Dianesia carteri

Dianesia carteri View in CoL ( Holland, 1902)

Figs. 1A–E View FIGURE 1 , 6O–P View FIGURE 6 , 7Y View FIGURE 7 –$, 8

Charis carteri View in CoL Holland 1902: 486.

Apodemia carteri Stichel 1910: 102 ; Stichel 1911; 290.

Apodemia carteri carteri Riley 1975: 93 .

Dianesia carteri carteri Harvey & Clench 1980: 127 View in CoL ; Smith et al. 1994: 106.

Dianesia carteri Hernández et al. 2025: 223 View in CoL .

Diagnosis. Dianesia carteri can be distinguished from all its congeners by the following combination of characters: smaller size (FW length ♂ 11,5–12,7 mm, n = 12, ♀ 11,9–12,8 mm, n = 5); uniform light intense orange-brown upper surface background color; well-developed FW marginal orange band; postdiscal white band dorsally reduced to the first four spots, all well marked; male genitalia with very blunt uncus tooth-like protuberance, tegumen smoothly depressed dorsally, broad valvae with narrower tips; female genitalia with corpus bursae globose and short flat cylindrical signa with very blunt tips. Barcode rDNC: 67(T), 160(G), 178(C).

Description. Eyes naked, green in life. Antennal socket orange; antennae slender, 36–38 alternate blackish and white antennomers, club blackish with white tip. Head, thorax and abdomen orange-brown, the latter with bright orange segment junctions. FWL: 11,5–12,7 mm ♂, 11,9–12,8 mm ♀. Male UPFW bright orange-brown, browner from the postdiscal area towards outer margin, with two dark brown concentric, discontinuous bands extending basally and discally, respectively, from the discal cell to 2A, the inner half of the basal band pointed towards the outer margin; a third incomplete band of the same color edging the discal cell, and a small spot of the same color on the bifurcation of Cu 1 and Cu 2. A thin dark brown postdiscal line extending sinuously from costa to Cu 1 and then straight to the inner margin, internally edged by a blurred blackish area and externally edged by a white band consisting of four spots, the two between R 2 –R 3 and R 3 –M 1 thinner and well-defined, and the two between M 1 –M 2 and M 2 –M 3 shorter, broader and more diffuse; two additional more diffuse spots between Cu 1 –Cu 2 and Cu 2 –2A. A submarginal curved broad orange band edged by diffuse blackish areas, interrupted by veins; an elliptical black ocellus on the anal angle, internally edged by the orange band. UPHW with similar pattern, but with uniform orange background color, the middle discal dark brown band being incomplete, broader and more sinuous postdiscal brown line and submarginal orange band, the latter with more defined and broader black edging, no postdiscal white band, and a larger, square ocellus in the anal angle, internally edged by yellow and with an external metallic blue pupil. UNFW similar but orange color replaced by light brown, lighter towards base, and with the postdiscal white band better defined and broader; ocellus at anal angle larger and with an external superior pupil of blue scales. UNHW similar but orange color replaced by light brown with basal half darker, basal and discal brown bands reduced, postdiscal brown band discontinuous, ocellus at anal angle with a greater covering of metallic blue scales. Genitalia with broad, square-shaped tegumen, smoothly depressed dorsally; uncus strongly lobed, each lobe with a ventral blunt tooth-like protuberance; gnathi slender, smoothly curved upwards near tip; vinculum anteriorly concave, slender but broader near aedeagus; valvae broad, simple, longer than tegumen, tip long and narrow, sclerotized but membranous near attachment to vinculum, dorsally attached to aedeagus by a weakly sclerotized peduncle; saccus short, lightly rounded; aedeagus elongate and thin, continued in a long, membranous duct ( Fig. 6O–P View FIGURE 6 ).

Female similar to male but with elongated, narrower wings with rounder outer margins, and a lighter, more uniform orange-brown background color on the UP. Genitalia with ostium bursae compressed dorsoventrally, narrower towards the sclerotized antrum, lamella antevaginalis heavily sclerotized and spatulate, partially covering ostium bursae; lamella postvaginalis weakly sclerotized; ductus bursae narrow and membranous, punctate surface with several small, irregular folds; corpus bursae globose, flattened dorsoventrally, surface uniformly punctate, with numerous folds around junction with ductus bursae; two mid-lateral heavily sclerotized short flat cylindrical signa with very blunt tips ( Fig. 7Y View FIGURE 7 –$).

