Parascepsis ockendeni (Rothschild, 1911) Grados & Mantilla & Ramírez, 2020

Grados, Juan, Mantilla, Karla & Ramírez, Juan José, 2020, The genusParascepsis Dognin, 1923 (Lepidoptera, Erebidae, Arctiinae, Ctenuchina) in Peru, with the description of three new species, a new combination and their geographical distributions, Zootaxa 4868 (2), pp. 221-242 : 224-228

Parascepsis ockendeni (Rothschild, 1911) comb. nov.

( Figs. 9–20 )

Episcepsis ockendeni Rothschild, 1911: 44 . Male holotype by original designation: Peru, Santo Domingo, Carabaya, 6000-6500ft (BMNH) [Specimen examined]; Rothschild, 1912: 375, pl. 3, f. 9; Episcepsis occendeni [sic] Hampson, 1914: 244.

Diagnosis: Similar to P. lantingi . It differs in the tegulae and patagia being grayish brown, while in P. lantingi they are metallic green. On the forewings, P. lantingi presents, under 1A + 2A, a subproximal yellowish androconial patch and, at the hindwings, the costal cell with an elongated and somewhat ovoid area with small light brown spicules, absent in P. ockendeni . In the genital capsule, P. ockendeni bears a translucent subquadrate area, sclerotized spicules at the fultura superior, the vesica of the aedeagus with cornuti at the dorsal surface and projecting to the right side, while in P. lantingi , the translucent area is ovoid, there are no spicules at the fultura superior and the cornuti at the proximal area direct towards the right side of the posterior part.

Redescription. Male ( Figs. 9–10 ). Head. Proboscis dark brown with distal end yellowish. Labial palpi recurved upwards, reaching the superior part of the frontoclypeus. Palpi grayish brown: first palpomer with its dorsal part brown; second one twice as long as the first one with lighter scales on its frontal part and; third one with scales lighter on its anterior part and almost a third of the first one. Frontoclypeus brown; superior part with whitish gray piliform scales. Vertex brown. Occiput, with whitish gray piliform scales and three dark brown lines: a straight central one and two lateral ones. Postgena brown. Eye margin light brown. Ocelli caramel brown. Antennal alveolus gray brown. Antennae brown, with slight metallic purple hue. Scape brown. Proximal rami small, increasing in length towards the middle part. Length of the middle rami almost twice the width of the shaft. Distal rami decrease in length towards their distal end. Thorax. Patagia grayish brown at the edges. Tegulae grayish, with brown mesal edge and an oblique brown line projecting towards the base of the wing; brown in the anterior part. Mesoscutum, mesoscutellum, and pleura grayish brown. A faint brown line along the central part of the mesoscutum and mesoscutellum. Metascutellum with grayish brown piliform scales on the side. Tymbal organ at the katepisternum covered by grayish brown scales. Legs: Grayish brown; except the first pair, with lighter scales on the anterior part. Epiphysis brown.

Forewing. Forewing span (17.5–19.5 mm) (n = 19). Dorsal: Brown with a very faint purple hue, revealing the light brown veins. Ventral: Brown. Frenulum brown and retinaculum grayish brown. Cu 2 - CuP base with scales grayish brown. Whitish scales on the subproximal part of the anal cell. Hindwing. Dorsal: Brown. Costal cell, R S -M 1 and part of the discal cell, with iridescent scales grayish brown. Ventral: Brown. Abdomen. Grayish brown, with slightly bluish hue. The first 4 tergites with piliform scales grayish-brown. Sternum grayish brown. Male genitalia ( Figs. 13–16 ) (Genitalia # JGA 775 MUSM). Tegumen somewhat elongated, anterior part concave and shaped as an inverted “V”; with a translucent subquadrate area, anterior part obtuse and posterior one sharp; on the lateral part with a somewhat sclerotized projection, almost the width of the translucent area. Saccus elongated, sharp with rounded apex. Joining of the tegumen and uncus, sclerotized. Uncus elongated, wider towards the central part; curved downward ventrally on the tip. Juxta wide and sclerotized, posterior part “W” shaped. Transtilla with an area of sclerotized spicules. Valvae elongated exceeding the length of the uncus; sacculus with numerous setae and costa with some; ventral process short, with apex sharp and sclerotized, almost a third of the length of the dorsal process; dorsal process membranous with numerous setae; in ventral view, valvae elongated, with somewhat irregular edge, arched towards the middle axis and with numerous setae at the mesal margin; dorsal view, in dorsal and distal part with a sclerotized projection towards the middle axis with setae present. Aedeagus elongated, slightly longer than the vesica; coecum penis slightly developed; vesica everted dorso-longitudinally; cornuti elongated, located on the dorsal surface and projecting to the right side; posterior part membranous with tiny spicules somewhat sclerotized on the postero-ventral part.

