Castnia tricolor

Field: Agricultural and Biological Sciences (Life Sciences)

tricolor (C. Felder & R. Felder, 1874) (Figs. 11F, G) “ Castnia tricolor F.” C. Felder & R. Felder, 1874, Reise der österreichischen Fregatte Novara um die Erde in den Jahren 1857, 1858, 1859 unter den Befehlen des Commodore B. von Wütterstorf-Urbair Zoologische Theil, Zweiter Band. Zweite Abtheilung: Lepidoptera: 7, Pl. LXXIX, fig. 3. Type material: C. Felder & R. Felder (1874) give ♂, Bogota (Lindig), Chiriqui (M.C.), so there was more than one syntype. There is a single syntype with a label reading “ Bogota / Lindig / type” in NHMUK, no others could be found. Specimens from Chiriquí would be referable to ssp. diva, not tricolor. Lectotype designation: The syntype has had a red label added which reads: LECTOTYPE / Castnia / tricolor / Felder / designated by: / Jacqueline Y. Miller / 1977 (fig. 11F). This lectotype designation appears not to have been published so is invalid. However, because the Felders’ original type locality included both Bogotá, from whence comes what is now generally accepted as tricolor, and Chiriquí, where ssp. diva is found, a lectotype designation is necessary to fix both the taxon identity and type locality. Therefore, the syntype from Bogotá in NHMUK is hereby designated as lectotype to fix it as the sole name-bearing type of the nominal taxon Divana diva tricolor (C. & R. Felder, 1874) (Fig. 11F). If any other syntypes are found, they would be paralectotypes. Type locality: This is now fixed by the lectotype designation as Bogotá, Colombia, although this is almost certainly a generic locality designation (see “A note about locality data” in the introduction). Taxonomic status: A subspecies of Divana diva (Butler, 1870). Originally described as a species and treated as such by Miller (1995), Lamas (1995) sunk it to a subspecies of diva, an arrangement we follow. Male genitalia: (Fig. 5C) Similar to diva diva, this subspecies also has an uncus shortened in relation to the tegumen. Socii are also weakly developed. Subscaphium slightly sclerotised basad, and membranous distad. Gnathos moderately sclerotised, and recurved. Valvae lobate, with numerous setae as in diva diva. Valvae shorter than in diva diva, in relation to the whole genital armature, but as in the other diva subspecies, it is also obcordate posteriad, slightly concave anteriad. Sacculus weakly developed, but the setal tuft is smaller and shorter than in diva diva. Saccus blunt. Phallus as in nominotypical subspecies, slightly more incrassate and contorted distally; vesica as in other subspecies. Even though it is slightly different from the other subspecies, there is no doubt that they are closely related. Distribution: The nominotypical subspecies seems to be confined to the Magdalena valley in Colombia. We have only seen reliable records from Boyacá department (see also Vinciguerra 2010) (Fig. 16). Discussion: In the past there has been much confusion over the authorship and dates of taxa described in the “Reise … Novara…”. Miller (1995) assigned tricolor to Felder & Rogenhofer, 1875, Lamas (1995) then assigned it solely to R. Felder, 1874. Here, we follow Nässig & Speidel (2007) in assigning it to C. Felder & R. Felder, 1874. Material examined: A large series of males and females was examined for this study. Most were from Otanche or Muzo in Boyacá department.