Josia subcuneifera Dognin, 1902

Miller, James S, 2009, Generic Revision Of The Dioptinae (Lepidoptera: Noctuoidea: Notodontidae) Part 2: Josiini, Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2009 (321), pp. 675-1022 : 827-828

Josia subcuneifera Dognin Figure 342 ; plate 33

Josia subcuneifera Dognin, 1902: 342 .

TYPE LOCALITY: Ecuador, ‘‘Environs de Loja’’.

TYPE: Syntype ³, leg. 1889, ex Dognin Collection ( USNM type no. 30944).

DISCUSSION: Historically, there has been confusion regarding the status of J. subcuneifera ( Prout, 1918; Bryk, 1930). It was Hering’s (1925) opinion that J. subcuneifera , whose type is from southern Ecuador, might be a race or form of either J. aurifusa or J. turgida , both from Venezuela. My dissections show that J. subcuneifera is a species distinct from these. Its genitalia show basic similarities with those of other Aurifusa Group members (figs. 341, 343), but exhibit a unique shape of the valval costa (fig. 342A), as well as an exceptionally wide ductus bursae (fig. 342D).

Josia subcuneifera is known to me from three specimens —the male and female USNM syntypes, as well as a male at the CUIC. All three examples were dissected. In addition to features of the genitalia, J. subcuneifera can be distinguished from other Aurifusa Group species by the narrow blackish band, bending around the HW outer margin, and by its slightly larger size.

DISTRIBUTION: Ecuador (USNM); Peru (CUIC).

DISSECTED: Syntype ³ (genitalia slide no. JSM-1375 ) ; ³, Peru, El Campamiento, Col. Perene, 23 Jun 1920, CU Expedition Lot 607, Sub 110, CUIC (genitalia slide no. JSM-292 ; whole body dissection) ; ♀ Syntype, Ecuador, Environs de Loja, 1893, Dognin Collection , USNM (genitalia slide no. JSM-1712 ) .

Figures

Fig. 342. Genitalia of Josia subcuneifera (³ holotype, JSM-1375; ♀ JSM-1712). A, ³ genitalia; B, ³ Tg8; C, ³ St8; D, ♀ genitalia, ventral view; E, aedeagus.