Rejectaria villosa Druce 1891
Creators: name: Goldstein, Paul Z.
name: Janzen, Daniel H.
name: Hallwachs, Winnie
name: Proshek, Benjamin
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2022
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Noctuidae
Rejectaria
Rejectaria villosa

description: Rejectaria villosa Druce, 1891
Habitus Figs 1–2, 5–8, 10, 31, 40. Male genitalia Figs 43, 45–48, 57–58, 65–72. Female genitalia Figs 86–87, 97. Larva Figs 103–104, 106, 108–109.
Narcaea villosa Druce, 1891, Biologia Centrali-Americana 1: 449, pl. 36, figs. 21, 21a, 24. Type locality: Panama: Chiriqui (Holotype ♀, MNHU)
Material examined. Type material: Holotype ♀. PANAMA: Chiriqui Coll. Staudinger, Narcaea villosa type ♀ Druce. Typus [MNHU; Image].
Other material. COSTA RICA (8♂♂, 9♀♀). Costa Rica: Alajuela, Area de Conservacion Guanacaste, Sector Rincon Rain Forest (6♂♂, 2♀♀): 1♂, Malaguenya, 10.9555, -85.28381, el. 221m: larva on Carludovica costaricensis: 12/29/2013, Keiner Aragón, collector: ecl. 02/08/2014, 13-SRNP-45390, USNMENT01493471; 1♂, ecl. 02/06/2014, 13-SRNP-45393, USNMENT01493304, USNM slide 148507; 1♀, ecl. 02/05/2014, Keiner Aragón, collector, 13-SRNP-45392, USNMENT01493406, USNM slide 148566; 1♂, Rio Francia, 10.90425, -85.28651, el. 410m: larva on light trap: 01/23/2009, ecl., R. Franco & S. Rios, collector, 09-SRNP-100270, USNMENT01493339; 1♂, Sendero Anonas, 10.90528, -85.27882, el. 405m: larva on Asplundia utilis 02/12/2009: ecl. 03/25/2009, Jose Perez, collector: 09-SRNP-40224, USNMENT01493412; 1♂, Sendero Juntas, 10.90661, - 85.28784, el. 400m: larva on Asplundia utilis: 02/03/2007, ecl. 03/01/2007, Minor Carmona, collector, 07-SRNP- 40358, USNMENT01493410; 1♂, Sendero Rincon, 10.8962, -85.27769, el. 430m: larva on Asplundia utilis; 1♀, Palomo, 10.96187, -85.28045, el. 96m: larva on Carludovica costaricensis: 11/20/2013, ecl. 12/22/2013, Keiner Aragón, collector, 13-SRNP-45095, USNMENT01493488. Sector Del Oro (2♂♂, 2♀♀): 1♂, Catarata Orosi, 10.99325, -85.47464, el. 700m: larva on Cyclanthus bipartitus: 11/29/2003: ecl. 12/30/2003, Roster Moraga, collector, 03-SRNP-37827, USNMENT01493375; 1♂, Elieth Cantillano, collector: ecl. 12/31/2003, 03-SRNP- 37830, USNMENT01493373; 1♀, ecl. 12/24/2003, 03-SRNP-37828, USNMENT01493384; 1♀, ecl. 12/28/2003, 03-SRNP-37831, USNMENT01493411. PANAMA (2♂♂). 1♂, Ft. Sherman C.Z. Pan. Aug. 15 1923 H.G. Dyar collector, USNMENT014422998, USNM slide 148665; 1♂, Chiriqui, Narcaea villosa Druce, Rejectaria villosa Dr., Collection Wm Schaus, USNMENT014422983, USNM slide 148664. VENEZUELA (3♂♂). 1♂, EDO. Lara, Yacambu Natl. Pk. 1560m 13km SE Sanare 1–5 Aug. 1981 J. Heppner (cloud for.), USNMENT014422978, USNM slide 148658; 2♂♂, Las Quigas Esteban Valley N. Venezuela, 1182, Carn. Mus. Acc. 5538 (CMNH). COLOMBIA (2♂♂). 1♂, Popayan Colombie 1896, Narcaea villosa Dr, USNMENT 01422988, USNM slide 148657; 1♂, Popayan Colombie 1897 Dognin Collection, USNMENT01422993, USNM slide 148666. BOLIVIA (4♂♂, 4♀♀). 1♂, Prov del Sar Bolivia 450m. J. Steinbach, July 1914, Carn. Mus. Acc. 5871 (CMNH); 1♀, same data as previous except Aug 1914 (CMNH); 2♂♂, 2♀♀, R. Yapacani E Bolivia Alt. 600m J. Steinbach, Sept 1914, Carn. Mus. Acc. 5871; 1♂, same data as previous USNMENT01756824, slide 148669 CMNH (CMNH); 1♀, same data as previous, USNMENT01756903, slide 148670 CMNH (CMNH)
Additional specimens (Rejectaria sp.? nr. villosa; see Remarks, below. Habitus Figs 3–4, 32 (lateral). Male genitalia Figs 44, 59–60. Female genitalia Figs 85, 95.
