Lyces vulturata (Warren) Yellow FW, 1904

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 : 779-783

Lyces vulturata (Warren) , new combination Plate 30

Josia vulturata Warren, 1904: 12 .

TYPE LOCALITY: Peru, Upper Río Toro, La Merced, 3000 m.

TYPE: Holotype ³, leg. Simmons, Aug– Sep 1901 ( BMNH).

DISCUSSION: Lyces vulturata (pl. 30), known from the high Andes of southeastern Peru, is one of the most striking species in the Josiini . Prout (1918) moved this taxon from Josia , where it was originally described ( Warren, 1904), to Scea . That placement, followed by subsequent authors ( Hering, 1925; Bryk, 1930), was apparently based on similarities between the wings of L. vulturata and Scea (pls. 33–35). However, closer examination reveals that these pattern elements are not homologous. Numerous genitalia characters demonstrate a close relationship between L. vulturata , L. fornax , and L. solaris (pl. 30), so vulturata Warren is here transferred to Lyces as a new combination. While these three species exhibit divergent wing patterns, similarities of their male genitalia include: Tg8 with a deep, concave excavation on posterior margin (fig. 324I); anterior apodeme on St8 broadly tapered (fig. 324J); and valva with short, tubular androconia in addition to typical hairlike ones (fig. 324F). A fascinating story of wing-pattern evolution in Lyces remains to be told.

At least for L. vulturata , mimicry may be involved. The arctiid Crocomela flammifera Warren (pl. 30) flies in sympatry with L. vulturata —both species have been collected along the Pillahuata-Pilcopata road in SE Peru at roughly 2000 meters elevation—and their FW patterns are extremely similar.

Two specimens (1³, 1♀) from Amazonas in northern Peru ( MUSM) exhibit a wing pattern similar to L. vulturata , but differ in that the FW radius and HW cubitus are lined with black as they pass through the orange areas. Differences in genitalia confirm that these represent an undescribed species. Slide data for this taxon are as follows: ³, Peru, Amazonas, Quebrada Cuija, 0554/7758, 1500 m, 21 Sep 1996, leg. G. Lamas, MUSM (genitalia slide no. JSM-1713 ) ; ♀, Peru, Amazonas , Quebrada Cuija, 0554/7758, 1500 m, 21 Sep 1996, leg. F. Chang, MUSM (genitalia slide no. JSM-1714 ) .

DISTRIBUTION: Peru (AMNH, BMNH, CUIC, MUSM, ZMH).

DISSECTED: ³, Peru, Upper Río Toro , La Merced, 8 Sep 1901, 3000 m, leg. Simmons, BMNH (genitalia slide no. JSM-218 ) ; ♀, Peru, Chanchamayo , Jan–Aug 1901, leg. Hofmann, BMNH (genitalia slide no. JSM-219 ) .

CARIBOJOSIA RAWLINS AND MILLER, 2008 Figures 326 , 327 ; plates 31, 39P

Caribojosia Rawlins and Miller, 2008: 209–211 . Type Species: Caribojosia youngi Rawlins and Miller, 2008 (by monotypy).

DIAGNOSIS: This genus, recently described ( Rawlins and Miller, 2008), is the only representative of the Josiini known from the Caribbean region. The wing pattern of Caribojosia youngi (pl. 31), the sole included species, is unique. The arrangement of yellow FW and HW maculations, set against a brilliant iridescent blue ground color, is particularly novel. There are no taxa in the Dioptinae with which C. youngi could possibly be confused.

Interestingly, the morphological details of C. youngi do not stand out. Its tympanum (fig. 326B) and male genitalia (fig. 327) are typical for the Josiini . The following characteristics are diagnostic: scales of vertex with a midsagittal part between antennal bases; M 1 in FW stalked with base of radial sector; FW with a broken, lemon-yellow transverse band crossing distal margin of DC; HW with a sinuate, lemon-yellow transverse band near apex. The genus is thoroughly illustrated and its biology discussed in Rawlins and Miller (2008).

REDESCRIPTION: Male. Head (fig. 326A, B): Labial palpus relatively short, porrect, apex reaching to slighly above clypeus; Lp2 shorter than Lp1; Lp3 bullet shaped; front closely covered with short scales, these swooping down from below antennal bases, then pointing horizontally above clypeus; clypeus completely bare of scales, shiny; eye large, surrounded by a narrow scaleless area; antenna bipectinate, rami fairly long, terminal 8 segments simple; scales of vertex with a deep, midsagittal part between antennal bases.

