Bungalotis astylos (Cramer, 1780)

Austin, George T., 2008, Hesperiidae of Rondônia, Brazil: Taxonomic comments on “ night ” skippers, with descriptions of new genera and species (Lepidoptera: Eudaminae), Insecta Mundi 2008 (29), pp. 1-36 : 7-8

Bungalotis astylos (Cramer, 1780)

( Fig. 14-17 , 90 , 94 , 125 )

The wings (male mean FW length = 32.3 mm [31.4-33.1, n = 10]; female mean FW length = 39.4 mm [38.6-40.7, n = 3]) of B. astylos from Rondônia have the color and pattern as shown in Seitz (1907-1924 as B. midas ) and Cock and Alston-Smith (1990). Some variation exists in dorsal ground color of males from pale tawny to olive-tawny and in the breadth and definition of the dark macules. On the venter, the dark brown at the apex of the forewing varies in extent as does the tawny discal area on the ventral hindwing. The macules on the ventral hindwing are variable in their definition; these are vague or pale-centered on some individuals.

Evans’ (1952) illustration of the male genitalia of B. astylos indicated a short and compact valva; specimens from Rondônia (and Bolivia) have elongate valvae. Whether this is an artifact of his dissection (note that the thin caudal end of the harpe breaks easily) or drawing or a real difference remains to be shown. The variation seen among male genitalia in Rondônia especially involves the configuration of the harpe ( Fig. 90 ). Female genitalia ( Fig. 94 ) are similar in overall form to those of B. midas . The lamella postvaginalis has an outwardly curved caudal margin with a very narrow U-shaped notch centrally. The lamella antevaginalis is excavate to a narrow central U-shaped notch and has prominent lateral ridges. The antrum is a long, curving, and ribbon-like sclerotized structure joining the side of a broad and irregularly-shaped ductus bursae. The corpus bursae is an oblong sac, constricted slightly in the middle.

Bungalotis astylos is the most common Bungalotis near Cacaulândia, with records throughout most of the year (all months except September), but these are concentrated in the late dry and early wet seasons ( Fig. 125 ). Bungalotis astylos occurs from Mexico to Peru and southern Brazil ( Evans 1952, Freeman 1976, Cock and Alston-Smith 1990, Lamas 1994, Lamas et al. 1996, Robbins et al. 1996, Warren 2000).

Figures

Figure 14-25. Bungalotis (from BRAZIL:Rondônia, unless noted otherwise; dorsum and venter of same specimens). 14-15) B. astylos male, Fazenda Rancho Grande, 6 Oct 1993. 16-17) B. astylos female, Fazenda Rancho Grande, 29 Nov 1991. 18-19) B. quadratum female, TRINIDAD, no date. 20-21) B. lactos male, Fazenda Rancho Grande, 14 Jun 1993. 22-23) B. borax male, Fazenda Rancho Grande, 17 Apr 1997. 24-25) B. gagarini male, Fazenda Rancho Grande, 5 May 1995.

Figure 89-92. Male genitalia of Bungalotis (from BRAZIL: Rondônia, unless noted otherwise). Structures shown are lateral, dorsal, and ventral views of tegumen, uncus, gnathos, and associated structures; lateral internal view of right valva; lateral view of aedeagus and associated structures; and ventral view of transtilla and juxta. 89) B. gagarini (GTA #1617). 90) B. astylos (GTA #3166); variation of valvae, a. (GTA #3189, flattened), b. (GTA # 3166, flattened). 91) B. lactos (GTA #3062); variation of valvae, a. (GTA #7196), b. (GTA #4133), c. (GTA #7914), all including flattened view of caudal end of valva. 92) B. borax (GTA #7866), including flattened view of caudal end of valva.

Figure 93-97. Female genitalia (ventral view) of Bungalotis (from BRAZIL: Rondônia, unless noted otherwise). 93) B. midas (GTA #7189). 94) B. astylos (GTA #7191). 95) B. milleri, MEXICO (GTA #7219). 96) Bungalotis sp. (“midas” group), GUATEMALA (GTA #7190). 97) B. quadratum, TRINIDAD (GTA #7195).

Figure 125-130. Phenology of some night skippers from central Rondônia, Brazil. 125-126) Bungalotis species. 127) Dyscophellus species. 128) Salatis salatisand Sarmientoia similis. 129) Nicephellus nicephorus and Euriphellus euribates. 130) Pseudonascus paulliniae and Nascus species.