Arachnis zacapa, Laguerre, Michel, 2023

Arachnis zacapa Laguerre sp. n.

BOLD:AAC6783

ZooBank:https://zoobank.org/ D7129B42-6089-4C1F-8052-6BD394C9DF7B

Holotype, ♂, GUATEMALA. ZACAPA, El Naranjo , 30-V-2009, 1616 m, J. Monzon leg., sequenced with Sample ID MILA 1512 (yellow printed label) – BOLD Process ID ARCTD007-11. Will be deposited in MNHN.

Paratypes (3 ♂, 2 ♀)

1 ♂, JALAPA, Pino Dulce , 2-VI-2009, 2360 m, J. Monzon leg.

2 ♂ & 1 ♀, ZACAPA, El Naranjo , 30-V-2009, 1616m, J. Monzon leg. One ♂ dissected, Gen. ML1964.A sequenced female Sample ID MILA1513 (yellow printed label) – BOLD Process ID ARCTD008-11.

1 ♀, BAJA VERAPAZ, Santa Rosa, 14-V-2007, 1580 m, M. Laguerre leg., Sample ID MILA 03812 (yellow printed label) – BOLD Process ID ARCTA662-107. All in MLC .

Diagnosis. – Very similar to Arachnis aulaea from southern USA. Nevertheless, besides the sequence, the genitalia and the locality are diagnostic. A very easily recognized species with zebra slate grey pattern on a white background on forewings and a black pattern on bright red background on hindwings. The abdomen is also strikingly red on sides.

Male description ( Fig. 26)

Antennae thin and black, shortly ciliate. Head with frons slate grey, vertex slate grey bordered anteriorly with white. Palpi short red and white. Tegulae slate-grey, lined with black and then short beige hairs. Patagia slate-grey lined with black and bordered by white hairs. Thorax with a longitudinal large slate-grey band, lined with black and bordered externally by white interspersed with reddish hairs. Underside white and hairy, Femora and fore coxae red. Legs annulated with a mixture of slate grey and reddish orange. Forewings narrow and elongated with a pinkish white background.Adense slate-grey zebra pattern covers the wing entirely. Hindwings rounded and shorter with a bright red background. A dense black pattern across the wings leaving only a red band along margin, an interruptedband inpostmedian positionand alarge spotbelow cell.Themarginisthinlyblack.Undersidepatternidenticaltoupperside,except on the forewings were the white patches are replaced by red patches and on hindwings the red patches on coastal are replaced by pinkish white patches.

Female ( Fig. 26). – Larger than male and with rounded wings but otherwise with an identical pattern upper and underside.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 27)

Tergite VIII as a rounded triangular plate. Uncus wide at base and flat and then abruptly narrowed. Extremity bent ventrally and hook shaped. Tegumen subrectangular, protruding on each side. Vinculum wide and saccus concave medially. Juxta large and ovoid. Valvae long and elongated, strongly narrowed and undulated in the last half, the tip slightly spatulate. In the middle a strong tooth pointing inwardly at right angle. Aedeagus cylindrical, slightly bent, caecum penis present but short.Vesica single lobed, with tiny spicules at base and with an area of small teeth in middle.

Early stages. – Unknown.

Etymology. – A noun in apposition by reference to the locality of the type series.

Distribution. – Presently only known from the Atlantic slope of the Central Range at medium to high altitudes (2400 m) in the Departments of Zacapa, Jalapa and Baja Verapaz.

Discussion. – Despite its similarity with specimens from Mexico and Southern USA, this species aligns at more than 5 % from all sequenced specimens of Arachnis aulaea , in fact between 5.2 and 6.2 %, justifying the species status for this entity.

20 LAGUERRE . – Generic revision of Hypercompe