Menevia menapia, St. Laurent, Ryan A. & Dombroskie, Jason J., 2016

St. Laurent, Ryan A. & Dombroskie, Jason J., 2016, Revision of the genus Menevia Schaus, 1928 (Lepidoptera, Mimallonoidea, Mimallonidae) with the description of 11 new species, ZooKeys 566, pp. 31-116 : 53-55

Taxon classification Animalia Lepidoptera Mimallonidae

Menevia menapia sp. n. Figs 24-26, 77; Map 2

Type material.

Holotype, ♂: GUATEMALA: Cayuga Guat/ June/ Schaus and Barnes coll/ USNM-Mimal: 2565/ St. Laurent diss.: 9-7-14:1/ HOLOTYPE male Menevia menapia St Laurent and Dombroskie, 2016 [handwritten red label] (USNM). Type locality: Guatemala: Cayuga.

Paratypes, 8 ♂: BELIZE: 2 ♂, Punta Gorda, Brit. Honduras: VI.1933, J.J. White, Rothschild Bequest BM 1939-1, St. Laurent diss.: 6-29-15:3, BMNH(E) 1378758 (NHMUK); same data as previous Belize specimen, but no BMNH(E) number and not dissected, this specimen is missing the abdomen with no genitalia prep. (NHMUK). GUATEMALA: 3 ♂, Cayuga: Schaus and Barnes coll., Dognin Collection, " Cicinnus lucara Schaus 1920, Schaus," USNM-Mimal: 2579 (USNM); VI, Schaus and Barnes coll., USNM-Mimal: 2564 (USNM); IV, " Cicinnus lucara I Schaus," Carn. Mus. Acc. 6540, St. Laurent diss.: 2-5-15:7 (CMNH). 2 ♂, Tikal: 10.I.1980, R. Holland (AMNH); 11.I.1980, R. Holland, UV light, St. Laurent diss. 2-7-15:4 (AMNH). 1 ♂, Izabal, Finca la Firmeza 15.407, -88.696: 1.III.2014, J.J. Dombroskie, T. McCabe, J. Monzón, MV/UV light, St. Laurent diss.: 2-5-15:8 (CUIC). - All paratypes with the following yellow label: PARATYPE male Menevia menapia St Laurent and Dombroskie, 2016.

Diagnosis.

Externally Menevia menapia is nearly identical to Menevia lucara , albeit this new species is slightly smaller on average. The most significant differences in external characters are present in the postmedial lunules of the fore- and hindwings. The postmedial lunule is less sharply swept to the forewing margin in Menevia menapia , and on the hindwing the lunule is more distinct, a brighter white rather than extremely faded as in Menevia lucara . The male genitalia of Menevia menapia are recognizable by the weaker sclerotization; smaller, slightly thinner processes of the gnathos, and the sharp, rather than spatulate, apices of the juxtal processes. Furthermore, the lobes at the base of the phallus are much shorter and stouter than in Menevia lucara . Geography is perhaps the easiest way to differentiate Menevia menapia from other species in the lucara species-group, as it is the only representative of the group from Central America north of Panama.

Description.

Male.Head: Gray, fading to straw colored in old specimens, eyes large comprising about two-thirds of head area, eyes bordered posteriorly by dark brown collar of scales reaching labial palpi, labial palpi small, segments weakly defined ventrally. Scape and pedicel tufted. Thorax: As for genus. Gray fading to straw in old specimens. Legs: As for genus. Tibial spurs thin apically, terminal third not scaled, weakly hooked. Forewing dorsum: Forewing length: 15-17 mm, avg.: 16 mm, n = 7. Triangular, apical half of outer margin concave, apex falcate. Ground color gray with pink hue medially, overall lightly speckled by dark petiolate scales. Discal spot faintly marked by light gray. Apex marked by black scales above apical dash. Weakly concave postmedial line black, contrasting. Antemedial area lighter, submarginal area gray without pink hue, contrasting with pinkish medial area, postmedial lunule originating from apical dash, lunule follows postmedial line from apex to one third length of postmedial line where lunule sweeps outward toward wing margin, roughly forming 45 degree angle with postmedial line. Antemedial line faint or absent, if present, brown, undulating. Forewing venter: As in forewing dorsum but postmedial line fainter, antemedial line absent, small black discal spot present. Hindwing dorsum: Rounded with margin weakly pointed mesally, anal angle accentuated, similar coloration and patterning as forewings, postmedial lunule present, originating near anterior margin, sweeping outward and fading to marginal point, antemedial line absent, postmedial line straight except near anterior margin. Hindwing venter: Following similar pattern as forewing venter. Abdomen: As for genus. Coloration a continuation of grayish thoracic color. Midventral stripe absent. Genitalia: (Fig. 77) n = 5. Tegumen subtriangular, not constricted near base of gnathos. Vinculum broad, somewhat quadrate ventrally. Valves simple, relatively narrow, saccular and dorsal edges of valves with sharp tooth proximal to transtilla. Valves rounded or somewhat quadrate apically. Uncus somewhat triangular, apex quadrate. Gnathos as two sclerotized, somewhat boxing glove shaped, upturned, outward facing extensions. Juxtal processes roughly phallus length, not inwardly curved, parallel, curved toward phallus apex, flattened, lightly covered in short setae, pointed apically. Base of phallus with paired, stout, rounded, diverging lobes angled ventrally. Phallus simple, cylindrical, thin but somewhat engorged distally. Left edge of rolled phallus simple, without ridge like process, distal tip of phallus separated into two distinct points of varying length. Vesica bag-like. Female. Unknown.

Distribution

(Map 2). Menevia menapia is so far known only from the Petén and Izabal Departments of eastern Guatemala and an adjacent area of Belize.

Etymology.

Menevia menapia is named for the likely derivation of Menevia , Menapia. The etymology of Menapia, however, is less clear and may refer to an ancient Roman settlement supposed to have existed in Pembrokeshire, Wales or to a settlement inhabited by the Menapii people in Belgica.

Remarks.

This species, although very similar in external appearance and genitalia characteristics to the South American representatives of the lucara species-group, especially the Amazonian Menevia lucara , is separated by well over 2000 km land distance. Because of the extreme allopatry of Menevia menapia , it is surprising that this new species differs so little from the wide-ranging, South American Menevia lucara . Despite these similarities, the allopatry combined with the overall slightly smaller size, minor external differences, and the distinct genitalia differences, warrant the separation of these two similar species.