Lophocampa griseidorsata Vincent & Laguerre

Vincent, Benoit & Laguerre, Michel, 2013, Four new Neotropical Lophocampa species with a redescription of Lophocampa atriceps (Hampson) (Lepidoptera, Erebidae, Arctiinae), ZooKeys 264, pp. 47-69 : 55-59

Lophocampa griseidorsata Vincent & Laguerre sp. n. Figs 5, 11, 17, 2329

Type material.

Holotype - ♂, Bolivia, Sud Yungas, Rte Caranavi - Palos Blancos, K 41, 1400 m 16-III-84, G. Lachaume & T. Porion leg., genitalia dissected by B. Vincent n° BV 257, Barcode ID ARCTA931-09, Sample ID BEVI0826 [MNHN]. Allotype - ♀, Bolivia, Sud Yungas, Rte Caranavi - Palos Blancos, K 41, 1400 m 16-III-84, G. Lachaume & T. Porion leg., genitalia dissected by B. Vincent n° BV 280 [MNHN]. Paratypes - 1 ♂, Bolivia: Cochabamba, Road Cochabamba - Villa Tunari, PK 103, 2100 m, 28-I-1997, genitalia dissected by M. Laguerre. n° ML 1180, M. Laguerre leg.; 2 ♀, Cochabamba, Road Cochabamba - Villa Tunari, PK 111, 1500 m, 29-I-1997, genitalia dissected by M. Laguerre. n° ML 1064, M. Laguerre leg. all [MLC]; 1 ♂, Coroico, 1700 m, XII-1981, G. Jeannot & G. Lachaume leg. genitalia dissected by B. Vincent n° BV 254, [MNHN]; Peru: 1 ♂, Road Olmos - Tarapoto, 1700 m, 10/12 -I-80, T. Porion leg., with one genitalia dissected by B. Vincent n° BV 256, [MNHN]; 2 ♂ and 1 ♀, Cuzco, Road Cuzco-Manu PK 151, 1650 m, 15/18-XII-79, T. Porion leg., genitalia dissected by B. Vincent n° BV 255, [MNHN]; 1 ♀, Pasco, Route d’Oxopampa - Pozuzo, km 47, 1500 m, 30-IX-2003, B. Vincent leg., Barcode ID ARCTA929-09, Sample ID BEVI0824 all [BVC]; Ecuador: 3 ♂, Sucumbios, Road Julio Andrade - La Bonita, PK 57, 2100 m, 3-VIII-1997, genitalia dissected by M. Laguerre. n° ML 317 & 1156, M. Laguerre leg. [MLC]; 1 ♂, Napo, Road Baeza - Tena, Km 17, 1.8 km after intersection on the right, 2097 m, 18-II-2006, S0.585, 77.877W, B. Vincent leg., Barcode ID ARCTA538-07, Sample ID BEVI0256; 1 ♂, Morona-Santiago, Road Limon - Gualaceo, Km 28.6, 2114 m, 22-II-2006, S3.022, 78.586W, Barcode ID ARCTA539-07, Sample ID BEVI0257, B. Vincent leg. [BVC]; 1 ♂, Road Gualaceo - Mendez, Km 49, 1700 m, 23-I-1979, T. Porion leg, genitalia dissected by H. de Toulgoët. n°AS 55, [MNHN].

Etymology.

The specific epithet griseidorsata refers to the gray color of the abdominal tergites.

Diagnosis.

Lophocampa griseidorsata sp. n. is best distinguished from Lophocampa flavodorsata by the difference in the coloration of the abdominal scales, the larger whitish spots on forewings and by the structure of male and female genitalia, as given in the key. This species can also be distinguished from Lophocampa atriceps with the characters above along with the absence of black spots on the collar.

Description.

Head - Antenna bipectinate, brown with basal third vivid yellow and with brownish cilia. Frons whitish with black T-shaped mark, vertex whitish anteriorly and black centered with brown posteriorly. Palpi erect, deep brown with 2nd segment whitish and 3rd segment very short. Thorax - Patagiae whitish with square brown spot centered with brownish orange. Tegulae exteriorly whitish, medially brown, bordered with dark brown. Thorax whitish with median brown line. Legs. Femur whitish, spotted with brown and with dorsum vivid yellow. Tibia whitish, spotted with brown. Tarsal segments brown with small whitish spots. Forewing - Brown irrorated with pale and deep brown. At base, one whitish spot with a yellow and two small blacks dots. Series of bands formed by whitish spots and organized as follows: broken antemedial band; slightly curved medial band, the size of the spots decreasing from anal border to the costa; sinuous postmedial band starts on the anal border and splits between veins CuA2 and CuA1 into two branches that reach the costa. Size of spots constant on basal portion and basal branch. Apical branch constituted of larger spots. After their separation branches surround a strong brown reniform spot. Subterminal band constituted of different-shaped spots: spot near tornus forms a <-mark, 2nd spot larger, spots above veins CuA1 and M2 very small and flattened; three spots near apex large; last one at apex is large and ovate. A terminal line of white dots on the margin. Ventrally, the ornamentation is the same but paler. Hindwing - Whitish slightly tinged with grey on apex and along the costa. Ventrally, the marks are more contrasted, deep brown centered with yellowish brown. Abdomen - Tergites pale orange and almost entirely covered with long grayish brown hairs, with lateral series of black spots. Last segment pale orange without hairs. Sternites brown. Male genitalia - Uncus spatulated and setose. Tegumen and vinculum very slender. Saccus tongue shaped and folded ventrally. Valvae symmetrical, wide, reaching uncus apex. Valvae with prominent costa and acute, bifid apex, one tip short and rounded, the other very long and acute. Juxta with two curved arms fused apically to give a crescent-like sclerotized patch. Transtilla with two arms moving away at apex and which are not fused. Aedoeagus. Penis narrow and rectilinear. Caecum penis present. Vesica with a small and a large area of cornuti distally. Female - (Description based on allotype): identical to male excepted the following differences: Antennae with pectinations shorter than male. Wingspan slightly larger. Female genitalia - Lamella antevaginalis slightly sclerotized, rectangular with a medial notch on the posterior margin. Apophyses posteriores straight, enlarged at base, 1.2 mm long. Apophyses anteriores slightly curved, slender and 0.7 mm long. Papillae anales rectangular and setose, with a pair of large pseudopapillae. Dorsal saccular pheromone glands absent. Ductus bursae rectangular and striped. Corpus bursae reduced, oval, very wrinkled. Appendix bursae slightly smaller than corpus bursae, without signa. Apical insertion of the ductus seminalis.

Biology and distribution.

Rab Green et al. (2011) described and figured the larva of this new species under the name Lophocampa atriceps . The comparison with the male genitalia of the studied specimen confirms it belongs to Lophocampa griseidorsata sp. n. (Rab-Green pers. comm.). According to Rab Green et al. (2011), the larva feeds on several species of Urticaceae , but also on Poaceae , Fabaceae , Ericaceae , Melanostomaceae , and Rubiaceae . Distribution: Bolivia (Cochabamba, La Paz), Ecuador (Napo, Morona-Santiago, Sucumbios, Azuay), Peru (San Martin, Cuzco, Pasco).