Lyces ariaca (Druce) Miller, James S, 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 : 766

Lyces ariaca (Druce) , new combination Figure 320H , 321A–E ; plate 29 [EX]

Ephialtias ariaca Druce, 1885a: 147 , pl. 13, fig. 27. TYPE LOCALITY: Mexico, Yucatan, Valladolid. TYPE: Syntype ♀, leg. Gaumer (BMNH).

Ephialtias coatepeca Schaus, 1889: 192 . New synonymy.

TYPE LOCALITY: Mexico, Coatepec, Paso de San Juan.

TYPE: Syntype ³/ ♀ ( USNM type no. 18706).

DISCUSSION: Lyces ariaca appears to be widely distributed throughout the northern countries of Central America. As occurs in L. angulosa (fig. 322A) and L. constricta , the uncus of L. ariaca bears a dorsal process (fig. 321A), in this species more spatulate than bladelike. Precisely the same spatulate process occurs in L. ena and L. banana . The taxon most similar in size and wing pattern to ariaca is L. latistriga Hering (pl. 29), from Peru, so far known exclusively from the ZMH type. Its relationship to L. ariaca is unknown.

There is no question regarding this moth’s identity. Schaus (1889: 192), in his original description of Ephialtias coatepeca , noted that it is ‘‘Closely allied to Ephialtias ariaca Druce’’. My examination of the L. coatepeca type material shows Schaus’ taxon to be a newly recognized synonym of L. ariaca ; no characters distinguish the two.

DISTRIBUTION: Mexico (AMNH, BMNH, FNHM, LACM, MNHN, UCB, USNM, ZMH); Honduras (BMNH, USNM); Belize (AMNH); Guatemala (BMNH, CMNH, USNM).

DISSECTED: ³, Mexico, Veracruz, Atoyac , BMNH (genitalia slide no. JSM-315 ) ; ♀, Mexico, Veracruz, Jalapa , BMNH (genitalia slide no. JSM-316 ) .

Figures

Fig. 320. Morphology of Lyces (³³). A, head of L. angulosa, lateral view; B, head of L. patula, lateral view; C, head of L. patula, frontal view; D, head of L. patula, posterior view; E, L. ena labial palpus; F, L. striata labial palpus; G, L. attenuata labial palpus; H, L. ariaca head, lateral view; I, L. angulosa wings (illustration by J.S. Miller).

Fig. 321. Genitalia of Lyces. A, L. ariaca ³ (JSM-315); B, L. ariaca aedeagus; C, L. ariaca ♀ (JSM- 316); D, ³ Tg8 of L. ariaca; E, ³ St8 of L. ariaca; F, L. eterusialis ³ (JSM-503); G, L. eterusialis aedeagus; H, L. eterusialis ♀ (JSM-1378); I, ³ Tg8 of L. eterusialis; J, ³ St8 of L. eterusialis.