 410374; USNMENT01771279; USNM. ♀; ACG [Area de Conservación Guanacaste], Guanacaste, Sector Del Oro, Bosque Aguirre, (11.004°, -85.441°); elev. 571 m; 15 Nov. 2009; H. Cambronero & F. Quesada leg.; light trap; Voucher Code: 09-SRNP-110137; Genitalia: TAM-2023-302 ( USNM 154255); BOLD Process ID: BLPDM 760-10; GenBank: HM 401743; USNMENT01771280; USNM. ♂; ACG [Area de Conservación Guanacaste], Guanacaste, Sector Pitilla, Estacion Pitilla, (10.9893°, -85.4258°); elev. 675 m; 16 Jan. 2018; H. Cambronero & R. Franco leg.; light trap; Voucher Code: 18- SRNP-100292; BOLD Process ID: BLPDV 6328-18; USNMENT01771281; USNM. ♂; ACG [Area de Conservación Guanacaste], Guanacaste, Sector Santa Maria, Crater Bosque Sendero Adentro, (10.8035°, -85.3273°); elev. 1594 m; 17 May 2018; S. Rios & H. Ramirrez leg.; light trap; Voucher Code: 18-SRNP-103045; Genitalia: TAM-2023-301 ( USNM 154254); BOLD Process ID: BLPDV 9746-18; USNMENT01771282; USNM. 2♂; ACG [Area de Conservación Guanacaste], Guanacaste, Sector Cacao, Toma de Agua, (10.9296°, -85.4651°); elev. 1160 m; 10 Aug. 2010; S. Rios & F.Quesada leg.; light trap; Voucher Codes: 10-SRNP-112668, 10- SRNP-112669; BOLD Process ID: BLPDW 776-11, BLPDW 777-11; GenBank: JN267525, JN267526; USNMENT01771283, USNMENT01771284; USNM. ♀; ACG [Area de Conservación Guanacaste], Guanacaste, Sector Pailas, Manta Rio Blanco, (10.7746°, -85.35°); elev. 790 m; 05 Oct. 2010; S. Rios & R. Franco leg.; light trap; Voucher Code: 10-SRNP-114210; BOLD Process ID: BLPDX 1083-11; GenBank:JN267567; USNMENT01771285; USNM. ♀; ACG [Area de Conservación Guanacaste], Guanacaste, Sector Pailas, Palmeras, (10.8107°, -85.347°); elev. 1368 m; 07 Oct. 2010; S. Rios & R. Franco leg.; light trap; Voucher Code: 10-SRNP-114609; BOLD Process ID: BLPDY 057-11; GenBank: JN267652; USNMENT01771286; USNM. ♀; ACG [Area de Conservación Guanacaste], Guanacaste, Sector Pailas, Manta Rio Blanco, (10.7746°, -85.35°); elev. 790 m; 08 Oct. 2010; S. Rios & R.Franco leg.; light trap; Voucher Code:10-SRNP-114696; BOLD Process ID: BLPDY 144-11; GenBank: JN267659; USNMENT01771287; USNM. ♂; ACG [Area de Conservación Guanacaste], Guanacaste, Sector Pailas Dos, PDL#5, (10.7627°, -85.334°); elev. 825 m; 01 Nov. 2013; S. Rios & H. Cambronero leg.; light trap; Voucher Code: 13- SRNP-103007; BOLD Process ID: BLPEE 3571-14; USNMENT01771288; USNM. ♂; ACG [Area de Conservación Guanacaste], Alajuela, Sector San Cristobal, Sendero Vivero, (10.867°, -85.387°); elev. 730 m; Gloria Sihezar leg.; prepupa collected; prepupa: 17 Nov. 1998; eclosed: 11 Dec. 1998; food plant: Guatteria verrucosa R.E.Fr.; food plant det.: Gloria Sihezar; Voucher Code: 98-SRNP-15091; BOLD Process ID: MHAGA 850-06; GenBank: GU154099; USNMENT01771289; USNM. ♂; ACG [Area de Conservación Guanacaste], Alajuela, Sector San Cristobal, Rio Blanco Abajo, (10.9°, -85.373°); elev. 500 m; Carolina Cano leg.; found as pupa; pupa: 18 Jan.2005; eclosed: 03 Feb. 2005; 03 Feb.2005; presumed food plant: Guatteria verrucosa R.E.Fr.; host det.: Yesenia Mendoza; Voucher Code:05-SRNP-155; Genitalia:TAM-2023-288 ( USNM 154251); BOLD Process ID: MHMXN 675-07; GenBank: GU160999; USNMENT01771290; USNM. ♀; Juan Vinas; May; Schaus & Barnes leg.; Genitalia slide: TAM-2023-291 ( USNM 154253); USNMENT01771291; USNM. ♀; Sitio; May; WmSchaus leg.; USNMENT01771292; USNM. ♀; Alajuela Prov., 8km N. Vara Blanca; elev. 1400 m; 25 Mar. 1992; UV & MV lights; J. McCarty & J. Powell leg.; EMEC 1748466; EMEC.

