Revision of the genus Tarema Schaus, 1896 (Lepidoptera, Mimallonoidea, Mimallonidae) with the description of a new species from southeastern Brazil
Author
St Laurent, Ryan A.
Author
Herbin, Daniel
Author
Mielke, Carlos G. C.
text
ZooKeys
2017
646
119
137
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.646.10897
journal article
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.646.10897
1313-2970-646-119
18BB1484506F4F16888621C2D4F63B8B
18BB1484506F4F16888621C2D4F63B8B
Tarema bruna
sp. n.
Figs 7, 13, 16
Type material.
Holotype, ♂. BRAZIL:
Sao
Paulo: Alto de [recte da] Serra, [Paranapiacaba, Santo
Andre
],
Sao
Paulo, November, 1922. (R. Spitz [leg.])./ Rothschild Bequest BM 1939-1/ [genitalia] VIAL NHMUK010402168 / NHMUK010318286/ HOLOTYPE male
Tarema bruna
St Laurent, Herbin, & C. Mielke, 2017 [handwritten red label]/ (NHMUK). Type locality: Brazil:
Sao
Paulo: Paranapiacaba.
Diagnosis.
Externally this species is most similar to
Tarema rivara
, but can be easily distinguished by the earthen brown and clay brown coloration rather than orange or red-orange in
Tarema rivara
. Additionally, in
Tarema bruna
sp. n. the postmedial lunule reaches the wing margin without becoming highly diffuse, and is parallel to the wing margin for its entire length until bending outward. The male genitalia is unique in the extreme reduction of the heavily sclerotized vincular/valve arms, present as a small extension at
the
base of the valves. The phallus is also unique in the thinness of the dorsal projection, which is smooth as in
Tarema rivara
, not spined as in
Tarema fuscosa
.
Description.
Male.Head: As for genus, coloration earthen brown. Thorax: Coloration similar to that of head, appearing hoary due to banded gray and cream colored scales interspersed amongst brown ones, prothorax covered almost entirely in these lighter scales. Legs: As for genus. Forewing dorsum: Forewing length: 13 mm, wingspan: 26 mm, n=1. Ground color a mixture of earthen brown tones and clay-brown, overall generously shaded by cream colored scales giving the wing a hoary, layered appearance, especially medially. Antemedial line faint, brown, wavy. Postmedial line as for genus but wavier, coloration light cream, not bordered by darker scales except for a small external portion above the tornus. Antemedial area with salmon orange hue, medial area lighter brown compared to darker submarginal area. Apical half of submarginal area with postmedial lunule, the latter parallel with margin, then smoothly curved toward margin reaching wing margin without becoming diffuse, basal half of submarginal area darkest brown, apical portion external to lunule lighter brown. Discal spot as for genus. Fringe light cream with lighter and darker patches. Forewing ventrum: Similar
to
dorsum but lighter due to more extensive covering of gray and cream colored scales; antemedial line absent, postmedial line faint, bulging outward toward wing margin mesally. Postmedial lunule present as on dorsum, more distinct than postmedial line. Hindwing dorsum: Coloration as for forewing dorsum, following similar patterning but antemedial line absent, postmedial line straight and faintly outlined by black scales, postmedial lunule very faint. Hindwing ventrum: Following same pattern as forewing ventrum, though discal mark very dark, well defined as black oval. Abdomen: As for genus, concolorous with thorax. Genitalia: (Fig. 13) n=1. Vinculum somewhat ovoid, ventrally with reduced saccus. Uncus robust but reduced to slightly triangular stump. Gnathos a tapered, elongated, hexagonal plate. Valves short, rounded. Base of valves with pair of long, fingerlike projections. Slightly more strongly sclerotized, small projections emanate from base of valves. Diaphragm with pair of horsetail-like setal patches consisting of very long setae that extend outward over phallus below gnathos plate, setae curled backward at end. Phallus broad, large, widened distally, with two elongated accessory projections, one projection superior to phallus, smooth, narrow, pointed, other projection longer, narrower, running laterally along phallus originating from within phallus, tip of second projection sharp, angled forward. Vesica balloon-like. Female. Unknown.
Distribution
(Fig. 16). This new species is so far known only from the type locality at Paranapiacaba (previously known as Alto da Serra, a train station),
Sao
Paulo, Brazil. According to GoogleEarth, the elevation at this locality is approximately 700 m.
Etymology.
This species is named for its brown (
bruna
Latin) coloration, which largely distinguishes it from the red or orange
Tarema rivara
and the black, gray, and cream-colored
Tarema fuscosa
.
Remarks.
The discovery of a unique new species of
Tarema
from eastern
Sao
Paulo is surprising because this is a relatively well-surveyed region of Brazil (R. A. St. Laurent pers. obs.). Both
Tarema rivara
and
Tarema fuscosa
have been collected from the type locality of
Tarema bruna
(NHMUK), though at different times of the year. As previously mentioned in the remarks of
Tarema rivara
, that species is primarily a summer species, with records from Paranapiacaba in January, while
Tarema fuscosa
has only been collected there in the winter (June and July). More material of
Tarema bruna
will be needed to verify its voltinism.
An issue is presented by the fact that the type localities of
Tarema rivara
,
Tarema macarina
, and
Tarema bruna
are all from
Sao
Paulo, Brazil with specific type locality information from within the state only available for
Tarema bruna
. Therefore, the possibility arose that the name
Tarema macarina
could be wrongfully synonymized with
Tarema rivara
if indeed it is conspecific with the new species described herein. However, we consider the apparent rarity of
Tarema bruna
combined with the genitalia similarities between the lectotype of
Tarema macarina
and other
Tarema rivara
females dissected from
Sao
Paulo and elsewhere, including Cerrado regions, more suggestive that the name
Tarema macarina
does in fact represent the female of
Tarema rivara
, a much more commonly collected and widespread species. If future evidence were found to contradict our hypothesis,
Tarema bruna
would then be a junior and subjective synonym of
Tarema macarina
. It is therefore necessary that more material of
Tarema bruna
be found or collected, particularly in aim to locate the female of this species.