Lophocampa lineata Vincent

Vincent, Benoit, 2011, Description of two new Lophocampa Harris from the Dominican Republic (Arctiidae, Arctiinae), ZooKeys 75, pp. 69-78 : 71-73

Lophocampa lineata Vincent sp. n. Figs 17, 9

Type material.

Holotype - ♂, Dominican Republic, Monseñor Nouel, Road El Blanco to Constanza pK [kilometer post] 10, Ebano Verde Scientific Reserve, 1360 m, 15-VIII-2007, 19°01.729'N, 70°30.988'W, J. Haxaire and O. Paquit leg. prep gen BV 355, Barcode ID ARCTB 641-08, Sample ID BEVI0551, Genbank # HQ682628. Deposited in MNHN. Paratype. 1 ♂, same data as holotype, Barcode ID ARCTB 873-09, Sample ID BEVI0768, Genbank # HQ682627; in [BVC].

Etymology.

The name refers to the two brown transverse lines crossing the forewing.

Diagnosis.

Lophocampa lineata Vincent, sp. n. is externally similar to Lophocampa propinqua Edwards 1884 (Fig. 2), but the two taxa can be separated by the forewing apex more rounded compared to Lophocampa propinqua , and the fringe not checkered at the vein terminals as in Lophocampa propinqua . The ratio of forewing length / width is 2.25 in Lophocampa lineata sp. n. (n = 2) and 2.48 in Lophocampa propinqua (n = 13). The male genitalia of Lophocampa lineata sp. n., compared to Lophocampa propinqua has a larger uncus without a spatulate apex and shorter valvae without strong spines on the basal protuberances (Figs 8 and 10). The CO1 barcode sequences of Lophocampa lineata sp. nov and Lophocampa propinqua differ by 7,62% - 7,79%.

Description.

Head. Labial palpi curved upward, the third segment shorter than the first two. Yellow ventrally, brown dorsally. Frons yellow with a transverse large brown band. Vertex and scape yellow. Male antenna yellow with dark pectinations, longest rami 3.0 x longer than segment length.

Thorax.Collar light yellow marked with two brown transverse lines located on each side of the median axis. Tegulaelight yellow with the internal side brown and with a light brownish spot centrally. Dorsal surface brown, with light yellow triangle centrally and the outer margins posteriorly light yellow. Ventral surface light yellow, very hairy. Prothorax brown. Meso- and metathorax light yellow. Legs yellow ringed with brown.

Forewing. Length: 18 mm. Ground yellow with white spot bands as follows: basal band with one white spot highlighted with brown. Postbasal, antemedian, median, postmedian and subterminal bands formed by rounded white spots intercalating between veins. Postbasal band broken The postmedian band contains a large spot between veins M1 and M2 which is out of alignment with the rest. Subterminal band does not reach the anal angle, with the last spot reduced and triangular. The wing is crossed by two narrow brown transverse lines, the longest one is wide at the costa then narrows following vein CuA2. The shorter line follows vein M1. Fringe brown.

Hindwing. White, semi-translucent; anal margin more densely scaled with yellow.

Abdomen. Light yellow both dorsally and ventrally.

Male genitalia. Tegumen triangular, large basally. Uncus elongated and rectilinear, slightly enlarged basally, bearing lateral setae except on the apical third; apex truncated. Valvae symmetrical, elongated, reaching the middle of the uncus, bearing a small, rounded protuberance near the apex. Basally, on the dorsal face, presence of two elongated, thin and symmetrical protuberances reaching the base of the uncus. Juxta reduced, trapezoidal with a small median notch. Vinculum slender. Penis straight, caecum penis reduced. Vesica large consisting of three smaller elongated lobes, lacking spines.

Female genitalia. Unknown.

Biology and distribution.

It is reasonable to think that Lophocampa lineata sp. n. is a species restricted to middle elevations of the central cordillera in the Dominican Republic. Previous exploration in this area in April and May of 2004 failed to find this taxon. The habitat is montane cloud forest. Early stages and foodplants are unknown.

Remarks.

Based on a single male from Mexico, Edwards described Lophocampa propinqua as a variation of Lophocampa caryae Harris,1841. While examining the holotype in the AMNH collection, the specimen labelled propinqua from Jalapa, Mexico was examined. It has a white label with an unjustified lectotype designation by Allan Watson dated from 1967. The taxon propinqua was placed by Watson and Goodger (1986: 23) as a bona species in the genus Lophocampa Harris. The different forewing pattern, in particular the interrupted medial band, the narrower uncus and the longer valvae of the male genitalia justify this placement as a species distinct from the North American Lophocampa caryae .

Lophocampa caryae form montana Gaede, 1928 (Fig. 3) was described from Guatemala. In the catalogue of Watson and Goodger (1986: 23), this form is associated with Lophocampa propinqua . After consultation of the ZMHB collection where the type of montana Gaede is housed, it is evident that the habitus of montana is totally different from Lophocampa caryae , Lophocampa propinqua and in fact all Lophocampa species. Thus the taxon montana must be raised to species rank. However, Lophocampa montana (Gaede, 1928), stat. n. then becomes a junior secondary homonym of Lophocampa montana (Schaus, 1911), described from volcan Poás in Costa Rica. Consequently, I propose the replacement name Lophocampa brunnea Vincent, nom. n.

The nomenclatural changes proposed here are summarized as follows: