Viuria licisca (Plötz, 1882)

Figs 1E–H, 4–5, 12C

Diagnosis

Viuria licisca resembles V. herophile in the genitalia pattern but is easily distinguished by the ventral left portion of the tegumen rounded and curved inwards, while in V. herophile thin and rounded; left valva with ampulla truncated while in V. herophile rounded and well developed; right valva with ampulla rounded and well developed, and harpe with a spine-like process curved inwards while in V. herophile the ampulla is rounded dorsally and the spine-like process in the harpe is absent; distal portion of aedeagus curved upwards while in V. herophile left curved. Females with the left portion of the sterigma with a developed process dorsally; the spine-like process is less developed when compared with its congeners.

Material examined

COSTA RICA • 1 ♂; Canal Zone, Cerro Galera; 22 Sep. 1978; Robbins leg.; DZ 47.241; DZUP • 1 ♂; Canal Zone, Summit; 27 Jun. 1977; Robbins leg.; DZ 47.242; DZUP • 1 ♂; Limón, Siquirres; alt. 200 m; 27 Jan. 1973; Becker leg.; DZ 47.231; DZUP • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; DZ 47.243; DZUP • 1 ♂; San José; Ciudad Colón; 6 Sep. 1990; Pagels leg.; OM 26.945; OM • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; OM 26.521; OM • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; OM 28.758; OM .

GUATEMALA • 1 ♂; Zacapa, La Unión; alt. 850 m; 5 Nov. 1981; Welling leg.; OM 44.935; OM . MEXICO • 1 ♂; Oaxaca, Candelaria Loxicha; alt. 500 m; 22. Aug. 1973; Welling leg.; DZ 47.253; DZUP; 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; DZ 47.263; DZUP • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; 14. Aug. 1973; DZ 47.271; DZUP • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; 15 Jul. 1972; DZ 47.272; DZUP • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; 15. Sep. 1973; DZ 47.261; DZUP • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; DZ 47.262; DZUP • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; 14 Jun. 1972; DZ 47.232; DZUP • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; 15 Jun. 1972; DZ 47.252; DZUP • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; 4 Aug. 1972; DZ 47.163; DZUP • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; 2 Aug. 1973; DZ 47.273; DZUP • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; 4 Sep. 1973; DZ 47.162; DZUP • 1 ♂; Quintana Roo, Nuevo X-Can; 20. Aug. 1974; Welling leg.; DZ 47.233; DZUP • 1 ♂; Tabasco, Tenosique; 8 Aug. 1962; 31 Aug. 1962; Welling leg.; OM 43.776; OM • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; 43.759; OM .

PANAMA • 1 ♂; Colón, Achiote; 28 May 1977; Robbins leg.; DZ 47.281; DZUP .

VENEZUELA • 1 ♀; Aragua, Ocumare; alt. 50 m; 4 Jul. 1982; Mielke and Casagrande leg.; DZ 47.201; DZUP • 1 ♂; El Cenizo; 14 Jun. 1957; Rosalia leg.; DZ 47.251; DZUP .

Remarks

Viuria licisca (Plötz, 1882) is the only species of the genus occurring in Central America. Although Moss (1949) reported immatures of V. licisca on Sterculioideae ( Malvaceae) in Pará, Brazil, no specimen of this species was found at this locality. Janzen & Hallwachs (2009) partially illustrated the immature stages of V. licisca feeding on species of Bytnneria ( Malvaceae) at the Area de Conservación de Guanacaste, Costa Rica.

Geographical distribution

Viuria licisca is distributed in Central and northern South America, with records from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, and Venezuela (Evans 1953) (Fig. 14).