Melese farri (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae: Arctiinae) : A new species from Jamaica

2007·2.9 MB·

by  Catherine P Murphy

PROC. ENTOMOL. SOC. WASH.
109(4), 2007, pp. 914-919
MELESE FARRI (LEPIDOPTERA: NOCTUIDAE: ARCTIINAE): A NEW
SPECIES FROM JAMAICA
Catherine P. Murphy and Eric Garraway
Department of Life Sciences, University of the West Indies, Mona, Kingston 7,
Jamaica (e-mail: [email protected])
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Abstract. An ongoing survey ofJamaica's invertebrate fauna uncovered a species
of arctiine moth, Melesefarri Murphy and Garraway, n. sp. Members of the genus
Melese Walker, occur throughout Central and South America; however, Trinidad is
the only other Caribbean island from which a Melese species has been described.
Melesefarri in Jamaica raises questions concerning the biogeography of the genus
Melese throughout the Caribbean.
Key Words: Melesefarri, Arctiinae, tymbal organs, genitalia, Jamaica, South and
Central America
In Jamaica, the clearing of lands to Based on museum collections, the
facilitate bauxite mining and road and genus Melese appears to be a native of
house construction has led to the de- Central and South America with 35
struction of many habitats and the flora species (Watson 1971), identified from
and fauna associated with them. Ja- this region. In the Caribbean, Trinidad is
maica, with its high level of endemism the only island with any record of this
(Government ofJamaica 1987), urgently genus. Melese incertiis (Walker) {flavi-
needs to catalogue the invertebrate fauna pimcta Rothschild) is reported from
before further species loss occurs. A Trinidad (Watson and Goodger 1986)
survey of Jamaica's Lepidoptera fauna but Trinidad is regarded as having
was undertaken to determine its status a South American fauna because of its
and generate checklists. proximity to Venezuela. The absence of
Twenty locations across the island any record of Melese species from other
were sampled between 1995 and 2000. Caribbean islands might be due to a lack
Thirteen specimens of a previously un- of study in these areas; its occurrence in
described species from the subfamily Jamaica however suggests that there may
Arctiinae, tribe Arctiini, were collected be members of the genus in other
from four sites, Windsor and Dromilly in Caribbean islands.
the Cockpit Country, Trelawny Parish; A description of the new species from
Accompong Maroon Village in St. Eli- Jamaica, including descriptions of male
zabeth Parish and a single specimen from and female genitalia and tymbal organs,
St. Toolis in southern Manchester Parish is given.
in central Jamaica. This species is placed
Materials and Methods
in the genus Melese Walker based on
general external morphology and the Moths were collected at hourly inter-
structure of the female genitalia. vals between dusk and dawn using
VOLUME NUMBER
109, 4 915
1b
Fig. 1. Melesefarri, adult, la. Female dorsal, lb, Female ventral. Ic, Male dorsal.
a modification of Robinson's light trap
with 125W mercury vapor lamps and
plastic buckets. After dispatch with ethyl
acetate, spread specimens of suspected
arctiines were examined, their sex de-
termined and the moths described with
the aid ofa stereo-microscope with zoom
objective. Dorsal and ventral surfaces of
both sexes were photographed. The
wings of males and females were mea-
sured, from the apex to the point of
attachment to the thorax, following
which, they were prepared for venation
studies according to the method outlined
in Borror et al. (1992). Specimens were
classified using general description keys
(Borror et al. 1992; Heppner 1993) and
this classification adjusted based on
Lafontaine and Fibiger's revised classifi-
cation of the Noctuoidea (2006). Identi-
fication to species demanded comparison
with specimens at the Institute of Ja-
maica, the Carnegie Museum in Pitts-
burgh, Pennsylvania, and The Natural
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON
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VOLUME NUMBER
109, 4 917
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History which were loaned to the Carne- 1 S, Manchester Parish, St. Toolis, 04-
gie Museum at that time were also 02-2000. Deposited with holotype.
examined. 1 S, Windsor; 24-ix-2000, 1 ?, Tre-
Genitalia studies required the removal lawny Parish, Dromilly, Cockpit Coun-
of the posterior halves of abdomens, try, 27-iv-2001. Deposited in the Insect
maceration in potassium hydroxide solu- Collection at the Institute ofJamaica, 12
tion (10% for males, 5% for females) East Street, Kingston, Jamaica.
