Phintia broweri, Miller, 2009

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 : 788-790

Phintia broweri , new species

Figures 304 , 328 , 329A–E ; plate 31

DIAGNOSIS: Phintia broweri and P. podarce can be separated by their wing patterns (pl. 31). The most obvious difference is that the HW of P. broweri is completely black, whereas the HW of P. podarce exhibits a light yellow central area, extending from slightly short of the radial sector anteriorly to the anal margin posteriorly. Their FW differs as well: the yellow transverse band is wider and longer in P. broweri , extending from behind the costa posteriorly to vein 1A+2A, near the tornus; in P. podarce the transverse FW band is narrow at its anterior end behind the costa, and terminates posteriorly at CuA 2. More subtle differences include a slightly darker ground color in P. broweri with a faint, blue iridescence not found in P. podarce , as well as more lemon yellow ( broweri ), rather than light yellow ( podarce ) wing markings. Phintia broweri tends to be somewhat larger as well, although the number of specimens for comparison is few. Finally, the labial palpus of P. broweri (fig. 328A, D) is wider than that of P. podarce . Genital differences are outlined in the key to species (above).

DESCRIPTION: Male. Forewing length 5 13.5–14.0 mm. Head (fig. 328A–D): Lp1 moderately long, wide, lateral surface with light yellow scales from base in posterior half, blackish gray to gray scales in anterior half, inner surface blackish gray; Lp2 extremely long, almost straight, joined at a sharp angle to Lp1, tightly covered with short, gray-black to gray scales on lateral and mesal surfaces, ventral surface unevenly covered with whitish-yellow scales; Lp2 with an apical tuft of elongate, gray, hairlike scales; Lp3 obscured by apical tuft of Lp2; front covered with gray to blackish-gray scales; occiput blackish brown in upper half, with long, light yellow scales in lower half; a second group of light yellow scales on cervical region below occiput; vertex covered with upright, blackish to dark gray scales; antennal scape glossy black to blackish brown; dorsum of antennal shaft tightly covered with glossy, gray-black scales.

Thorax: Coxa on prothoracic leg glossy blackish gray on outer surface, conspicuous creamy white on inner one; remainder of legs dark gray on outer surfaces, whitish on inner ones; tibial spurs mostly white, light gray on outer surfaces; pleuron covered with short, dark gray scales, these having a bluish iridescence, a small patch of buff to light brown scales in pleuron immediately below tegula; patagium evenly covered with long, blackish-brown scales; tegula covered with dark blackish-brown scales, these with an iridescent blue tinge; margins of tegula trimmed with elongate, hairlike scales; dorsum evenly blackish brown, with a blue iridescence.

Forewing (fig. 328E; pl. 31): (Dorsal) Ground color evenly matt black, the only marking a wide, lemon-yellow transverse band; band straddling discocellular veins at outer portion of DC, its anterior margin extending to slightly behind costa, its posterior margin ending slightly short of tornus, barely crossing 1A+2A; inner and outer margins of lemon-yellow band lightly infiltrated with black scales where it crosses wing veins. (Ventral) Similar to dorsal surface except slightly lighter, ground color gray black, gray along anal margin behind 1A+2A; lemon-yellow transverse band wider than on dorsal surface and less intense in tone.

Hind wing (fig. 328E; pl. 31): (Dorsal) Ground color evenly black, without markings, gray along anterior margin from base to near apex. (Ventral) Similar to dorsal surface, but lighter in tone, gray-black.

Abdomen: Dorsum dark blackish brown, with a blue, iridescent luster; pleuron dark gray; venter white, infused with dark gray scales along dorsolateral margins.

Terminalia (fig. 329A–C, E): Tg8 narrowing distally, posterior margin with a deep, wide, V-shaped excavation; St8 relatively wide, mesal apodeme on anterior margin gradually tapered toward apex; socii apposed to uncus, uncus and socii elongate, thin, approximately equal in length; socii laterally compressed; costa of valva fairly wide, forming a blunt process distally; aedeagus almost straight, sides roughly parallel (aedeagus in P. podarce slightly constricted in basal third); aedeagus tapered to a sharp ventral point distally; distal two-thirds of vesica angled upward at an almost 90 ° angle.

Female. Forewing length 5 14.0–14.5 mm. Head, thorax and wings similar to male except for the following: labial palpus short- er, without an elbowlike joint between Lp1 and Lp2, lacking a long apical tuft on Lp2; antenna ciliate; inner surface of procoxa gray-brown, not conspicuously white; rest of legs uniformly gray-brown, not white on inner surfaces; FW and HW ground color slightly lighter, transverse band wider.

Terminalia (fig. 329D): Posterior margin of Tg7 with an extremely deep, wide, Ushaped excavation, extending anteriorly over three-fourths of tergum length; St7 roughly quadrate, very slightly tapered toward posterior margin; PA small, triangular in shape; AA and PP thin, moderate in length; PVP with a set of longitudinal carinae in central portion, posterior margin simple; DB lightly sclerotized, laterally compressed, widest near middle; CB bearing a long, narrow dorsal sclerite, this lacking a seam; dorsal appendix of CB finely coriaceous; signum bird shaped, internal spines short.

ETYMOLOGY: This species is named in honor of Andrew Van Zandt Brower, who accompanied me to Tambopata Reserve. During that trip he collected the holotype, as well as one of the paratypes, of P. broweri . I became jealous of his uncanny ability to collect Dioptinae ; I would come back to camp after a full day with only a fraction of his catch. Andy is a gifted Lepidopterist, both in the field and in the laboratory. His contributions to the study of butterfly systematics, as well as to evolutionary biology in general, are internationally renowned.

DISTRIBUTION: It is impossible to adequately assess the distribution of Phintia broweri at the present time, since only six specimens are known. Five of those are from the type locality—Tambopata Reserve (fig. 304), a lowland site (200 m) in southeastern Peru on the Río Tambopata, a tributary of the Río Madre de Dios (fig. 6). Eventually, these rivers become the Rio Madeira, which joins the Amazon below Manaus. Interestingly, the butterfly faunas of Tambopata and Pakitza, the latter a nearby site within Manu National Park, are the richest on record anywhere in the world ( Lamas, 1997). These locations are home to a remarkable diversity of Dioptinae as well.

A female specimen in the BMNH collection, collected nearly 120 years ago at Yunga del Espiritu Santo (Cochabamba) Bolivia, appears to be conspecific with P. broweri . It was not dissected. This Bolivian example comes from a site geographically close to the type locality (fig. 304). Espirito Santo is at the headwaters of the Río Mamore´, which, along with the Río Madre de Dios, empties into the Río Madeira. However, the elevation at Espirito Santo (approximately 1500 meters) is high compared with that at Tambopata. For the time being, I accept this Bolivian specimen as being an example of P.broweri until more material becomes available and additional dissections are done.

DISCUSSION: This is the second species in Phintia . The other taxon, P. podarce , being more broadly distributed, is also more common in collections. Phintia broweri is remarkably elusive. I have seen only six specimens —four at the AMNH (including the type), one at the FNHM, and one at the BMNH. During a field trip to Tambopata Reserve in 1996, intensive day-collecting by five Lepidopterists, including myself, during the course of a week, produced only two specimens of P. broweri (both captured by A. Brower).

HOLOTYPE: Male (pl. 31). PERU: Madre de Dios: 12 ° 51 9 S, 69 ° 18 9 W, 200 m, Tambopata Reserve , day coll., 11 Dec 1996, leg. A. V.Z.

Brower (genitalia slide no. JSM- 1745). The type is deposited at the AMNH.

PARATYPES: PERU: Madre de Dios: 1³, Tambopata Reserve , 12 ° 51 9 S, 69 ° 18 9 W, 200 m, 11 Dec 1996, leg. A. V. Z. Brower, day coll. ( AMNH; genitalia slide no. JSM-848 , wing slide no. JSM-1663 ) ; 1³, Tambopata Reserve, 30 air km SW Pto . Maldonado, 290 m, 26–30 Nov 1979, leg. J.B. Heppner, subtropical moist forest ( FNHM) ; 1♀, Tambopata Reserve , 200 m, Dec 1994, leg. S. Fratello, day coll. ( AMNH; genitalia slide no. JSM-849 ) ; 1♀, Tambopata Reserve , 30 km SW Pto. Maldonado, 300 m, 16–22 Oct 1983, leg. C. V. Covell Jr. ( AMNH) .

OTHER SPECIMENS EXAMINED: BOLIVIA: Cochabamba: 1♀, Yunga del Espiritu Santo, 1888–89, leg. P. Germain (BMNH).

DISSECTED: 2³³, 1♀.

Figures

Fig. 304. Known distributions of newly described South American Josiini: Josia neblina, Notascea brevispinula, Notascea loxa, Phintia broweri, Polyptychia hermieri, and Scea torrida.

Fig. 328. Morphology of Phintia broweri (³). A, head, lateral view; B, head, frontal view; C, head, posterior view; D, head, lateral view; E, wings (A–C, E: illustration by J.S. Miller; D: illustration by S. Goodman)

Fig. 329. Genitalia of Phintia. A, ³ of P. broweri (JSM-848); B, P. broweri ³ St8; C, aedeagus of P. broweri; D, ♀ of P. broweri (JSM-849); E, P. broweri ³ Tg8; F, P. podarce (JSM-313) ³ St8; G, P. podarce ³ Tg8 (illustration by J.S. Miller).