Female ( Figs. 11–12 ). Forewing span (18–20 mm) (n = 7). Similar to the male, except for the following: rami smaller; middle rami almost half of the shaft width. Frenulum light brown with two bristles. Female genitalia ( Figs. 17–18 ) (Genitalia # JGA 992 MUSM). Eighth tergite uniformly sclerotized. Anal papillae elongated, with setae scattered on the posterior and latero-ventral surface; in lateral view, the length 1.5 times its height. Posterior apophyses 1.2 times the length of the anterior ones. Ostium and antrum of central position. Antevaginal lamella membranous. Postvaginal lamella slightly sclerotized. Ductus bursae sclerotized, striate, wide and flattened dorsoventrally. Cervix bursae membranous. Corpus bursae membranous, elongated; in dorsal view, subrectangular. A semicircular signum on the dorsal surface, in posterior and left lateral position, with some spines; another elongated signum at the right lateral surface. Ductus seminalis emerges near the first signum.

Distribution ( Fig. 59 ): In the montane forests of the departments of San Martín, Junín, Pasco, Cusco and Madre de Dios.

Comments: P. ockendeni was described by Rothschild (1911) within the genus Episcepsis Butler , with type location at Santo Domingo , Carabaya (department of Puno, Peru), with material collected by G. R. Ockenden, who spent several years collecting insect specimens in southeastern Peru ( Grados et al. 2015) .

According to preliminary studies of phylogeny based on morphological characters of the genus Episcepsis Butler , this would be polyphyletic. When including both E. ockendeni and P. solox to the phylogenetic analysis they form a different clade together, indicating E. ockendeni to belong to the genus Paracepsis.

Parascepsis is characterized for its occiput bearing whitish gray piliform scales, with three dark brown lines: a straight central one and two lateral ones in the direction of the antennae, while Episcepsis presents two red spots on the lateral parts of the occiput; R 1 -R 2 at the anterior wing of Parascepsis is bifurcated while in Episcepsis R 1 and R 2 are separated; in Parascepsis the dorsal part of the abdomen is grayish brown with a slight bluish hue, while in Episcepsis it is brown with an iridescent blue hue

Parascepsis can present androconial patches in the anal cell of the forewings and an elongated area with brown spicules in the costal cell of the hindwings, whereas in Episcepsis both are absent and they bear an androconial organ (tufts of hair) in the 1A+2A-3A of the dorsal side of the hindwings; Parascepsis have the tegumen slightly Hshaped with posterior elongated branches that join the anterior part of the uncus and form a wide area covered with a translucent membrane that projects towards the lateral parts, while in Episcepsis the tegumen is wide, somewhat subrectangular and some species bear projections at the postero-lateral parts; the males of Parascepsis have a wide, almost straight aedeagus, while in Episcepsis the aedeagus is narrower, slightly sinusoid.

On the other hand, there is Hyaleucerea lugubris Schaus, 1901 , a species described from Colombia, unfortunately without an exact type locality, whose holotype is in the USNM. Based on the external morphological characters that have been possible to analyze for both species, P. ockendeni is very similar to Hyaleucerea lugubris . For now, it has not been possible to review the morphological characters of the latter’s genital capsule, so it is not possible to state that P. ockendeni is a junior synonym of H. lugubris .

