Schausiana chalciope Mielke & Grehan & Monzón-Sierra 2020, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Mielke, Carlos G. C.
name: Grehan, John R.
name: Monzón-Sierra, José
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2020
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Hepialidae
Schausiana
Schausiana chalciope

description: Schausiana chalciope sp. nov.
(Figs 4, 14–16, 31, 38)
Type material. Holotype ♀ (Fig. 16): GUATEMALA, San Marcos, Camino Fraternidad a Bojonal. 1600 msnm, 6 de agosto 2013, 14.9459 —91.8806, Colector José Monzón S. / JMS 11008 / HOLOTYPUS, Schausiana chalciope C. Mielke, Grehan & Monzón des. 2020/ (UVG).
Paratypes (in total 1 ♂, 5 ♀). All GUATEMALA. Baja Verapaz: 3 ♀, near Purulhá, Ranchitos del Quetzal, 1650 m, 15°12′59′′N 90°13′06′′W: 6.X.2007, 2.VIII.2011, 22.IX.2012, J. Monzón leg. (CGCM 23.604 [BC- HM432558], 29.704, 41.258 (CGCM)); 1♀, Quetzal Reserve (Los Ranchitos Lodge), 1680 m, 27.-30.VI.2012, J.B. Heppner leg. (MGCL). Suchitepéquez: 1 ♀, Santa Bárbara, Ref Quetzal UVG 1600 m, 29.VI.2011, 14°32′30′′N 91°11′50′′W, J. Monzón & Camposeco leg. (CGCM 5.312 (CGCM)). Chimaltenango: 1 ♂, Quisaché, Acatenango, 1750 m, 22.VII.1965, E. Welling leg. (CGCM 6.216 (CGCM)).
Diagnosis. Very similar to the previous species, but easily distinguished from other Schausiana by the presence of black dots at the intersection of the A and CuA 2 veins and wing margin in the FW. In addition, most specimens show a conspicuous second black dot in the anal area and the dark brown stripes are more numerous and more contrasting in the postmedial area of the FW.
Description. Male (Figs 14 a–b).
Head. Frons yellowish-brown and vertex brown. Antenna with ~29 antenomeres.
Thorax. Dorsally pro- and mesothorax coloured as the head, metathorax greyish-brown, ventrally pro- and mesothorax yellowish-brown, metathorax pale yellow. FW length: 54 mm, width: 20 mm (ratio ~2.7), wingspan: 105 mm; elongate, tornus absent; costal margin slightly convex, apex pronounced and acute, outer margin slightly concave from apex to Rs3, inner margin convex. DFW ground colour greyish-brown with numerous tiny dark brown stripes and dots over entire wing, with greater numbers and higher contrast in postmedial area; antemedial area indistinctly marked by a darker U-band, proximal arm has conspicuous irregular shaped silver spot, distal arm extending from the silver, multi-spotted stigma to between Cu and A veins; postdiscal, premarginal and marginal bands barely visible, slightly darker than ground colour; postdiscal band slightly darker posteriorly with black dots ♀ PT (CGCM 5.312): dorsal view (CGCM); arrows indicating the black dots at the intersection of the A and CuA 2 veins and wing margin. 16, ♀ HT: dorsal view (UVG). Scale bar = 1 cm.
at wing margin; anal area with one or two irregular and detached black spots apart from each other; specialized spine-like scales present along veins. DHW ground colour greyish-brown, costal margin distally brown with some darker spots. VFW and VHW greyish-brown with apex and veins distally dark yellow.
Abdomen. First two segments, dorsal and ventrally, concolorous with the metathorax, then the segments III to VIII black with some reflecting dark blue dorsally, lighter posteriorly on each segment, ventrally pale yellow as the metathorax.
Male genitalia. Not dissected.
Female (Figs 4, 15–16, 31, 38).
Head. As for the ♂.
Thorax. FW length: 62–85 mm, width: 23–25 mm (ratio ~2.75), wingspan: 120–178 mm.
Abdomen (Fig. 31). Tergite II with slightly concave lateral ridges near lateral margins, sternite II anterior corners projected, rest roughly approximately trapezoidal, wider posteriorly, posterior margin notched mesally; sternite VII rectangular, reduced, three time wider than long; tergite VIII mostly membranous, sternite VIII similar in size to tergite VII, trapezoidal, wider posteriorly, anterior margin about 1/4 of posterior margin.
Female genitalia (Fig. 38). Tergum IX (dorsal plate) an inverted U-shape and articulated with sternum IX (lamella antevaginalis); anal papillae triangular, forming a distinct angle along the more lightly sclerotized, heavily setose, posterior margin. Lamella antevaginalis enlarged posteriorly, largely notched mesally producing a posterolateral process, apically setose, on each side on the dorsal margin; from the anterior portion arises a robust and dorsally projecting triangular lobe, apically setose with a central and triangular heavier sclerotization, softening ventrally, and forming with the ventral margin of the lamella antevaginalis a membranous area between both structures. Subanal plate ovoid with corrugated surface. Corpus bursae and ductus bursae not preserved.
Geographical distribution. Schausiana chalciope sp. n., is endemic to Guatemala, known from localities at altitudes of 1,600–1,700 m in Baja Verapaz, Chimaltenango, and Suchitepéquez which are in the vicinity of the Motagua-Polochic Fracture Zone (Fig. 48).
Host plants. Unknown.
Etymology. The specific epithet comes from the Greek mythology. Chalciope is the daughter of Phalerus, homonym to the previous species, highlighting the expected close relationship between the two species.
Remarks. The wing ornamentation and habitus in Schausiana chalciope sp. n., including the presence of specialized spine-like scales on the DFW veins, is very similar to the previous species. Both species are reciprocally allopatric.
description: Published as part of Mielke, Carlos G. C., Grehan, John R. & Monzón-Sierra, José, 2020, Taxonomic revision of Schausiana Viette with two new species from Guatemala and notes on biogeography and correlated tectonics (Lepidoptera: Hepialidae), pp. 67-91 in Zootaxa 4860 (1) on pages 77-79, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4860.1.3, http://zenodo.org/record/4413508