Bardaxima fulgurifera (Walker, 1869), 2021

Becker, Vitor Osmar, 2021, A review of the Neotropical moth genus Bardaxima (Lepidoptera: Notodontidae: Nystaleinae), with special reference to the species occurring in Brazil, Zoologia (e 63526) 38, pp. 1-14 : 4

Bardaxima fulgurifera (Walker, 1869) , stat. rev.

Figs 4–8, 42–44

Gozarta fulgurifera Walker, 1869: 18 . Holotype female, [ HONDURAS: Cortés, La Lima] “Limas” [no further data] (NHMUK) [examined].

Nystalea demea Druce, 1895: 50 . Lectotype male, COSTA RICA: [San Jose] “ Candelaria Mts ” (NHMUK), here designated [examined]. Synonymized by Schaus (1901: 271).

Diagnosis. Brown. Male ( Figs 5, 7, 8) FW length 26–30 mm (58–68 mm wingspan); female ( Figs 4, 6) FW length 30–37 mm (68–82 mm wingspan). FW with costal half pale brown; a short silvery dash beyond cell, on M1; a diffuse, blackish crescent patch on dorsum, near base; a series of faint, irregular, pale dots before termen, followed by a series of blackish dots on vein interspaces. Distal margin of 8 th male sternite ( Fig. 44) with deep indentation. Male genitalia ( Fig. 42): uncus branches thin, long. Socii long, thin, curved ventrad. Valva long, broad; costa slightly curved; sacculus long, broad, with a small sharp tooth at distal third. Aedoeagus ( Fig. 43) curved distad; vesica with long cornutus and three smaller ones.

Material studied. Types; 12 males (g.s. 4158, 5602, 5603), 8 females ( VOB); 3 males ( AMC) .

Distribution. From Belize and Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica, Ecuador, south to Bahia, Brazil.

Remarks. Described from an unspecified number of males and females, presumably the pair currently in the NHMUK. The male, mentioned above, is here selected and designated as lectotype; the female becomes a paralectotype. Treated as a synonym of B. lucilinea by Schaus (1901: 271), who was followed by Draudt (1932: 915) and Becker (2014: 3), it was considered a good species by Schintlmeister (2013: 50). They are very similar indeed, and sympatric along most of their range, except for Central America, from where B. lucilinea is not represented in the collections. The genitalia of both B. lucilinea and B. furcifera are similar; however, the branches of uncus are longer and thinner and the tooth on sacculus smaller and sharper in B. furcifera . Despite the differences being small, they are consistent even between sympatric specimens. Specimens from Central America show wing pattern less contrasting, looking similar to B. lucilinea , but their genitalia are clearly B. fulgurifera .

According to I. Chacón, Museo Nacional de Costa Rica (pers. comm.), “Montes de la Candelaria”, a name not in use since the 60’s of the last century, refers to a series of mountains southwest of San Ignacio de Acosta, bordering the La Candelaria river. The two highest elevations are “Cerro el Cedral” (1634 m) and “Cerro Caraigres (2740 m).