Cicinnus Blanchard 1852
Creators: name: St Laurent, Ryan A.
name: Cock, Matthew J. W.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2017
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Mimallonidae
Cicinnus

description: Cicinnus Blanchard, 1852
Type species: Cicinnus orthane Blanchard, 1852 Cicinnus trini St Laurent & Cock, sp. n. (Figs. 3, 5, 11, 12)
Type material. Holotype, ♂. TRINIDAD: TRINIDAD: PAR. OF ST. GEORGE, MORNE BLEU, TEXTEL INSTALLATION, 6.XII.1980, AT LIGHT, M.J.W. COCK [leg.]/ Cicinnus sp. not fogia Schaus, Det. D. Davis 1981/ Psychocampa sp. near beta Schaus male, Det. M.J.W. Cock 2000/ St Laurent diss.: 5-19-16:1/ HOLOTYPE ♂ Cicinnus trini St Laurent and Cock, 2017 [handwritten red label]/ (to be deposited in USNM, ex. MJWC).
Paratypes, 10 ♂ total. TRINIDAD: 1 ♂, Arima Valley: 12.II.1952, Gift of New York Zoo. Soc., Dept. Tropical Research, William Beebe, Dir. (AMNH). 3 ♂, Caparo: XI.1905, XII.1905, no date, S.M. Klages [leg.], Rothschild Bequest, B.M. 1939–1, NHMUK 010354546, 0 10354547, St Laurent diss.: 9-8-16:1 (NHMUK). 2 ♂, Cumaca Road, 4.6 mi: 21.X.1982, M.J.W. Cock [leg.], at MV light (MJWC, UWIZM CABI.2464). 2 ♂, Hollis Reservoir, pump house: 2.XI.1978, 13.XI.1978, M.J.W. Cock [leg.], at light (NHMUK, MJWC, MJWC specimen dissected). 2 ♂, Off Saunders Road, Inniss Field, c. 50 m, at beginning of track to dam: 17.V.1999, M.J.W. Cock [leg.], MV light, dusk to 22.10h (UWIZM CABI.2462, 2463). – All paratypes with the following yellow label: PARATYPE ♂ Cicinnus trini St Laurent and Cock, 2017.
Additional specimen examined: [not included in type series] COLOMBIA: Meta: 1 ♂, Villavicencio, 400 m: Coll. Fassl, Joicey Coll., Brit. Mus. 1925–157, St Laurent diss.: 8-29-16:3, NHMUK 010354545 (NHMUK).
Diagnosis. This new species belongs to a group of several similar Cicinnus spp. characterized by black postmedial lines on fore and hindwings with distinct pale patches variously diffused with black scales present near the tornus, anterior, and anal margins of the hindwing, along with singular B-shaped hyaline patches on each wing.
The most similar species from this group is C. beta (Schaus, 1910) comb. n., but C. trini can be differentiated by the smaller size, the hindwing hyaline patch is located on top of, or outside of, the postmedial line rather than on the inside (proximal to body) of the line as in C. beta, and by the male genitalia (compare Figs. 4 and 5). Most prominently, the genitalia of C. trini are distinctly smaller than those of C. beta, being about half their size. Additionally, the gnathos projections are shorter, and more robust in C. trini than in C. beta, and extend outward to the same length as the uncus, whereas in C. beta, the uncus extends beyond the narrower gnathos projections. The phallus of C. trini is shorter and stouter relative to the rest of the genitalia structure compared to C. beta.