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overnight, then dissection of the genitalia Diagnosis. The species is similar in
followed by repeated washing in distilled appearance to Melese columbiana Roths-
water and storing in 50% iso-propanol. child from Santa Fe de Bogota. Male
Male genitalia were further treated by specimens of M. columbiana have three
removing aedeagi and eversion ofvesicae; white lines along the basal 2/3 of the
valvaewerealso spread to showtheirinner costal margin with a white spot between
surfaces. Male and female genitalia were the second cubital vein and the second
described, photographed or otherwise anal vein. Jamaican specimens have no
illustrated and measured following which white spot and there is a black spot at
they were dehydrated and stored separate- each forewing base between the second
ly in vials ofabsolute iso-propanol. anal vein and the inner margin of the
Hindlegs of specimens were removed wing. Females of M. columbiana possess
to facilitate tymbal organ studies. Scales several white spots as well as white lines
on the meta-thoracic episternite were on each forewing.
described then removed by abrasion with Description adults (Fig. 1). Head:
insect pins to reveal tymbal organs. Vertex gray brown, rough scaled; frons
These organs were described and photo- darker. Antenna bipectinate, tapering;
graphed. rami lined with cilia; scape pink on outer
lateral surfaces, brown on inner surface;
Results
antennal shaft brown with scales on a few
Melesefarri Murphy and Garraway, basal segments, pink color decreasing
new species distally. Female antenna less feathery.
(Figs. 1-5) Compound eye prominent, ringed with
Material examined. Holotype: S Ja- brown scales; proboscis developed; ocel-
,
maica: St. Elizabeth Parish, Accompong lus in shallow groove behind antennal
Maroon Village, C. P. Murphy and E. scape; labial palpus three-segmented,
Garraway in light trap, 02-03-viii-1997. upturned, reaching up to brown vertex.
Deposited in the Entomology Museum, Thorax: Patagium and tegula covered
University of the West Indies, Mona, with various shades of dark brown
Kingston, Jamaica. scales. Forewing, mixture of brown and
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Jamaica: same data as holotype; 1 S, shape. Hindwing bright orange pink;
1 ?, Trelawny Parish, Windsor, Cockpit overlap region of fore- and hindwings
Figs. 3-5. Melesefarri. 3,Tymbalorgans,male(a), female(b). 4, Malegenitalia,dorsal (a), lateral(b),
aedeagus with everted vesica (c). 5, Female genitalia, ventral (a), lateral (b).
918 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON
pale, almost golden in color. First anal a thin rod, expands ventrally forming
vein (lA) weak in hindwing (Fig. 2), a well-developed saccus.
completely absent in forewing. Ventral Well-developed valvae attach to tegu-
wing surfaces like dorsal, except black men laterally. Base of each valva large;
spots absent. setose sacculi meet at their bases. Each
Forewing length (male) 13.0-16.0 mm, valva bears a short ridge on its inner
mean 14.6 mm, n = 10. surface, a valvula and a setose cucullus,
Forewing length (female) 15.0- a small triangular projection from costa.
16.0 mm, mean 15.7 mm, n = 4. Distal valva covered thickly with hairs on
Metepisternites lightly covered with inner and outer surfaces. Aedeagus with
small, circular scales which when re- distinct rounded coecum penis, ductus
moved, reveal tymbal organs comprising ejaculatorius bulges where it meets phal-
translucent blisters each bearing a striat- lus giving aedeagus a bilobed appearance.
ed band of 20 to 22 raised bars with Everted vesica covered with spines.
rounded ends in female (Fig. 3) and 16 to Female genitalia (Fig. 5): Papillae ana-
20 bars in male (Fig. 3); bands taper at les triangular, sclerotized, setose lobes,
both ends. Each bar bears several striae. with two pairs of short apodemes and
Coxa of foreleg bright orange pink with a pair of triangular dorsal pheromone
dark brown scales on basal half of outer glands which arise posteriorly. Ostium
surface; coxae of mid- and hindlegs bursae's position marked by a notch in
similarly but less brightly colored. Fore- narrow genital plate. Ostium bursae
leg femur brown on outer, orange pink opens into antrum of ductus bursae
on inner surface; foretibia dark brown which continues as a curved tube and
along outer edges, orange pink near connects with corpus bursae via a short,
base; rings of light brown scales at unsclerotized neck. Corpus bursae, large,
tibial-tarsal joints and at base of tarsal spherical with regularly spaced crenula-
segments. Tibiae of other legs similarly tions running longitudinally along its
colored. Coloring on female legs less outer surface and covered with small
intense than that of male. Foreleg bears regularly spaced pimples. Ventrally, cor-
epiphysis, mid- and hindlegs one and two pus bursae bears a large, leaf-shaped,
pairs of tibial spurs respectively. highly sclerotized signum; a smaller
Abdomen: Dorsal surface with orange signum occurs on dorsal surface. Appen-
pink hairs on first three segments, short dix bursae, a small spherical sac, arises
smooth scales on remaining segments; from anterior corpus bursae adjacent to
ventral abdomen with orange pink ductus bursae. A short tube arising from
scales; lateral abdomen brown. Abdo- posterior appendix bursae, ductus semi-
men offemale larger than male and more nalis, bears an ovoid sac, or spermatheca
rounded. which in turn leads to an oblong-shaped
Male genitalia (Fig. 4): Lightly sclero- bulla seminalis—before joining vagina.
