Morpheis humboldti Naydenov, Yakovlev et Penco, 2021

Naydenov, Artem E., Yakovlev, Roman V. & Penco, Fernando C., 2021, A new species of the genus Morpheis Hübner, [1820] from Brazil and Peru (Lepidoptera: Cossidae), Ecologica Montenegrina 42, pp. 125-129 : 126-128

Morpheis humboldti Naydenov, Yakovlev et Penco sp. n.

https://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:FC5C6E34-8A29-4791-9514-6DD08416C2F4

Figs 1−3 , 7−8

Material examined: Type material. Holotype ♂: Brazil: Amazonas state, Fonte Boa, July 1906, leg. S.M. Klages, SLIDE NHMUK 010315450 , NHMUK 012832417 ( NHMUK). Paratypes: Brazil: 2 ♂♂, same locality ( NHMUK); 1 ♂, Rondônia state, Rio Mamore , Yata , aval de Guajara- Mirim , May 1966, coll. Moinier ( MNHN); Peru: 1 ♂, Huánuco Province, Yuyapichis , ACP Panguana , 9°36'S 74°56'W, 220 m, June 2013, leg. Hubert Thöny, GenPr- Heterocera MWM 36.977 ( MWM) .

Description. Wingspan 41−42 mm. Length of fore wing 19−19,5 mm. Antenna bipectinate in proximal half, filiform in distal half. Thorax covered with light-yellow scales from above, abdomen laterally covered with black scales, top of abdomen covered with light-yellow scales. Fore wing relatively short, apically rounded, light-creamy, wide brown portion with uneven edges from base to outer edge of wing, brown strokes along costal edge, poorly expressed brown pattern of strokes cubitally, small bright brown dots along outer edge of wing at veins, fringe mottled (brown at veins, light-creamy between veins). Hind wing short, brown, with more or less expressed light-creamy portion along outer edge of wing, small bright brown dots at veins along outer edge of wing, fringe mottled (brown at veins, light-creamy between veins).

Male genitalia. Uncus short, narrowing from base to apex, slightly acute apically; gnathos arms very robust, strongly sclerotized, shaped as wide plates adherent to tegumen; gnathos ribbon-like, thin; valve relatively short, lanceolate, with almost smooth costal edge, saccular edge slightly curved, semicircular, apex of valve semicircular, small fold in medium third of valve (closer to saccular edge); juxta robust, semicircular, with long lanceolate lateral processes directed dorsally; saccus wide, semicircular; phallus shorter than valve, thick, with clearly expressed longitudinal folds in distal half; vesica without cornuti.

Female unknown.

Diagnosis: The new species is mostly close to M. cognatus (Walker, 1856) ( Fig. 4 ), M. comisteus (Schaus,1911) ( Fig. 5 ), and M. pyracmon (Cramer, [1780]) ( Fig. 6 ) however it has distinctive differential characters:

– from M. pyracmon (Cramer, [1780]) it differs in the smaller size and more rounded apex of the fore and hind wing; the dark longitudinal portion on the fore wing is much more contrasting; the wavy pattern on the dark longitudinal portion is less expressed; the smoking with poor undulated pattern on the hind wing is more expressed; the dark dots located along the outer edge of the fore and hind wing are more contrasting;

– from M. comisteus (Schaus,1911) it differs in the smaller size and more rounded apex of the fore and hind wing, the undulated pattern outside the area of consolidation is less expressed;

– from M. cognatus (Walker, 1856) it differs in the more rounded apex of the fore and hind wing; the undulated pattern on the wing periphery is less expressed, there is a large smoky portion with blurred edges on the hind wings.

From all the species of the genus, the new species differs in the practically reduced harpe on the valve.

Distribution. Peru (Huánuco Province), Brazil (Amazonas and Rondônia states) ( Fig. 5 ).

Etymology. The new species is named after Friedrich Wilhelm Heinrich Alexander von Humboldt (1769−1859), was a German polymath, geographer, naturalist and explorer who made a significant scientific contribution to the study of South America.

Figures

Figure 7. Male genitalia of M. humboldti sp. n., holotype, Brazil, Amazonas state, Fonte Boa, SLIDE NHMUK 010315450 (NHMUK).

Figure 8. Map of distribution of M. humboldti sp. n.

Figures 1−6. Morpheis, adults: 1. M. humboldti sp. n., ♂, holotype, Brazil, Amazonas state, Fonte Boa, NHMUK 012832417 (NHMUK); 2. M. humboldti sp. n., ♂, paratype, Peru, Huánuco Province, Yuyapichis, ACP Panguana (MWM); 3. M. humboldti sp. n., ♂, paratype, Brazil, Rondônia state, Rio Mamore (MNHN); 4. M. cognatus (Walker, 1856), ♂, holotype, Honduras (NHMUK); 5. M. comisteus (Schaus, 1911), ♂, paratype, Costa Rica, Six[a]ola Riv[er], Sept[ember] (CMNH); 6. M. pyracmon (Cramer, [1780]), ♂, Venezuela, Prov. Yaracuy, Cordillera de la Costa (MWM).