Description. Male. Head: Light brown to straw colored, lustrous, interspersed with black petiolate scales; eyes very large, occupying more than two thirds area of head, bordered posteriorly by brown scales; antenna coloration similar to head, but slightly lighter, bipectinate to tip, pectinations longer basally; labial palpus highly reduced, not extending beyond frons, apparently three segmented, but segmentation not easily discernable due to compactness of palpus, coloration as for rest of head with darker brown scales dorsally. Thorax: Coloration light gray, though scales of prothorax slightly darker, browner. Black petiolate scales interspersed among thinner scales as on head. Legs: Vestiture gray, appearing darker due to high concentration of black petiolate scales. Tibial spurs somewhat reduced, almost entirely clothed in scales. Forewing dorsum: Forewing length: 14.5–18.0 mm, avg.: 16.8 mm, wingspan: 33–37 mm, n=7. Somewhat subtriangular, barely elongated, apex falcate, margin convex until just before apex where concave. Ground color pale grey with varying degree of red or salmon-pink undertones, undertones more distinct in worn specimens, overall lightly to moderately speckled by black petiolate scales, petiolate scales densest near tornus. Antemedial line reduced to faint brown suffusion or absent. Postmedial line nearly straight with slight inward bulge just below discal area, it curves toward costa just before passing Rs4, becoming faint but reaching costa. Antemedial, medial, and submarginal areas mostly concolorous except along postmedial line extending to apex and at tornus. Tornus with pale yellow region variously obscured by dense covering of petiolate scales. Faint red patch of scales present near apex outside of postmedial line, and on disc along lower cell. Discal region with small, B-shaped hyaline patch bisected by M2 located on inner side of postmedial line, near the line but never touching it. Fringe contrasting white. Forewing ventrum: Ground color similar to dorsum, but appearing darker due to stronger brown and red undertone suffusion medially, overall more heavily speckled by black petiolate scales than on dorsum. Antemedial line absent. Postmedial line reduced to outwardly curved, somewhat wavy, traces. Antemedial and medial areas darker than submarginal area due to medial brown and red suffusions, submarginal area with unsoiled area centrally between yellow and black tornus and blood-red patch near apex, which is larger than corresponding pink area of dorsum apex. Discal region as for dorsum but outwardly smudged with black. Hindwing dorsum: Coloration follows similar patterning to forewing dorsum but antemedial line absent, postmedial line straight, yellow patch like that of forewing tornus present along anterior wing margin and near anal angle, yellow patch likewise covered in black petiolate scales, well-defined pink area absent. Discal hyaline region smaller than on forewing, but always situated on top of or distal (toward wing margin) to postmedial line, never present on inner side of postmedial line. Hindwing ventrum: Following same pattern as forewing. Frenulum not visible, either absent or vestigial. Abdomen: Coloration mostly as for thorax, but dorsally browner, matching prothorax, ventrally lighter gray. Genitalia: (Fig. 5) n=4. Complex; uncus short, triangular, truncated distally, becoming somewhat tubular, uncus angled distally, perpendicular to vinculum. Gnathos U-shaped, with pair of sharp, robust, stout mesal projections, projections extend outward equally in length to uncus. Valve as two distinct, but connected lobes: upper lobe more heavily sclerotized, ear-shaped; lower lobe more membranous, especially ventrally, lower lobe subtriangular. Vinculum box-like, but more rounded along tegumen, ventral corners of vinculum accentuated as rounded, backward angled knobs (apopdemes). Saccus quadrate, bilobed, either side somewhat globular, usually somewhat folded up against base of valves. Thick, curved, arms extend inward but do not meet, curved arms originating from base of vinculum, reaching midway between saccus and gnathos. Juxta fused to both phallus and vinculum; pair of creased structures extend from juxta dorsally over phallus, forming connection with vinculum along secondary, inner vinculum-like ring. Phallus very short, essentially no sclerotization extending outward beyond juxta, basally as stout lobe, phallus cannot be excised from genitalia capsule without damaging juxta-vinculum complex. Vesica elongated, tubular with two lightly sclerotized outer plates. Female. Unknown.
Distribution. Cicinnus trini is known primarily from the island of Trinidad, but we are aware of a single specimen from central Colombia (eastern side of the Andes) that is very similar in external morphology and maculation, as well as in male genitalia, to the new species, suggesting that C. trini will be found to be more widely distributed in northern South America.
The Trinidad captures have been made in forested areas, mostly in the valleys of the Northern Range, although one (Morne Bleu Textel Installation) was taken on a ridge top at 700 m, and two were taken at Caparo, West Central Trinidad.
Etymology. The new species is named in recognition of the type locality, Trinidad. Trini is a local colloquial term equivalent to Trinidadian, which may be used as a noun, e.g. referring to people, or as an adjective.