Examined material: PERU. San Martin, 1 male, San Martín, Carretera Tarapoto-Yurimaguas , 06°28’S, 76°18’W, 1000 m, 14.xi.1998, J. Grados ; 1 female, idem except (Genitalia # JGA 636 MUSM) . Junin. 1 male, 1.2 km O de San Miguel de Autiki , 10°48’19’’S, 74°49’31’’W, 1418 m, 06.vi.2014, E. Rázuri (Voucher DNA-Artc # 00836- JGA MUSM) . Pasco. 1 male, 1 female, Qda. Atarraz , 4.5 km O de Bajo Bocaz, 10°38’17’’S, 75°12’34’’W, 1640 m, 06-10.viii.2012, E. Rázuri & P. Sánchez ; 1 female, idem except, (Genitalia # JGA 992 MUSM) ; 1 female, idem except, (Voucher DNA-Artc # 00890- JGA MUSM) . Cusco. 1 male, Cashiriari , 11°52’S, 72°39’W, 690 m, 02.xii.1997, J. Grados (Light trap) ; 1 male, Campamento Mangoriari , 12° 21’S, 73°02’W, 1500 m, 04.xii.2002, J. Grados ; 1 male, idem except, 07.xii.2002 ; 1 male, 3.5 km ONO de Monte Carmelo, Echarate , 12°26’21.0’’S, 72°59’21.1’’W, 1349 m, 23.ii.2011, M. Alvarado & E. Rázuri ; 1 male, 6 km N de Managua (Río Urubamba y Río Cumpirisiato ), 12°33’51.49’’S, 73°5’38.33’’W, 1700 m, 19.ix.2010, M. Alvarado & J. Peralta ; 1 male, La Convención, Echarate, CC. Ochigoteni , 12°39’31.36’’S, 73°08’57.71’’W, 1449 m, 17.x.2009, C. Carranza & C. Rossi (Light trap) (Genitalia # JGA 776 MUSM) ; 1 male, idem except, (Genitalia # JGA 775 MUSM) ; 1 female, La Convención, Echarate, CC. Ochigoteni , 12°39’31.36’’S, 73°08’57.71’’W, 1449 m, 18.x.2009, C. Carranza & C. Rossi (Light trap) ; 1 male, idem except, 19.x.2009, (Voucher DNA-Artc # 00837- JGA MUSM) ; 1 male, idem except, (Genitalia # JGA 880 MUSM) ; 1 male, Campamento Segakiato , 12°43’S, 73°18’W, 1850 m, 02.xi.2002, J. Grados ; 1 male, idem except, 08.xi.2002 ; 1 male, idem except, (Genitalia # JGA 555 MUSM) ; 1 female, Campamento Comerciato , 12°47’S, 73°22’W, 1350 m, 15.xi.2002, J. Grados ; 1 male, idem except, (Genitalia # JGA 556 MUSM) ; 1 male, idem except, 23.xi.2002 ; 1 female, Qda. Quitacalzón , 13°01’19’’S, 71°29’50’’W, 967 m, 14.viii.2012, J. Grados (Voucher DNA-Artc # 00838- JGA MUSM) ; 1 male, San Pedro, 13°03’S, 71°33’W, 1400 m, 05.xi.2001, J. Grados . Madre de Dios. 1 male, Río Alto Madre de Dios, ca. Atalaya , 12°53’S, 71°22’W, 587 m, 21.ii.2007, P. Centeno ( MV Light Trap) (2:00-3:00 am) . Puno. 5 males, 1 female, Santo Domingo, Carabaya , 13°50’S, 69°40’W, 6000–6500 ft. (1828 m– 1981 m), iii.1901, xi.1901, v.1902, xi.1902, xii.1902 ; 2 females, La Unión, Río Huacamayo, Carabaya , 13°32’S, 69°38’W, 2000 ft. (610 m), xi. 1904 ; 1 male, Tinguri, Carabaya , 13°52’50’’S, 69°40’00’’W 3400 ft. (1036 m), viii.1904 ; 1 male, La Oroya, Río Inambari , 13°50’S, 69°40’W, 3100 ft. (945 m), xii.1905 (G. R. Ockenden) (All specimen from Puno in NHMUK) .

Figures

FIGURES 59. Geographical distribution of Parascepsis ockendeni Rothschild, P. lantingi Grados new species, and P. solox (Dognin).

FIGURES 9–12. Parascepsis ockendeni Rothschild. 9–10. Male (Echarate, C.C. Ochigoteni). 9. Dorsal view. 10. Ventral view. 11–12. Female (Campamento Comerciato). 11. Dorsal view. 12. Ventral view. Scale= 5 mm.

FIGURES 13–16. Male genitalia of Parascepsis ockendeni Rothschild. (Genitalia # JGA 775 MUSM). 13. Dorsal view. 14. Ventral view. 15. Lateral view. 16. Aedeagus. Scale= 1 mm.

FIGURES 17–18. Female genitalia of P. ockendeni Rothschild. (Genitalia # JGA 992 MUSM). 17. Lateral view. 18. Dorsal view. Scale= 1 mm.

FIGURES 19–20. Wings of Parascepsis ockendeni Rothschild. 19. Forewing. 20. Hindwing.