Cunicumara St Laurent

St. Laurent, Ryan A., 2016, Revisions of the genera Lurama Schaus, 1928 and Ulmara Schaus, 1928 (Lepidoptera, Mimallonoidea, Mimallonidae) with the descriptions of three new Ulmara species and a new genus, ZooKeys 611, pp. 57-92 : 81-82

Taxon classification Animalia Lepidoptera Mimallonidae

Cunicumara St Laurent gen. n.

Type species.

Cunicumara anae St Laurent, 2016, sp. n.

Etymology.

The name for this new genus comes from cuniculus (Latin), meaning rabbit, referring to the somewhat layered appearance of brown coloration of Cunicumara anae sp. n., which is reminiscent of rabbit fur. Furthermore, the particularly long antennae relative to the size of the body and wings is quite remarkable, therefore the name is appropriate in calling to mind the long ears of a rabbit. The ending -mara notes a slightly superficial similarity to Ulmara .

Diagnosis.

This new genus can be recognized by the salmon to orange-brown, fading to light, sandy tan ground color, interspersed with gray, pale-khaki, and dark-brown scales, which give moths of this genus a somewhat hoary appearance. The wings are very broad, with a weakly accentuated, barely falcate apex. The long bipectinate antennae are more than half the length of the short forewings, and have distinctly long pectinations. The combination of these characters should immediately allow Cunicumara to be distinguished from all other known Mimallonidae . The complex male genitalia are also unique, characterized by the presence of a basally-fused, bifurcated gnathos, basally-toothed sacculus, and the phallus with curled, horn-like juxtal processes, which are dorsal to the phallus; a third, singular horn-like process arises between the curled juxtal processes.

Description.

Male.Head: Khaki brown, eyes very large, occupying more than two-thirds area of head, bordered posteriorly by dark scales; antenna coloration pale tan, very long, more than half length of forewing, antenna bipectinate to tip, pectinations very long, longest nearly one-fourth length of antennae overall; labial palpus very reduced, not extending beyond head, apparently three segmented, but segmentation obscured by thick tufts ventrally. Thorax: Coloration as for head but with gray-tipped scales giving thorax a hoary appearance overall. Legs: Coloration as for thorax, vestiture thick, long. Tibial spurs robust, covered in scales except for tip. Forewing dorsum: Forewing length: 14-15.5 mm, avg.: 14.8 mm, wingspan: 30-31 mm, n=3. Short, subtriangular, margin convex except for where concave very near apex; apex slightly falcate. Ground color light with slight salmon hue, especially along anterior half of wing until costa; wing with layered appearance due to presence of light-gray, dark-brown, and brown scattered scales, particularly contrasting gray scales concentrated basally and along costa, giving wing hoary appearance. Antemedial line very faint, light brown, somewhat wavy. Gray-brown postmedial line straight from anal margin until Rs4 where line angled toward costa. Antemedial, medial, and postmedial areas mostly concolorous, although ante- and medial areas appear lighter due to gray scales; likewise salmon and light-brown coloration of ground color most evident near apical angle of postmedial line and postmedially. Discal mark nearly absent, or as thick, dark streak spanning cell. Fringe poorly preserved in examined specimens, but consisting of elongated scales, coloration as for medial area except some lighter off-white scales present in semi-regular pattern along margin. Forewing ventrum: Very similar to dorsum but appearing lighter, due to more diffuse presence of gray scaling, dark-brown scales may also be more prevalent in some individuals; antemedial line absent, postmedial line less distinct, outwardly curved, roughly following wing margin in shape, not straight as on dorsum. Hindwing dorsum: Coloration, patterning as for forewing dorsum, but antemedial line absent, discal mark absent, postmedial line slightly curved following outline of wing margin, postmedial line may be very faint. Hindwing ventrum: Following same pattern as forewing ventrum, but lighter due to pale-khaki scales basally. Frenulum present as single bristle. Venation: More typical of Mimallonidae than either Lurama or Ulmara with respect to M1-M3, with each vein being more evenly spaced along obliquely angled cell, CuA1 arises from lower angle of cell; Rs3 + Rs4 short stalked. Abdomen: Lighter than thorax, with coppery luster in fresh specimen, fading to pale khaki in older material. Vestiture thick, long, distal tip of abdomen with elongated, dark-brown tipped scales. Genitalia: (Fig. 31) n= 2. Complex. Vinculum somewhat ovoid, ventrally with reduced rounded saccus. Uncus simple, triangular, truncated apically to point. Gnathos very robust, broad basally arising from heavy sclerotization of tegumen, gnathos separated distally into paired, fingerlike processes. Valves elongated, narrow, weakly curved distally, sacculus with prominent, heavily sclerotized tooth. Mesal costal ridge present along basal half of valve. Juxta partially fused to phallus, juxtal processes present dorsal to phallus, processes curled forming shape of bovid horns, between processes arises a third, somewhat flattened, singular process, unlike curled processes on either side; strong membrane connects juxtal processes to base of vinculum, ventral lip of juxta fused to vinculum base, lip cut to excise phallus. Base of phallus with somewhat elongated backward-facing lobes. Phallus short, broadened distally, width of phallus somewhat variable, vesica short, bag-like. Female. Unknown.

Remarks.

Cunicumara is distinct among the family Mimallonidae , externally bearing some resemblance to Ulmara by the presence of the massive antennae and the short, broad wings, while at the same time displaying male genitalia that in some ways resemble the distinct genus Menevia Schaus, 1928, namely the presence of complex juxtal processes and the basally bifurcated lobes of the phallus.