Remarks. Previously, species related to C. trini, including C. beta and the similar Brazilian species, C. veigli (Schaus, 1934), comb. n. were placed in the genus Psychocampa Grote & Robinson, 1866 by Schaus (1928). However, Herbin (2012) described two additional South American species in this group, and placed them in Cicinnus based on male genitalia characters similar to other species described in that genus. Although Herbin (2012) recognized that C. beta and C. veigli also belong to this group, he did not transfer them to Cicinnus despite their being more closely allied to Cicinnus. We agree with Herbin’s placement of the taxa named in 2012 within Cicinnus based on our own comparisons with dissections of the type species of both Cicinnus, C. orthane Blanchard, 1852 (Franclemont dissection: 1772, CUIC), and Psychocampa, P. concolor Grote & Robinson, 1866 (Franclemont dissection: C611, CUIC). We now make the taxonomic changes associated with the species C. beta and C. veigli because morphological affinities recognized by Herbin (2012) are supported by our subsequent investigation.
We compared the specimens from Trinidad with the primary types and genitalia of nontypes of the following related Cicinnus species:
C. beta (Type locality: Costa Rica). 1 ♂, Costa Rica, Sixola River, syntype, here designated the lectotype with the following labels: Cicinnus beta type Schaus / [Lecto] Type No. 16965 U.S.N.M./ Sixola [recte Sixaola] Rv. CR / Sept / USNM-Mimal:1012/ LECTOTYPE ♂ Cicinnus beta Schaus designated by St Laurent and Cock, 2017 [handwritten red label]/ St Laurent diss.: 8-29-16:1/ (USNM); 1 ♂, Panama, Rio Trinidad, St Laurent diss.: 8-29- 16:2 (USNM).
C. cf veigli (Type locality: Brazil, Minas Gerais). 2 ♂, Brazil, Santa Catarina, Jaraguá do Sul, St Laurent diss.: 5-15-16:4 (CUIC); Franclemont dissection: 1433 (CUIC). 1 ♂, Brazil, Paraná, Curitiba [recte Guaratuba], Serra do Mar, Estrada de Castelhanos, genital prep. 29.990 (MWM). 1 ♂, Brazil, Bahia, Maraú, Fazenda Água Boa, genital prep. 29.991 (MWM).
C. kawensis Herbin, 2012 (Type locality: French Guiana). 1 ♂, French Guiana, Kaw Rd., km 11, holotype, Herbin gen. prep. H668, (MNHN); 1 ♂, Surinam, Moengo, Boven Cottica River, St Laurent diss.: 5-15-16:2 (CUIC); 1 ♂, Bolivia, Chaparé, Río Cristal Mayu, 1000–2000 m, St Laurent diss.: 5-15-16:3 (CUIC).
C. mamorensis Herbin, 2012 (Type locality: Bolivia). 1 ♂, Bolivia, Beni, [Road] Trinidad to Yucumo km 50, 38 km [after] Río Mamore, 250 m, holotype, Herbin gen. prep. H686 (MNHN).
We determined that the species present in the island of Trinidad is much closer to C. beta than C. veigli, C. kawensis, or C. mamorensis, based on the gray ground color with salmon-pink (ranging to more red) undertones and presence of thick postmedial lines. However, the small hyaline patch of the hindwing, which is present in all species of this group, is located on the outer side or on top of the hindwing postmedial line in specimens from Trinidad (and one from Colombia), while those from Central America and mainland South America have the hyaline patch on the inner side of the postmedial line, usually distant from it. The specimens from Trinidad and Colombia are all distinctly smaller than those of other mainland populations, with the exception of some specimens from Guatemala and Belize that are likely an additional undescribed species. Examination of the genitalia of specimens from Trinidad reveals a close association with the aforementioned species, particularly C. beta, but can be distinguished by the characters given in the diagnosis.
In addition to being externally nearly identical to specimens from Trinidad, the single central Colombian specimen is also essentially identical to C. trini in male genitalia. Therefore, this new species is not likely to be endemic to Trinidad, and will probably be discovered at additional localities in northern South America. Furthermore, a single specimen from Nova Olinda do Norte, Amazonas, Brazil in the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, also displays the same external morphology and maculation as the Trinidad and Colombian specimens, suggesting that this species is more widely distributed than the data that we present.
description: Published as part of St Laurent, Ryan A. & Cock, Matthew J. W., 2017, Annotated list of Mimallonidae (Lepidoptera, Mimallonoidea) from Trinidad and Tobago, with the description of a new species of Cicinnus Blanchard, 1852 and taxonomic notes, pp. 53-70 in Zootaxa 4268 (1) on pages 55-57, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4268.1.3, http://zenodo.org/record/579898