Type material. Holotype ♂ BAHAMAS, New Providence Island , Nassau, 15/IV/1902, col. G. T. Carter, CME (Holotype No. 68) . Paratypes 4 ♂, same location, 24/V/1902, col. G. T. Carter, CME (no collection ID voucher) .

Additional material. 16♂, 5♀. 4 km N Staniard Creek, Andros, 24 o 53’N 77 o 55’W, 19/VIII/2003, col. M. Simon, J. Miller & L. Miller, MGCL (1♂: 231025); 3 km S Staniard Creek, Andros, 24 o 47’N 77 o 53’W, 20/VIII/2003, col. M. Simon, J. Y. Miller & L. D. Miller, MGCL (5♂: 231019, 231021, 231022, 231023, 231024); Hardwood Coppice, vic. Forfer Station, Andros, 24 o 53’’’N, 77 o 55’’’W, 6/III/1999, col. R. Hirzel, DNA voucher LEP/90779, LEP/90780, MGCL (2♂, 1♀: 1138718, 1138719, 1138727); Stafford Creek , Andros, 24 o 50’, 77 o 58’’’W, IV/2004, col. M. Simon, MGCL, DNA vouchers RN002, LEP/90763 (3♂, 4♀: 1138705, 1138710, 1138711, 1138714, 1138729, 1138732, 1138734); same locality, 7-10/VI/2008, col. M. Simon, G. Goss, R. Rozycki, DNA voucher LEP-90762, MGCL (1♂: 231026); same locality, 28/V/1987, col. D. J. Harvey, USNM (1♂: 1466534); Red Bay, Andros, 25 o 07’N, 78 o 12’’’W, 6/VI/1978, col. D. J. Harvey, USNM (1♂: 1587101); same locality, 9/VI/1978, col. D. J. Harvey, USNM (1♂: 1466533) GoogleMaps .

Distribution. Known only from four islands within the Bahamas archipelago: New Providence, Andros, San Salvador Island, and Hall Pond’s Key (Exumas) ( Fig. 8 View FIGURE 8 ).

Habitat. Dry coastal scrub-woodland, sandy coastline vegetation, tropical hardwood hammock and pine forest.

Biology. According to the accounts of Clench (1977), Harvey & Clench (1980) and Smith et al. (1994), Dianesia carteri is local but common in conserved areas of New Providence and Andros, where it flies swiftly amongst the deep vegetation of thickets. Its flight when disturbed is fast and circular, and, as with all other species, ends with the insect settled beneath a leaf, with wings outstretched. Nectar sources include Bursera simaruba (L.) Sarg. ( Burseraceae ), Coccoloba uvifera L. ( Polygonaceae ), Lantana involucrata L. ( Verbenaceae ) and Varronia bahamensis Urb. ( Boraginaceae ). Adult males typically perch on fixed spots of variable height, and if removed from these, another male soon occupies the vacant spot. The flight activity period seems to extend during daylight hours from early morning to late afternoon. Known records from specimens in collection and literature, spanning across most months, suggest that D. carteri is multivoltine and flies year-round. Adults from the dry season (November– April) can show a reduction of the orange color on the UP.

Immature stages. Unknown.

Host plant. Unknown, but likely Buxus bahamensis Baker ( Buxaceae ).

Remarks. In his original description, Holland (1902) apparently reviewed several specimens of both sexes; however, he did not mention the size of the type series, and despite our efforts, we could only locate four male paratypes. The known distribution of Dianesia carteri in the Bahamian archipelago is likely underestimated biased towards the larger islands. Its presence on Little San Salvador Island and Hall Pond’s Cay is supported on single observations and more surveys are required to confirm its survival on these small islands. Despite the host and larvae being unknown, the presence of Buxus bahamensis on several islands of the archipelago, and its use by a Cuban relative, suggest it is the most likely candidate. The distribution of this plant in the Bahamas could be used to identify potential new populations of this insect in the islands.