Ephialtias abrupta (Hübner), , 1806

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 : 746-747

Ephialtias abrupta (Hübner)

Figures 311F , 314 ; plate 29 [EX]

Hipocrita Tineiformis abrupta Hübner, 1806 : pl. 184, figs. 1–4.

TYPE LOCALITY: Not known.

TYPE: Not seen.

Ephialtias basalis Butler, 1878: 59 .

TYPE LOCALITY: Brazil, Pará.

TYPE: Syntype ♀, leg. 9 Mar 1875 ( BMNH).

Josia dorsivitta Walker, 1854: 305 . New synonymy. TYPE LOCALITY: Brazil, Ega. TYPE: Syntype ♀, Bates Collection

(BMNH).

Josia hyperia Walker, 1854: 306 . New combination, revised synonymy. TYPE LOCALITY: Brazil, Pará. TYPE: Syntype ♀, Bates Collection

(BMNH).

Josia icca Prout, 1918: 421 .

TYPE LOCALITY: Brazil, Pará.

TYPE: Syntype ♀ ( BMNH).

Josia pilarge Walker, 1854: 305 . New combination, revised synonymy. TYPE LOCALITY: Brazil, Pará. TYPE: Syntype ♀, Bates Collection

(BMNH).

DISCUSSION: Ephialtias abrupta has been a difficult taxon to characterize. After considerable study, a broad species concept has been applied; the name abrupta is used for all Ephialtias showing a white region on the HW dorsal surface (pl. 29). The white area varies greatly in size. In some specimens it occupies over half the wing, whereas in others it is a small, inconspicuous patch. The white HW area in the male and female moths figured by Hübner (1806; pl. 184) is of moderate size, but is considerably larger in the female.

Because of this pattern variation, previous authors recognized more than one species and described numerous forms and subspecies. In my arrangement, there are five synonyms of abrupta . Having made this move, it is interesting to note that the type locality for four of these five is the same— Pará, Brazil. The remaining locale, Ega, type locality for dorsivitta Walker , is nearby on the Amazon river. These observations add credence to the hypothesis that the names constitute a single species with highly variable wing pattern. Unfortunately, the Hübner type of abrupta has been lost, and its type locality will never be known.

Details of the new synonymies are as follows: First, my research suggests that dorsivitta Walker , previously regarded as a species in Josia ( Bryk, 1930) , is a synonym of abrupta . The two differ only in the size of the white HW central area (smaller in abrupta ). Their genitalia and other aspects of body coloring are identical. Secondly, study of BMNH types confirms that hyperia and pilarge , both described by Walker (1854), are synonyms of abrupta Hübner. Prout (1918: 421) and subsequent authors instead listed them as synonyms of E. consueta Walker. The types of hyperia and pilarge show white dorsal spots on the abdomen and a FW band typical of abrupta . However, hyperia has only a tiny amount of white in the HW, while pilarge exhibits a larger, but still faint, white central area (more clearly visible below). Finally, the names basalis Butler and icca Prout were treated as aberrations of abrupta by Prout (1918) and subsequent authors ( Hering, 1925; Bryk, 1930). On those, I defer judgement.

No other Ephialtias species shows white in the HW. Other, similar-appearing Josiini , such as P. simplex and P. esoterica (pl. 26), belong in Proutiella . Certain Arctiidae , such as Ordishia klagesi (pl. 29), are mimetic with E. abrupta , but wing venation and tympanal morphology make these easily separable.

The abdomen of E. abrupta females exhibits a row of white spots along the midline. Interestingly, the abdominal dorsum in males is completely black. Abdominal spots are characteristic of Ephialtias , but only E. abrupta and E. consueta possess white ones.

Within the Abrupta Group, genital morphology suggests that E. abrupta (from the Amazon Basin) and E. pseudena (from Colombia and Panama) are sister species. In both, male St8 exhibits a large, wide anterior apodeme (figs. 314E, 318E), and the valva apex bears a tiny, thumblike, membranous appendix (figs. 314A, 318A). They can be distinguished because the FW band is consistently narrower in E. abrupta , and E. pseudena never shows white in the HW.

DISTRIBUTION: Brazil (BMNH, CMNH, NMW, OUMNH, USNM); Peru (AMNH, CUIC, MUSM, USNM, ZMC); Ecuador (LACM); Venezuela (MNHN).

DISSECTED: 3, Brazil, ex Coll. Smith, 1844–5, BMNH (genitalia slide no. JSM-333 ) ; 3, Brazil, Santarem , May 1919, leg. S.M. Klages, CMNH (genitalia slide no. JSM-1731 ) ; 3, [no data], ‘‘comp. type B.M. ’’, Wm. Schaus Collection, USNM (genitalia slide no. JSM-1345 , wing slide no. JSM-1346 ) ; ♀, Brazil, Pará , BMNH (genitalia slide no. JSM-334 ) ; ♀, Peru, Madre de Dios, Parque Manu, Pakitza , 11 ° 53 9 S, 70 ° 58 9 W, 400 m, 5 Oct 1990, leg. R. Robbins, USNM (genitalia slide no. JSM-1732 ) .

Figures

Fig. 311. Morphology of Ephialtias (33). A, head of E. dorsispilota, lateral view; B, head of E. dorsispilota, frontal view; C, head of E. dorsispilota, posterior view; D, head of E. monilis, lateral view; E, E. pseudena labial palpus; F, E. abrupta labial palpus; G, head of E. draconis, lateral view; H, E. draconis wings (illustration by J.S. Miller, except G by S. Goodman).

Fig. 314. Genitalia of Ephialtias abrupta (3 JSM-1731, ♀ JSM-1732). A, 3 genitalia; B, aedeagus; C,