Butleriana phoenix Ramos-Gonzalez & Parra

I. Ramos-Gonzalez, Mario, Zamora-Manzur, Carlos, Saladrigas Menes, Dania & E. Parra 1, Luis, 2019, The Trichopterygini (Lepidoptera, Geometridae) of Austral South America: description of new species from Chile, ZooKeys 832, pp. 91-111 : 97-98

Butleriana phoenix Ramos-Gonzalez & Parra sp. n. Figures 5, 13, 19

Diagnosis.

This species has a characteristic maculation pattern that easily distinguishes it from congeners: background color of forewings ashy-white, splashed with violaceous-red scales and crossed by dark violaceous-red antemedial and postmedial bands, which are more noticeable towards the costa. Butleriana phoenix differs from B. minor (Butler, 1882), B. oculata (Mabille, 1885), B. fumosa (Butler, 1882), and B. fasciata (Butler, 1882) by the presence of free Rs and M1 veins on the hindwings of males. Additionally, B. phoenix shares with B. fasciata by having the A1 vein insinuated only at the base, but both species differ in male genitalia, as B. phoenix presents a strongly sclerotized costa, which exceeds the apex of cucullus, thereby forming a L-shaped notch at the apex of the valva.

Description.

Male (Fig. 5). Head: antennae filiform, subapically broadened; palpi subequal to eye diameter, covered by erect piliform violaceous-red scales with third segment slightly curved down; frons covered with flattened reddish scales. Thorax: patagia covered by silvery-white and violaceous-red scales; tegulae covered by flattened scales, violaceous-red at proximal area and whitish towards its distal area. Tibial formula 0-2-4. Forewings: background color ashy-white, splashed with violaceous-red scales, with two irregular spots of golden-olive scales: one subapical the other in a post-basal position, on the anal margin; medial, cubital and anal veins framed by blackish scales, which are interspersed with the background color; termen rounded with piliform reddish scales; antemedial band dark violaceous-red, slightly arcuate; postmedial band dark violaceous-red, extended laterally towards the wing’s apex at the height of the two accessory cells; subterminal band diffuse, formed by two slender violaceous-red stripes; presence of an oblique blackish apical spot, which connects with postmedial band; discal spot blackish. Hindwings: reduced, three-quarters the length of forewings, subrounded, ashy-white, with an extended, narrow and subtriangular lobe at the base of the anal margin; discal spot blackish. Wing venation (Fig. 19): forewing with two accessory cells; hindwing with Sc+R1 and Rs anastomosed as far as one-third before the end of radial trunk; Rs, M1, M2, M3, Cu1 and Cu2 are free and located on the vertices of discal cell; Rs closer to M1 than to Sc+R1; M2 closer to M3; Cu2 originating from the middle of cubital trunk; in anal lobe only with A2 present, which is curved; A1 only insinuated at base of lobe; discal cell polygonal and it is extended for half of wing surface. Male genitalia (Fig. 13): valvae subrectangular, with a bulbous projection in the central area of anterior edge, costa strongly sclerotized, exceeding the apex of cucullus, apical notch L-shaped; saccus subrounded; juxta with subquadrangular base and forked posterior apex also with two lateral processes having a setose subtriangular apex connected each other in the midventral region, at the height of transtilla; uncus glabrous and curved; transtilla simple. Aedeagus tubular; cornuti arranged as a longitudinal group in the vesica. Female unknown.

Type material.

Holotype: 1 ♂, pinned, Chile, Chiloé, Quellón, 21-II-1951, leg. J.C. Vargas, “Museo”, "AMLP 0141" [genitalia slide] "Holotype Butleriana phoenix " [red handwritten label] (MZUC-UCCC).

Paratypes: 4 males. Chile: Chiloé: Mocopulli, Ruta 5 Sur km 1170, 42°22.08'S, 73°43.73'W, 182 m, 03-II-2017, leg. M. Ramos-G, M. Ramos-SM & C. Rose (1 ♂) (MZUC-UCCC); Ancud, Pauldeo, 23-I-2005, “Colección Numhauser 2013", "AMLP 0100" [wing slide], leg. Numhauser (1 ♂) (MZUC-UCCC). Palena: Fiordo Comau, San Ignacio del Huinay, pasture, 42°22.8'S, 72°24.78'W, 35 m, 04-I-2008, leg. A. Hausmann (1 ♂) [ID BC ZSM Lep 11682, barcode sequence 658 bp] (ZSM); Fiordo Comau, San Ignacio del Huinay, buildings, 42°22.86'S, 72°24.9'W, 20 m, 09-I-2008, leg. A. Hausmann, T. Greifenstein & L. Parra [ID BC ZSM Lep 11236, barcode sequence 632 bp] (1 ♂) (ZSM).

Distribution.

This species occurs in Chiloé and Palena provinces. It is distributed in a part of the Valdivian Forest biogeographic province, Subantarctic subregion, Andean region.

Flight period.

Specimens were captured from January to March.

Molecular data.

BOLD:AAD7597. Two available sequences of DNA barcode: BC ZSM Lep 11682 (Huinay), BC ZSM Lep 11236 (Huinay). Maximum intraspecific distance: 0.79%; Minimum genetic distance with B. minor : 10.59%.

Etymology.

The species name is a noun in the apposition, referring to the Phoenix (a mythical firebird), for the red/purple that is present in the moth’s forewing coloration pattern.