Ceramidia phemonoides Möschler 1854

Ceramidia phemonoides (Möschler)

Antichloris phemonoides Möschler, 1878:639–640, 699, pl. 8: fig. 10.

Passinura phemonoides.—Kirby, 1892:158.

Ceramidia phemonoides.—Hampson, 1898:395, 396, 397–398 — Klages, 1906:548—Rothschild, 1912:153— Zerny, 1912:115 — Draudt, [1916]a:134, pl. 20: fig. i [1]; [1916]b:134, pl. 20: fig. i [1].—Kaye and Lamont, 1927:9.—Zerny, 1931a: 18; 1931b:250—Hagmann, 1938:193.—Fleming, 1950:212, 216; 1959:92.

Passineura fusiformis.— Butler, 1876:412, 413 [not Walker; a misidentification].

In the male sex C. phemonoides differs from C. fumipennis in having the pale gray to white area on the costal area of the upper surface of the hind wing extending to well below the cell and to well below the outer angle of this wing (Figure 5). On the undersurface of the forewing the pale gray area is larger than in C. fumipennis, extending nearly to vein Cu2 and extending farther outward toward the outer margin. In C. fumipennis the hind tibia is entirely white; in C. phemonoides the outer surface of the hind tibia is fuscous.

MALE (Figures 5, 6).—Head and thorax similar to C. fumipennis except the metallic color is usually bronze green. Legs with white on coxae and femora of all three pairs, tibiae and tarsi of all legs mainly dark brown and metallic blue-green or bronze green. Tympanic hood of thorax and abdomen as in C. fumipennis with large white bands below the spiracular line as in that species.

Wings above fuscous. Forewing with a small metallic bronze green or blue-green spot on base opposite base of tegula. Hind wing above with pale gray and white of costal area extending to well below the cell and completely covering the outer angle and outer margin down to vein Cu1. Forewing below as in C. fumipennis with a narrow streak of white in middle of costal margin and with an area of pale gray on its base below the cell, extending outward toward outer margin slightly farther than in C. fumipennis. Hind wing below with a white band extending from the base of wing outward through the cell and with costal area above this distinctly blue or green.

Length of forewing, 15–17 mm (average 16 mm), exactly the size and variation of C. fumipennis.

Male genitalia as illustrated by Figure 76 (drawn from preparation of lectotype), with valva rather long and slender and having a short, sharply pointed, and downwardly bent apex; with ventral margin having several large downwardly directed teeth and in having a single similar tooth projecting downward from costa, thus differing from C. fumipennis in all of these characters.

FEMALE (Figures 23, 24).—Head and thorax similar to the male with the amount of white greatly reduced, especially on the legs, which are fuscous except for a few white scales on coxa of foreleg and femora of hind leg. Thorax with tympanic hood as in the male. Abdomen very similar to the male except white bands are even larger.

Wings above and below fuscous except for a small, short streak of white on base of forewing underneath and for a narrow stripe of white in lower one-half of cell on hind wing. Forewing below lacking the pale gray area found on its base below the cell in the male sex. Hind wing above without the large pale gray area found in upper one-half of wing in the male sex, sometimes area above cell a lighter fuscous color.

Length of forewing, 16 and 18 mm (only two known examples).

Female genitalia as illustrated by Figure 84 (drawn from preparation number 6567) and as described above in the generic description. Since the female of the only other species in Ceramidia (C. fumipennis) is unknown to me, I cannot offer specific characters for the present species.

TYPE-DATA.—Described from two syntypes from Surinam (sex not stated in the original description). This locality is not specifically mentioned in the original description (Möschler, 1876:639–640), but we know from the title of the author’s paper that he was specifically treating the fauna of Surinam. One of the two syntypes was loaned to me for study and I designate it the lectotype (Figures 5, 6); it is a male and a designating lectotype label has been placed on the pin of this specimen.

MISIDENTIFICATION.—As mentioned under this heading in the discussion of the genus Ceramidia, Butler, the author of this genus, designated as type of his new genus Passineura the species Pampa fusiformis Walker. Möschler (1878:640) correctly points out that this is a misidentification and that the species Butler actually had is the species he (Möschler) describes as Antichloris phemonoides = Cermidia phemonoides.

ETYMOLOGY.—The name phemonoides is an adjective in the nominative singular with a feminine ending and agreeing in gender with the generic name. It is derived from the Greek word Phemonon (the daughter of Apollo) and the Greek suffix oides (a likeness of form). It has the same ending in all three genders.

DISTRIBUTION.—This species is found from French Guiana west through Surinam, Guyana, and Trinidad into central Venezuela. Two specimens labeled “Brazil” (if correctly labeled) place this species also in that country, considerably east, however, of the known distribution of C. fumipennis.

MATERIAL STUDIED.—Forty-four males and two females were studied from the following localities: FRENCH GUIANA: Cayenne; St. Jean, Maroni (July, August). SURINAM: Aroewawa Creek, Maroewijne Valley (February). GUYANA: Ida Sabina, Rio Berbrice (March, April). TRINIDAD. VENEZUELA: Caura Valley (May, June); Corosita, Caura Valley; La Union, Caura Valley (September, October). BRAZIL: Rio Tapajos; State of Minas Geraes.

Ceramidia Butler, 1877:40, pl. 16: fig. 5.—Kirby, 1892:158 [in part].—Hampson, 1898:395, 396 [in part].—Zerny, 1912:115 [in part].—Rothschild, 1912:153 [in part].—Draudt, [I916]a: 133 [in part]; [1916]b:133 [in part].

Ceramidiodes Hampson, 1914:255, fig. 36.—Draudt, 1917a:207; 1917b:207.

Type-species: Ceramidia mathani Rothschild, a junior synonym of Ceramidiodes obscurus (Butler), new combination. Type by original designation and by reason of being the sole included species

Ceramidia phemonoides is a moth of the subfamily Arctiinae. It was described by Heinrich Benno Möschler in 1854. It is found in Ecuador and the Amazon region.