Pseudohemihyalea syracosia Schmidt 2009, stat. nov., comb. n.
Creators: name: Schmidt, Christian
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2009
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Arctiidae
Pseudohemihyalea
Pseudohemihyalea syracosia
Pseudohemihyalea fallaciosa

description: <i>Pseudohemihyalea syracosia</i> (Druce), stat. nov., comb. n. Figs. 2, 7, 12, 17, 23, 25 <i>Halisidota syracosia</i> Druce, 1889: 87. <i>Aemilia ambigua</i> Toulgoët, 1997 <i>nec</i>. Strecker, 1848. <b>Type material.</b> Female holotype [BMNH], photograph examined. Type locality: “ Mexico, Omilteme [Omiltemi], Guerrero, 8000 feet.” The right antenna and abdomen of the holotype are missing, but the wings are in excellent condition. The abdomen associated with the holotype (in a separate vial) was determined by A. Watson not to belong to the holotype; the holotype abdomen has apparently been lost, since no matching slide exists either (M. Honey, pers. comm.). <b>Diagnosis.</b> <i>Pseudohemihyalea syracosia</i> is most similar to and was long confused with <i>P</i>. <i>ambigua</i>. They can usually be distinguished without dissection, since <i>P</i>. <i>syracosia</i> is slightly smaller and less robust with narrower rust-brown forewing striae on average and less rust brown overall. This species also has a more southern distribution than <i>P</i>. <i>ambigua</i>. Sexual size dimorphism is less pronounced in <i>P</i>. <i>syracosia</i> than in <i>P</i>. <i>ambigua</i>, with female <i>P</i>. <i>syracosia</i> averaging very nearly the same size as males (mean forewing length 20 mm), whereas <i>P</i>. <i>ambigua</i> females average about 24 mm in forewing length compared to 22 mm in males. Genitalic differences are given under <i>P</i>. <i>ambigua</i>. <b>Biology and distribution.</b> The immature stages are unknown. Adults have been collected in pine-oak forest, from 1700 m to 2230 m. Collection dates range from mid-May to early September. <i>Pseudohemihyalea</i> s <i>yraciosa</i> occurs from Michoacan, Mexico to Honduras (Fig. 25), flying in strict sympatry with <i>P</i>. <i>fallaciosa</i> at some sites. <b>Remarks.</b> <i>Pseudohemihyalea syracosia</i> has long been treated as a subjective synonym of <i>P</i>. <i>ambigua</i>, but the characters given above in the diagnosis and species key show it is distinct from <i>P</i>. <i>ambigua</i>, with a more southerly and apparently allopatric distribution. The diagnosis and illustrations of <i>“</i> <i>P</i>. <i>ambigua</i> <i>”</i> given by Toulgoët (1997) apply to <i>P</i>. <i>syraciosa</i>. <i>Pseudohemihyalea fallaciosa</i> (Toulgoët), comb. n. Figs. 3, 8, 13, 18, 24, 25 <i>Aemilia fallaciosa</i> Toulgoët, 1997, 81, figs. 3, 4, 7, 10. <b>Type material.</b> Male holotype, female allotype [MNHN] and 39 paratypes [MNHN, BMNH]. Type locality: “ Honduras, P. Morazan, 24 km N.E. de Tegucicalpa [Tegucigalpa], La Tigra, 1900 m.” <b>Diagnosis.</b> This is the most easily recognized member of the <i>ambigua</i> -group. The tooth-like mark at the distal end of the forewing cell and the presence of a lined posterior cubital vein are diagnostic. Other diagnostic characters are the small size (mean male forewing length 18.4 mm), and thin forewing vein lines. Internally, the basal lobes of the uncus are slightly flattened (globose in other species) and divided by a broad, u-shaped cleft, compared to the narrow, v-shaped cleft in other species. <b>Biology and distribution.</b> Collection dates for <i>P</i>. <i>fallaciosa</i> are late May to late July and early September. It has been collected at elevations of 1400 m to 1900 m, from Chiapas, Mexico south to Guatemala and Honduras. <i>Pseudohemihyalea fallaciosa</i> (Toulgoët), comb. n. Figs. 3, 8, 13, 18, 24, 25 <i>Aemilia fallaciosa</i> Toulgoët, 1997, 81, figs. 3, 4, 7, 10. <b>Type material.</b> Male holotype, female allotype [MNHN] and 39 paratypes [MNHN, BMNH]. Type locality: “ Honduras, P. Morazan, 24 km N.E. de Tegucicalpa [Tegucigalpa], La Tigra, 1900 m.” <b>Diagnosis.</b> This is the most easily recognized member of the <i>ambigua</i> -group. The tooth-like mark at the distal end of the forewing cell and the presence of a lined posterior cubital vein are diagnostic. Other diagnostic characters are the small size (mean male forewing length 18.4 mm), and thin forewing vein lines. Internally, the basal lobes of the uncus are slightly flattened (globose in other species) and divided by a broad, u-shaped cleft, compared to the narrow, v-shaped cleft in other species. <b>Biology and distribution.</b> Collection dates for <i>P</i>. <i>fallaciosa</i> are late May to late July and early September. It has been collected at elevations of 1400 m to 1900 m, from Chiapas, Mexico south to Guatemala and Honduras.
description: Published as part of <i>Schmidt, Christian, 2009, Revision of the " Aemilia " ambigua (Strecker) species-group (Noctuidae, Arctiinae), pp. 63-78 in ZooKeys 9 (9)</i> on pages 70-73, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.9.149, http://zenodo.org/record/576452
description: {"references": ["Druce H (1889) Description of new species of Lepidoptera from Central America. Annals and Magazine of Natural History (6) 4: 77 - 94.", "Toulgoet H, de (1997) Description d'une nouvelle arctiide d'Amerique Central (Lepidopteres Arctiidae, Arctiinae). (52 e note). Lambillionea 97: 45 - 48."]}