Four specimens shared a COI haplotype distinct from those treated above. Whether describing species on the basis of mitochondrial haplotypes alone serves a defensible purpose is a matter of debate, and since the holotype of villosa is not itself barcoded, we have treated both these entities under villosa, but flag the following four specimens (Costa Rica: Alajuela, Area de Conservacion Guanacaste: Sector Rincon Rain Forest): 1♀, Rio Francia Arriba, 10.89666, -85.29003, el. 400m: larva on Asplundia utilis: 01/31/2007, ecl. 02/24/2007, Jose Perez, collector, 07-SRNP-40317, USNMENT01493030, USNM slide 148567. 1♂, Sendero Rincon, 10.8962, -85.27769, el. 430m: larva on Asplundia utilis: 01/09/2002, Fraysi Vargas, collector, 02-SRNP-6046, USNMENT01493015, USNM slide 148569. 1♀, Sendero Rincon, 10.8962, -85.27769, el. 430m: larva on Asplundia utilis: 01/09/2002, ecl. 02/08/2002, Jose Perez, collector, 02-SRNP-6049, USNMENT01493061. 1♀, Sendero Anonas, 10.90528, - 85.27882, el. 405m: larva on Asplundia utilis: 02/12/2009, ecl. 03/12/2009, Jose Perez, collector, 09-SRNP-40157, USNMENT01493174.
Diagnosis. Rejectaria villosa is the only species in this treatment comparable in size to the closely-related villavicencia, with which it shares a number of conspicuous features such as the angled male palpi and massive forefemoral tufts. It may be distinguished from villavicencia by its straight, more distinct FW antemedial line in the male and the less pronounced reniform spot in the female. Both species exhibit similar sexual dimorphism, with both antemedial (am) and postmedial (pm) lines in the females of both species present and jagged but with less contrast in female villosa. The male genitalia of villosa are distinct, with the distal third of the costa free and bowed or sinuous; the free projection in ritaashleyae is similar but more gently curved and not sinuous, and the costal sclerotization in the valva of villavicencia terminates approximately halfway along the valva as a small nubbin. Both villosa and villavicencia share with magas and ritaashleyae the distinctly configured ventral band of signa in the corpus bursa, but with at least 17 toothed discs, whereas the other species have 12–14.
Re-description. Head. (Figs 31, 40) Frons, vertex gray-brown; antennae setose-ciliate; male palpi (Fig. 31) similar to those of villavicencia (see above), angled backward at junction of 2 nd and 3 rd segment with visible notch between the two; female palpi (based on specimen of possible cryptic sp. nr. villosa; Fig. 32) with predominantly cocoa-brown scaling, 2 nd segment broadest toward the base, with scattered white scales, 3 rd segment fine, nearly as long as the 2 nd, with dark gray scales outwardly intermixed with beige scales at base and at tip. Note that the female figured is one of four specimens bearing a distinct haplotype that may represent a distinct species (see explanation, above).
Thorax. Wings— (males, 25.8mm, n=5; females, 24mm, n=5) FW and HW gray-brown overall; FW antemedial line very faint, if present, pale inward; postmedial line on both FW and HW dark inward; reniform stigma black, somewhat diffuse, inwardly edged with tan; subterminal (st) line quite faint, jagged, visible primarily as pale points along a faint jagged line; terminal line a series of minute black chevrons with paler tannish-brown edging at the base of the fringe; female am and pm lines wavy, median area paler than am and pm. Legs— (Figs 31, 40, cf. sp. nr. villosa, Fig. 32) Uniformly tannish-gray; bands faint, if present, in male, conspicuous in female; male forefemoral tufts massive.
Abdomen. Gray-brown above, concolorous with ground color of uppersides of wings.
Male genitalia. (including sp. nr. villosa, Figs 43–48; 57–60; 65–72) Uncus elongate, setose, sheepsfoot-shaped, costal arm free of valva for distal third of its length and sinuous; vinculum bluntly tapered; small phallic ridge present; vesica multi-lobate with microspines distributed on phallus at base of vesica, concentrated on subbasal lobe and more diffusely throughout lower vesica.
Female genitalia. (including sp. nr. villosa, Figs 85–87, 95, 97) Ductus bursae with broad sclerotization along most of its length; laterally produced deformation at base if whorled appendix bursae, comparable to that of villavicencia and ritaashleyae; well-developed mid-ventral band of micro-spinules on corpus bursae, (Figs 95, 97), band subparallel to long axis of corpus, punctuated by a series of 17 internal toothed semicircular ridges comparable to those in villavicencia, richardashleyi, ritaashleyae, and magas; smaller secondary band of spinules near junction with ductus bursae.
Immature stages. (Figs 103–104, 106, 108–109) Mature larvae dull brown-green with reddish intersegmental rings; head calico-patterned; younger larva with distinct dark dorsal midstripe.
Biology. Larvae have been documented feeding on Asplundia utilis (4), Carludovica costaricensis (3), and Cyclanthus bipartitus (6).
Distribution. Costa Rica, Panama, Venezuela, Colombia
Remarks. Based on available barcode data, there is reason to suspect the existence of one or more cryptic sibling species near villosa. However, the combination of a limited number of available specimens, a lack of conspicuous geographic variation and variation among females in particular, and finally the absence of barcode or dissection data from the female holotype, preclude a thorough assessment or adequate description of a new species. Observed variation, even in male genitalia, among Costa Rican, Panamanian, Venezuelan, and Colombian specimens is not geographically consistent. Barcoded specimens from ACG include four specimens sharing a distinct haplotype but no observed morphological differences, listed above as a possible species near villosa under “anomalous specimens.” We have elected not to describe a new species since the application of a name to either haplotype cluster would be arbitrary in the absence of DNA barcode data from the female holotype, but have included figures among those of villosa.
description: Published as part of Goldstein, Paul Z., Janzen, Daniel H., Hallwachs, Winnie & Proshek, Benjamin, 2022, New species in Rejectaria Guenée (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Herminiinae) with a focus on the Cyclanthaceae-feeders, pp. 451-483 in Zootaxa 5087 (3) on pages 453-456, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5087.3.4, http://zenodo.org/record/5826945