Misplaced Neotropical Agaristinae ( Lepidoptera , Noctuidae ) , with descriptions of new taxa

The following taxa, formerly misplaced, are transferred to Agaristinae based on characters of genitalia and, especially, on the presence of a prominence on the frons of head, a character absent in the Arctiinae: Acyclania Dognin, 1911, Chlanidophora Berg, 1877 and Graphelysia Hampson, 1911 from the Arctiinae; Cyanohypsa Giacomelli, 1911 from the Pericopinae [= Pericopini]; Oxytaphora Dyar, 1917 from the Amphipyrinae; Cabralia judsoni Schaus, 1933 from the Ophiderinae [= Catocalinae] to Rhosus Walker, 1854 [= Rhosus judsoni (Schaus) comb. nov.]; Caularisia gen. nov. is proposed to include C. zikani (Schaus, 1933) comb. nov.; Gerra radiata sp. nov. is described from Brazil; Caridarctia Hampson, 1901 syn. nov. [= Chlanidophora Berg]; Chlanidophora mariae Köhler, 1924 syn. nov. [= Acyclania tenebrosa Dognin], Aucula particolor Dyar, 1914 syn. nov. and Gerra pulchra Draudt, 1919 syn. nov. [= Darcetina sublata (Walker, [1865])]; lectotypes are designated for Caularis zikani Schaus, 1933 and for Aucula particolor Dyar, 1914.

Remarks: originally described in the Arctiidae [Arctiinae], it was placed by HAMPSON (1920), next to Chlanidophora Berg.SEITZ (1925) synonymized it under Caridarctia Hampson, however, WATSON (1973), reinstated it as a valid, distinct genus.It was excluded from the Arctiidae by WATSON & GOODGER (1986), following the suggestion of the present author.The presence of a triangular-pointed prominence or tubercle on the frons of the head excludes this genus from the Arctiidae.The genus is closely related to Chlanidophora but differs mainly in the shape of the genitalia which have long valvae with parallel margins, bearing asymmetric processes of sacculus, and uncus triangular in crosssection.These characters are apomorphic to the genus.
Remarks: the males in the author's collection match the type of A. tenebrosa, including genitalia, and the females match the figure of C. mariae in the original description (KÖHLER 1924: pl. 1, fig. 1;pl. 6, fig. 10).
Type-species: Caularis zikani Schaus, 1933.Diagnosis.This is the only genus belonging to the New World Agaristinae with plain golden-orange hind wings and pectinate antennae; the valvae bearing a broad, thin pointed clasper is unique in the Agaristinae.

Figs 5, 21
Caularis zikani Schaus, 1933: 373;Poole, 1989: 227 Remarks: this species is not congeneric with those currently in Caularis, neither with any other of the New World genera of Agaristinae.Readily distinguished from any other New World agaristine by the combination of reddish brown forewings and plain golden yellow hind wings.
Described from an unspecified number of specimens from "Campo Bello, Rio".Two specimens were traced in the USNM: the "Type" [see above], and another male labeled "Campo Belo, Rio, Zikán", here designated as paralectotype.With the removal of this species, Caularis becomes restricted to the Antilles.Remarks: this genus, originally described in the Arctiidae, is closely related to Acyclania [see above for differences] and to Rhosus Walker, 1854.The round or conical head prominence excludes it from the Arctiinae, and distinguishes this genus from the former, and the long digital process of sacculus from the second.It has been treated in all major works on the Arctiinae (HAMPSON 1901, SEITZ 1919) until excluded by WATSON & GOODGER (1986) following the suggestion by the present author.Both Chlanidophora and Caridarctia have been considered distinct on the base of the shape of antennae and hind wing venation.In Caridarctia the antennae are strongly bipectinate, and Rs and M1 on hind wings connate, whereas the antennae are filiform, and Rs and M1 stalked in Chlanidophora.However, the characters of their male genitalia do not support this separation, as they are almost identical .FORBES (in BIEZANKO et al. 1957), stated that "This [Chlanidophora] is probably a noctuid, certainly not an arctiid".BIEZANKO & GUERRA (1971) mentioned that the larvae of C. albicancellata (Burmeister), comb.nov., like those of Xanthopastis timais (Cramer, data), feed on the leaves and bulbs of several species of Amaryllidaceae [= Liliaceae], and for this reason included both in a new subfamily: Xanthopastinae [= Hadeninae, Glottulini].Although both species present similarities in colour pattern and food preferences, X. timais has hirsute eyes and is a member of the Hadeninae.The larvae of C. patagiata were reared on Chloraea piquichen Lindl.(Orchidaceae) by BOURQUIN (1949).A third species, C. culleni Brèthes, 1908 belongs to this genus.Its description is not very accurate, the sex of the type-specimen is not indicated, and the illustration which accompanies the original description rather crude.However, according to them it is very likely that the type-specimen of C. culleni is only a female of C. patagiata.
Remarks: this monotypic genus was originally described in the Hypsidae [sensu HAMPSON (1898) which at the time included the Pericopinae (Arctiidae).It was retained in that sub-family by HERING (1925: 433, pl. 61a), and excluded by WATSON & GOODGER (1986), following the suggestion of the present author.The cylindrical, truncate prominence of head, and the peculiarly shaped male genitalia (Fig. 26) excludes it from the Arctiidae.The male genitalia resemble those of Oxytaphora Dyar [see below], but differs by its thin, rod-shape uncus.
The type-species was described from an unspecified number of specimens, not examined by the author.However, the specimens studied here, in the USNM, belong to a series, from the type-locality (ARGENTINA: La Rioja), apparently sent to Schaus  by Giacomelli himself, and so, probably part of the original type-series.In the original description is suggested that the species is diurnal "Volaban sobre algunas Mimosa y cerca de las Jatropha…".The specimen illustrated here, which has the white dots on fore wings smaller than those on the Argentinian specimens, was also found flying during the day.
Remarks: this monotypic genus was described in the Arctiidae and apparently overlooked by all major authors until NYE (1975), listed it in the Agaristinae, recognizing D. cinerosa as a junior synonym of Bepara sublata Walker, [1865] (see be-low), an action apparently overlooked by TODD & POOLE (1981).This genus shares with Aucula authors the yellow oval area of hind wings and complex male genitalia (Fig. 23), however, the filiform antennae and dark gray and iridescent blue on fore wings excludes it from this genus.The broadly expanded tegumen is unique in the Agaristinae.
The series of specimens in the author's collection, match the colour image of the type (Fig. 8); the syntypes of A. particolor (Fig. 9); the figure of G. pulchra in DRAUDT (1919), and a female specimen from Peru, Madre de Dios, in the USNM, bearing an identification label in HAMPSON's hand writing "Aucula sublata Wkr".The colour illustration of the type of D. sublata in HAMPSON (1910: pl. 146, fig. 6) is rather crude, and likely copied in DRAUDT (1919: pl. 1h) who apparently did not examine the type specimen.As he also overlooked the descriptions of both D. cinerosa and A. particolor it explains why he described the species again.The type of G. pulchra was presumably deposited in Draudt's collection, destroyed in the World War II.

