Josia frigida Druce, 1864

Miller, James S, 2009, Generic Revision Of The Dioptinae (Lepidoptera: Noctuoidea: Notodontidae) Part 2: Josiini, Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2009 (321), pp. 675-1022 : 820-821

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.1206/321.1-1
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03FF87E0-FF24-9ED3-BC84-17F5FF214935
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Josia frigida Druce
status

Treatment

Josia frigida Druce View in CoL Figures 336G View Fig , 340 View Fig ; plate 32

Josia frigida Druce, 1885a: 149 View in CoL .

TYPE LOCALITY: Nicaragua, Las Mercedes, 300 ft.

TYPE: Syntype ³, leg. Champion ( BMNH).

Josia fulvia Druce, 1885a: 148 View in CoL . New combination, revised synonymy; formerly a synonym of radians Warren. View in CoL

TYPE LOCALITY: Honduras, Río Sarstoon. TYPE: Syntype ♀ ( BMNH).

DISCUSSION: The extensive distribution of J. frigida — Mexico south to Ecuador —cited by previous authors ( Prout, 1918; Hering, 1925; Bryk, 1930) is based on misidentified material. Josia frigida is frequently confused with J. radians (pl. 32) from Venezuela and Colombia, as well as with J. fustula (pl. 32) from Ecuador. My studies show that J. frigida is restricted to Central America, occurring from Panama north to Jalapa, Mexico. Two wing-venation characters separate J. frigida from other Josia species: first, FW vein M 1 arises from the radial sector distal to Rs 1 (fig. 336G); and second, veins Rs 2 –Rs 4 occur in the arrangement 2+[3+4] rather than [2+3]+4 as in all others (fig. 336F, H). Even when extraneous Josia material is excluded, J. frigida remains extremely common in museum collections.

The name fulvia Druce , previously regard- ed as a synonym of radians ( Bryk, 1930) , is instead here made a synonym of frigida . Druce’s female type of fulvia (BMNH) exhibits all the features unique to frigida , and is Central American. Josia radians is endemic to Colombia and Venezuela.

Josia frigida shows extensive wing-pattern variation, a fact that has undoubtedly contributed to the confusion surrounding its identity. In the majority of males, the FW ground color is dark gray-black to black, the HW ground color is somewhat darker than that of the FW, and the stripes in both wings are narrow. Females differ in possessing wider stripes. However, the width of the FW stripe is highly variable in both sexes.

Material purportedly of J. frigida , but captured on opposite sides of the Sierra Madre Occidental in Mexico —for example from Colima in the west vs. Veracruz in the east—shows slight differences in male genital structure. However, I have retained all under a single name, pending a species level revision.

Josia frigida has been reared in Panama and Costa Rica on Passiflora costaricensis (table 6). In Costa Rica, a second Passiflora , P. quinquangularis , has been recorded as well.

DISTRIBUTION: Mexico (AMNH, ARTC, BMNH, CMNH, EMEC, FNHM, LACM, MNHN, NMW, PMNH, UCB, ZMC, ZMH);

Guatemala (BMNH, CMNH, LACM, UCB); Belize (LACM); Honduras (CMNH, FNHM, LACM, OUMNH, PMNH); Nicaragua (BMNH, CAS, LACM, OUMNH); Costa Rica (AMNH, CAS, CMNH, INBio, LACM, NMW, USNM, ZMC); Panama (AMNH, CMNH, FNHM, LACM, NMW, UCB).

DISSECTED: ³, Mexico, Veracruz, 25 Apr 1906, W.L. Tower Colln., AMNH (genitalia slide no. JSM-137 ) ; ³, Mexico, Jalapa , AMNH (genitalia slide no. JSM-613 ) ; ³, Mexico, Colima, Colima, leg. C.C. Hoffmann, AMNH (genitalia slide no. JSM-616 ) ; ³, Costa Rica, Puntarenas, Osa Peninsula , 6.5 km SW Rincon, 200 ft, 25 Mar 1991, leg. J.S. Miller, AMNH (genitalia slide no. JSM-604 ) ; ♀, Mexico, Veracruz, Presidio , Jun 1939, leg. C.C. Hoffmann, AMNH (genitalia slide no. JSM-138 , wing slide no. JSM-173 ) ; ♀, Mexico, Jalapa , AMNH (genitalia slide no. JSM-612 ) ; ♀, Mexico, Colima, Colima, leg. C.C. Hoffmann, AMNH (genitalia slide no. JSM-622 ) ; ♀, Costa Rica, Puntarenas, Osa Peninsula , 6.5 km SW Rincon, 200 ft, 25 Mar 1991, leg. J.S. Miller, AMNH (genitalia slide no. JSM-605 ) ; ♀, Panama, Panama, El Valle de Antón , 1 Apr 1945, leg. C.D. Michener, AMNH (genitalia slide no. JSM-614 ) .