Distribution. Cyphoedma ashleyorum is known from the midelevation montane rain forests of Costa Rica and Panama.

Biology. Cyphoedma ashleyorum flies throughout the year. It has been reared from the Costa Rican endemic Guatteria verrucosa R. E. Fr. ( Annonaceae ) ( Maas et al., 2015). This food plant record was first published in the doctoral dissertation of Gunnar Brehm ( Brehm, 2002), but the source of this record (Voucher: 98-SRNP-15091/USNMENT01771289) belongs to the caterpillar rearing efforts of Dan Janzen, Winnie Hallwachs, and parataxonomists in the Area de Conservación Guanacaste, Costa Rica ( Janzen and Hallwachs, 2009, 2016).

Etymology. The specific epithet ashleyorum was chosen to recognize the invaluable contributions of Richard and Rita Ashley, who have generously supported the Guanacaste Dry Forest Conservation Fund and made significant contributions to the conservation and study of Costa Rican biodiversity.

Molecular characterization. Cyphoedma ashleyorum is represented in BOLD by the BIN: BOLD:AAA0681 (n = 17, Costa Rica).The uncorrected pairwise distance to the nearest neighbor, Cyphoedma mirafloresa ( BOLD: AAB 9560,n = 16, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela),is about 5.1%.

Remarks. A photograph was not taken of the caterpillar in the only known rearing of this species. However, collector Gloria Sihezar, wrote the following brief description of the caterpillar, “green with fine white dots, with three brown and white pathes on body in the form of rings, green head.” The reared male moth (Voucher: 98-SRNP-15091/USNMENT01771289) was barcoded and is in the type series. It is smaller than the rest of the type series, as usual for inventory-reared specimens owing to suboptimal food.

Figures

Figure 2 Adult habitus of Cyphoedma. Arrows pointing to diagnostic wing differences. (a) C. ashleyorum n. sp., male holotype, USNMENT01771276, dorsal; (b) same, ventral; (c) C. ashleyorum n. sp., female paratype, USNM01771288, dorsal; (d) same, ventral; (e) C. mirafloresa (Dognin), male lectotype, USNMENT01771321, dorsal; (f) same, ventral; (g) C. mirafloresa (Dognin), female, USNMENT01771294, dorsal; (h) same, ventral; (i) C. transvolutata (Walker), male, USNMENT01771293, dorsal; (j) same, ventral; (k) C. transvolutata (Walker), female, USNMENT01771320, dorsal; (l) same, ventral. Scale bar = 2 cm.

Figure 3 Cyphoedma male genitalia.(a)C.ashleyorum n.sp.,TAM-2023-288(USNM 154251),USNMENT01771290,paratype,USNM,genital capsule;(b) same,phallus;(c)C.mirafloresa (Dognin),TAM-2023-279 (USNM154250),USNMENT01771323,genital capsule;(d) same,phallus;(e)C.transvolutata (Walker),TAM-2023-277 (USNM 154248),USNMENT01771293, genital capsule; (f) same, phallus.Scale bar = 2 mm.

Figure 4 Cyphoedma female genitalia. (a) C. ashleyorum n. sp., TAM-2023-291 (USNM 154253), USNMENT01771290, paratype; (b) C. mirafloresa (Dognin), TAM-2023-290 (USNM 154252), USNMENT01771322; (c) C. transvolutata (Walker), TAM-2023-278 (USNM 154249), USNMENT01771320. Scale bar = 2 mm.