Figs 11, 19
Diagnosis.The mostly gray wings, crossed with the contrasting white veins are unique among the New World Agaristinae.
Description.Male 16 mm, female 18 mm.Sexes similar.Head mouse-gray; antennae bipectinate, pectination 3x diameter of flagellum.Thorax whitish; patagia and tegulae bordered gray posteriorly; legs mouse-gray.Fore wings mouse-gray crossed with white veins; broad, irregular, white area above cell from base to before apex, expanding towards termen from M2 to CuA2 and obliquely from lower margin of mid cell towards base of dorsum; base dark gray irregularly bordered outside with deep yellow; reniform and orbicular spots dark gray, former whitish inside.Hind wings pale yellow; broad mousegray margin from costa to tornus, crossed with white veins.Cilia white in both wings.Abdomen mouse-gray.
Remarks.Closely related to G. lunata (Köhler, data) (Figs 10 and 20), from Argentina, but this has forewings with the white areas much reduced and veins less contrasting.

Graphelysia Hampson
Figs  1993, 20.XI.1994, 25-30.XI.1995, Becker leg. (VOB 88961, 93691, 110691) Remarks: described in the Arctiinae, this monotypic genus was transferred to the Acontiinae (Noctuidae) by FORBES (1924), who stated that "Altogether the connection with the Acontiinae, Noctuidae is unmistakable, though no genus known to me is at all close".This action was presumably overlooked by most subsequent authors: HERING (1925) included it in the Pericopinae; REGO-BARROS (1969) redescribed and returned it to the Arctiidae [= Arctiinae]; WATSON et al. (1980) listed it in the same subfamily.The genus was not included in the Arctiidae by WATSON & GOODGER (1986), following the suggestion by the present author.The conical, pointed prominence on the head excludes it from the Arctiinae.The male genitalia (Fig. 12) are intermediate between Xerociris Grote, 1863 and Eudryas Boisduval, 1836.The valvae are similar to those of the former with processes of sacculus large and broad, and uncus like that of the later, bearing digital socii at base.Its strigulate pattern is unique in Agaristinae.

Oxythaphora Dyar Figs 13, 25
the Amphipyrinae, and treated in the last subfamily by DRAUDT (1926), again in the Acronictinae by NYE (1975) and back to the Amphipyrinae by POOLE (1989).According to the male genitalia (Fig. 25) it is related to Cyanohypsa [see above], but its broad, forked uncus is unique in the Agaristinae.

Figs 14, 24
Cabralia judsoni Schaus, 1933: 385;Poole, 1989: 182 Remarks: Cabralia Moore (1882: 374) was described in the Glottulidae [= Noctuidae: Glottulinae] a subfamily which was merged with the Hadeninae by HAMPSON (1905), but he did not include Cabralia among them.SCHAUS (1933) described C. judsoni just after Herminodes Guenée, 1852, a genus belonging to the Ophiderinae and NYE (1975) listed Cabralia in the same subfamily.It is very likely that both authors followed the arrangement of the BMNH noctuid collection as left by Hampson.C. judsoni is not congeneric with C. trifasciata Moore, 1882, neither an Ophiderinae [= Catocalinae].According to its characters it belongs to the Agaristinae, closely related to the species currently in Gerra Walker and in Rhosus Walker, 1854.It is being included in the last genus based on the presence of a long, strong cornutus on the vesica, a character present in Rhosus but absent in Gerra species (Fig. 24).Only the holotype specimen is known.