Zaphanta rawlinsi St Laurent & Giusti 2019, sp. nov.
Creators: name: St Laurent, Ryan A.
name: Giusti, Alessandro
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2019
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Mimallonidae
Zaphanta
Zaphanta rawlinsi

description: Zaphanta rawlinsi sp. nov.
(Figures 8, 28, 41) urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: C6F7DBF4-4871-403D-A387-DD920BA76D8B
Diagnosis
Overall externally mostly indistinguishable from the previous species, although the wing margins are more sharply angled medially, giving the wings a more squared appearance, and colouration is a bit paler overall. The postmedial markings are arranged slightly closer to the wing margin than in Z. fraterna, and in this way Z. rawlinsi more closely resembles Z. infantilis. Genitalia are most similar to those of Z. fraterna (and thus easily distinguished from all other Zaphanta species) due to the absence of any modifications on the costal valva apodeme. Zaphanta rawlinsi is differentiated from Z. fraterna by the broader and stouter tegumen, with a likewise broader and stouter gnathos projection. The uncus is more robustly sclerotised and more sharply downturned, with the uncus tip almost reaching the tip of the gnathos projection (these two sclerotisations widely separated in Z. fraterna). The phallus of Z. rawlinsi is broader and shorter than in Z. fraterna, with the ventrally pointed, more heavily sclerotised region roughly half the length of the phallus, whereas in Z. fraterna this projection is much smaller, only about one-quarter to one-third the length of the phallus.
Description
Male. Head: As for genus. Thorax: As for genus. Legs: As for genus. Fore wing dorsum: Fore wing length: 9–11.0 mm, avg.: 10.3 mm, wingspan: 19–22 mm, n = 3. As for genus, but margin more mesally pointed. Fore wing ventrum: As for genus. Hind wing dorsum: As for genus, but margin more mesally pointed, giving wing squared appearance. Hind wing ventrum: As for genus, but more poorly marked. Abdomen: As for genus. Genitalia: (Figure 28) n = 3. Vinculum ovoid but appearing rectangular with valvae spread, narrowing basally. Uncus stout, vaguely triangular and heavily sclerotised apically, apex truncated with squared, downwardly angled tip. Uncus apex nearly reaching subuncus projection below. Subuncus projection forming a closed ring with lateral margins of tegumen, mesally more heavily sclerotised, forming broad, blunt triangular point; uncus-tegumen complex broad, width nearly identical to that of vinculum (particularly narrower base of vinculum). Transtilla triangular, well sclerotised. Valvae narrowed distally and angled upward (when spread) with middle of saccular edge forming an elbow-like angle; bases of valvae nearly touching. Costal base of valvae (valva apodeme) not modified. Caecum of phallus rounded, about half length of short, broad phallus. Phallus stout, ventrally extended to well-sclerotised, sharp point, ventral extension nearly equal in length to phallus; phallus smooth laterally.
Female. Unknown.
Type material
Holotype ♂. Ecuador: Sucumbios Sacha Lodge, Laguna de Pilchicocha, 00-26S, 76-33W [0.43°S, 76.55°W] 220 m, 20–22 May 1994, J. Rawlins, S. Thompson, D. Schlitter, G. Onore, inundated rain forest/ St Laurent dissection: 7-21-18:3 / HOLOTYPE ♂ Zaphanta rawlinsi St Laurent and Giusti, 2019 /(CMNH).
Paratypes. (2 ♂ total) Peru: Madre de Dios: 1 ♂, Rio Tambopata Res, 30 air km, SW Pto. Maldonado, 290 m: 11–15 November 1979, J.B. Heppner [leg.], St Laurent dissection: 5-19-18:1 (USNM). 1 ♂, Collecting data as for other paratype except: 16–- 20 November 1979, [DNA/dissection number] LEP50148, MGCL General Acc, UF FLMNH MGCL 1032598 (MGCL). Paratypes with yellow label reading ‘ PARATYPE ♂ Zaphanta rawlinsi St Laurent and Giusti, 2019 ’.
Additional putative specimen examined
1 ♂, Peru: Loreto: Chamireyacù, prés Yurimaguas, Huallaga [River]: June– August 1885, M. de Mathan [leg.], Ex. Oberthür Coll., Brit. Mus. 1927–3, NHMUK 010890529 (NHMUK). [not included in type series].
Distribution
Zaphanta rawlinsi is only known from the Ecuadorian and Peruvian Amazon.
Etymology
This species is named in honour of Dr John Rawlins (CMNH), one of the collectors of the holotype, and the facilitator of the loan to the first author, which allowed for its description.
Remarks
This new species is clearly distinct from other Amazonian Zaphanta species by male genitalia, and further differentiated by genitalia and biogeography from the mostly Central American species, Z. fraterna, with which it bears the closest resemblance in terms of genital morphology.
Although this species is only conclusively (based on genital examinations) known from the Ecuadorian holotype and the two specimens collected by J.B. Heppner in Peru, we are aware of a fourth specimen in the NHMUK (specimen identification code NHMUK 010890529) that shares similar arrangements in maculation, angulate wing margins due to particularly accentuated mesal points along the wing margins, and biogeography. Unfortunately, the abdomen of this specimen was not well preserved, and a genital preparation revealed no remaining genital structures on which to base an identification. Therefore, we do not include this specimen in the type series of Z. rawlinsi, but mention it here because it is closest in appearance and biogeography to this new species. We also include this record to provide additional information pertaining to this rarely collected genus, particularly in relation to Peruvian populations.
description: Published as part of St Laurent, Ryan A. & Giusti, Alessandro, 2019, Revision of Zaphanta Dyarı 1910 (Lepidoptera: Mimallonidae: Zaphantinae) ı with descriptions of nine new species, pp. 1209-1246 in Journal of Natural History 53 (19) on pages 1225-1226, DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2019.1634772, http://zenodo.org/record/3673463