Thorax (fig. 326B): Epiphysis foliate, fairly wide, its apex falling short of tibia apex; tegula moderately long, wide, apex broadly rounded, with a strong transverse sulcus below; metathoracic tympanum kettledrum shaped, region below and behind tympanal opening scaleless; tympanal membrane large, enclosed, oriented horizontally.

Forewing (pl. 31): Fairly broad, outer margin convex; Rs 1 arising from radial sector below Rs 2 –Rs 4; veins Rs 2 –Rs 4 in the pattern [2+3]+4; M 1 fused for a short distance with Rs 1 –Rs 4, not arising from DC; DC longer than one-half FW length; veins M 3 and CuA 1 stalked; wing pattern with a broken, lemon-yellow transverse band against an iridescent blue ground color.

Hind wing: Broad; venation typical of Josiini , M 3 and CuA 1 stalked; androconial organs absent; a lemon-yellow, sinuate transverse band near apex.

Abdomen: Uniformly iridescent blue, lacking longitudinal stripes or dorsal spots.

Terminalia (fig. 327): Tg8 shorter than St8, anterior margin of Tg8 simple, posterior margin with a shallow U-shaped mesal excavation; St8 long, tapered posteriorly, anterior margin bearing an elongate mesal apodeme, posterior margin with a poorly defined, Ushaped mesal excavation; socii/uncus complex narrowly joined to tegumen; uncus and socii strongly bent downward from base; socii narrow, slightly shorter than uncus; tegumen shorter than vinculum; vinculum narrow, tall; saccus absent, ventral margin of genitalia broadly horizontal; valva large, mostly membranous; BO large, occupying two-thirds of valva; region between BO and valva apex membranous; costa moderately wide, forming a blunt distal process; apex membranous below costa; arms of transtilla meeting to form a large mesal sclerite; area of diaphragma below anal tube and above transtillar plate concave, with a patch of spicules; aedeagus wide, gently rounded at base; apex of aedeagus forming a broad point; vesica large, bulbous, ovoid, bearing small thornlike cornuti, and robust, spinelike cornuti.

Female. Head: Labial palpus thinner than male but similar in length; antenna ciliate; midsagittal ‘‘part’’ on vertex scaleless along midline.

Thorax: Similar to male.

Forewing: Similar to male but broader, outer angles more rounded.

Hind wing: Somewhat broader than male; frenulum comprising two setae.

Abdomen: Similar to male, not as elongate.

Terminalia : Posterior margin of Tg7 setose, with a shallow U-shaped mesal excavation, anterior margin simple; posterior margin of St7 setose, both margins simple; Tg8 membranous; AA short; PA small, with a distinct dorsal lobe; PVP lightly sclerotized, surface finely spiculate; DB short, membranous; CB large, roughly ovoid; internal surface of CB coarsely spiculate at base; signum bird shaped, with long internal spines on each side; central portion of signum protruding from CB membrane.

DISTRIBUTION: Caribojosia is known exclusively from a small area of cloud forest in the Sierra de Neiba, an isolated mountain range located in the Dominican Republic within 1 km of its border with Haiti (see Rawlins and Miller, 2008). All known material was captured within a narrow range of altitudes, at or near 1800 meters.

BIOLOGY: Adult flight patterns and immature stages of Caribojosia youngi , detailed in Rawlins and Miller (2008), are typical for the Josiini . The larval color pattern is somewhat unusual (pl. 39P), comprising a simple set of yellow and white longitudinal stripes. The species is strictly diurnal. Individuals are usually seen flying 50 meters or more above the treetops of their montane habitat. The caterpillars feed on Passiflora sexflora , a plant broadly distributed from the southern United States into Central America and the Caribbean. Passiflora sexflora is also utilized by Josia gigantea in Costa Rica (table 6).

DISCUSSION: My cladistic analyses suggest that Caribojosia is the sister group to a large clade containing four genera (Clade 23; fig. 7)—two small ones ( Phintia and Notascea ), and two larger ones ( Josia and Scea ). However, support for this position is weak (BS 5 2; fig. 2). When additional character sets are ultimately brought to bear, the phylogenetic placement of Caribojosia will probably differ from the hypothesis proposed here.

SPECIES INCLUDED AND MATERIAL EXAMINED

Figures

Fig. 326. Morphology of Caribojosia youngi ³. A, head in lateral view; B, head, thorax and first abdominal segment in lateral view (illustration by J.S. Miller).

Fig. 327. Male genitalia of Caribojosia youngi (JSM-1747). A, genitalia; B, St8; C, aedeagus; D, Tg8.