tized with doubly indented anterior Etymology. The species is named for
margin. A rectangular hood projecting the late Dr. Thomas Farr, entomologist
from caudal margin gives rise to bi- at the Institute of Jamaica, the island's
furcate, setose, rodlike uncus. Arising national museum. Dr. Farr, the only
from caudal tegumen and ventrolateral resident insect taxonomist on the island
of uncus, a pair of thin plates bearing for four decades, died in 1996. His work
several large spines at their distal mar- encouraged us to undertake the present
gins curve towards each other. Lightly survey.
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sclerotized diaphragma forms wide tu- Discussion. The external morpho-
bular anellus; juxta small. Vinculum, logical similarities (body and wing color
VOLUME NUMBER
109, 4 919
and size) between M. farri and other questions concerning its origin and bio-
Melese species from Central and South geography throughout the Americas.
America is immediately apparent. Place-
Acknowledgments
ment among the Arctiinae is supported
by studies of wing venation, quadrifid Thanks to Dr. John Rawlins and the
forewing, and trifme hindwing (Fig. 2). staff at the Carnegie Museum in Pitts-
Comparison of the female genitalia with burgh, Pennsylvania, for their advice and
those of Melese rubricata Dognin and assistance during this study. Thanks to
Melese flavimaculata Dognin from Mr. David T. Goodger and Mr. David
French Guiana and Ecuador, respective- Carter at The Natural History Museum
ly, supports inclusion in the genus. in London who gave assistance with the
Melese farri appears to be somewhat identification of the Jamaican species.
restricted in its Jamaican distribution. Of
Literature Cited
the thirteen specimens collected, all
except one was found in the Cockpit Borror, D. J., C. A. Triplehorn, and N. F. Johnson.
1992. An Introduction to the study of Insects,
Country, a moist to wet limestone forest
6thedition.SaundersCollegePublishing,664pp.
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by the Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Re-
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which comprises a series of rocky lime- Field and Assoc. Inc.
stone hills with a secondary dry lime- Heppner, J. B. 1993. Keys to families ofLepidop-
stone forest. The specimen from St. tera. Tropical Lepidoptera 4, Supplement 3:
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ofthe dry seasons in Jamaica while those Lafonhtiagihneer,clJ.assDi.ficaantidonMo.fFtihbeigNeor.ct2u0o0i6d.eaRe(vLiespeid-
from Cockpit Country sites were collect- doptera). CanadianEntomologist 138: 610-635.
ed between July and September, another Proctor, G. R. 1986. Cockpit country and its
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K. Bretting, and M. Humphreys, eds. Forests
the Cockpit Country and St. Toolis ofJamaica: Papers on the Caribbean Regional
would identify the breeding season for Seminar on Forests of Jamaica held in King-
this species and would clarify whether it ston, Jamaica 1983. The Jamaican Society of
favors wet forest conditions or cool, dry Scientists and Technologists.
conditions. Although M.farri appears to Watson, A. 1971. An illustrated catalog of the
Neotropic Arctiinae types in the United States
favor the Cockpit Country, it might not National Museum (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae)
be endemic to this region. part 1. Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology
The genus Melese appears to be 50: 6, 13, 16, 21, 23, 31, 35, 46, 61, 70, 77, 78,
Neotropical and its occurrence in Trini- 82, 83, 86, 87, 147-149, 254-258, 345.
Watson,A. andD. T. Goodger. 1986. Catalogueof
dad is not surprising. Its absence so far the Neoptropical tiger-moths. Occasional Pa-
from other Caribbean islands is surpris- pers on Systematic Entomology, British Mu-
ing and its occurrence in Jamaica raises seum (Natural History) No. 1, 71 pp., 4 pis.