Sosxetra grata Walker 1862

Sosxetra grata Walker, 1862 Figs 2, 3, 5–8, 13–15, 18, 22 Chaetoloma actinobola Felder, [1874]: pl. 99 fig. 20 (syn. Poole 1989). Type locality: R. Amazonas. [Unknown]. Note — Felder provided an illustration of a single male specimen of this species accompanied by a brief description comparing it to Sphinx japix Cramer (now Unzela japix (Cramer)) and noting its locality. The specimen was presumably lost during World War II. Cereoctena agatha Möschler, 1880: 470–471, pl. 9 fig. 21 (syn. Poole, 1989). Type locality: Surinam. [MfNB]. Note — Möschler described this taxon with the assistance of Guenée, based on three specimens — two males and one female — collected from Paramaribo, and compared it with Ceroctena amynta (Cramer). Only two syntypes remain in the MfNB collection: one male and one female. Neotype. • ♂, Brazil Espirito Santo, Rio Lamego, XII-1951, A. Maller, Colln. / J. R. Neidhoefer Collection, MILWAUKEE PUBLIC MUSEUM / MPM ENT 101124 / DNA Voucher LEP-92924 / deposited in MPM. [examined] Additional specimens examined. (11 ♂, 3 ♀ MGCL; 3 ♂ MPM; 1 ♂, 1 ♀ MfNB; 6 ♂ JIM) Brazil: • Brazil, Rondonia, Cacaulandia, Fazenda Rancho Grande, road C- 20 5 km. north & 3 km. west from Cacaulandia, lot 23 building area, at light, Coll. by D. L. Eiler, NOCTUIDAE, Rom-UM-715, FWL 20 mm deposited in MGCL (2 ♂); • Brazil, Rondonia, Cacaulandia, Fazenda Rancho Grande, road C- 20 5 km. north & 3 km. west from Cacaulandia, lot 23 building area, at light, Coll. by D. L. Eiler, NOCTUIDAE, Rom-UM-715, FWL 20 mm / DNA Voucher LEP-85585 (2 ♂). Surinam: • Surinam Prb. “ nov. 74 ” / Ceroctena agatha Möshl: / Ceroctena agatha / Type. W. Z. B. g. X’X’X’. 470. / MfN URI http://coll.mfn.-berlin.de/u/09f905 (1 ♂); Surinam Prb. “ nov. 74 ” / Ceroctena agatha Möshl: / Ceroctena agatha / Type. W. Z. B. g. X’X’X’. 470. / MfN URI http://coll.mfn.-berlin.de/u/09f720 (1 ♀). Panama: • Panama, R. P., Pinas Bay / 4-24 / 28 - 66 / J. R. Neidhoefer Collection, MILWAUKEE PUBLIC MUSEUM / MPM ENT 101126 / DNA Voucher LEP-92925 (3 ♂). Peru: • Peru, Dep. Madre de Dios, Salvacion, Rio Alto de Madre de Dios, Manu – Park, ca. 500 m N. N. Dez. 1996, local people leg. EMEM 31. 01. 1997 (2 ♂). Ecuador: • Ecuador, Pichincha, Quito / Chiriboga Km 33, 2650 m, 25 Apr. 1976, coll. N. Venedictoff (1 ♂); • Ecuador, Napo, Yasuni Nat. Pk., 20 - IX – 4 - X – 03, B / K- TLS Coll. / Sosxetra grata, det. E. Knudson / MGCL Accession # 2019-5 E. C. Knudson, Knudson / Bordelon (1 ♂); • Ecuador, Pichincha, S. Dom., Tinalandia, 650 m, 4 - V- 1972, Coll Venedictoff / Venedictoff colln., Allyn Museum, Acc. 1986-26 (1 ♀). Colombia: • Colombia, Cundinamarca, Guasca, El Chochal de Siecha, 3120 m, 28 Nov. 2019, coll. Jose I. Martinez (1 ♂). Costa Rica: • COSTA RICA, Guanacaste Prov. Hacienda Los Inocentes, 11 ° 02 ' 0.67 ", 85 ° 30 ' 14.29 " elev. 350 m, Sept 1–3, 2005 leg. A. Sourakov (1 ♂); • COSTA RICA, Alajuela Province, Volcan Rincon de la Vieja, Las Bromelias, 640 m app. 10 ° 52 ' N, 85 ° 19 ' W, 13-16 September 2009, A. Sourakov leg / A. Sourakov coll., MGCL Accession # 2009-28 / UF FLMNH MGCL 1126933 (2 ♀). Guatemala: • GUATEMALA, Guatemala, Puerta Parada, 1850 m, 17–23 VII 2017, Jose I. Martinez (1 ♂); • GUATEMALA, Sacatepéquez, Cerró Alux, 2230 m, 19-21 VII 2017, Jose I. Martinez (3 ♂); • GUATEMALA, Dept Izabal, Biotopo Chocon Machacas, 18-20 - VI- 2002, elev. 5 m at M. V. Light, J. C. Schuster & R. E. Woodruff (1 ♂). Mexico: • México, Yucatán, Tzucacab, Rancho Hobonil, UADY, 12 - I- 12, JI Martínez Coll. / UF FLMNH MGCL 1126100 / DNA voucher LEP-85588 / Sosxetra grata det. Jose I. Martinez, 2016 (1 ♂); • Mexico: STATE OF QUINTANA ROO, Xiatil / H. L. KING, 28 - X- 67 Coll. / NOCTUIDAE Sosxetra grata / DNA voucher LEP-85589 (1 ♂). Diagnosis. This species closely resembles Sosxetra mamanina in its bright pinkish-orange wings and faint forewing pattern. However, it can be distinguished by the presence of a whitish-yellow reniform spot and a distinctive diagonal mark near the forewing apex, the latter absent in S. mamanina. The forewings are bright pinkish-orange, featuring an elongated, broad, and faintly outlined “ 3 ” - like reniform spot. Five terminal dashes are present, with the first, third, and fifth broader than the others. The hindwings are similar in color but slightly brighter, except for the darker costal area, which bears a reduced pinkish lump covered with long whitish-brown hair-like scales. The postmedial line is pointed at vein M 1, unlike in related species, where it is rounded. Four terminal dashes extend from M 1 to CuA 2, the last being barely visible. Forewing length in males ranges 39–41 mm. The palpus is marbled with bright orange, pink, and whitish-brown scales, while the underside is entirely whitish-brown. The thorax is bright pinkish-orange with whitish-brown markings medially and laterally, and whitish-brown ventrally. The abdomen is pale brownish-orange dorsally, with broad pinkish-orange dorsal tufts. The tuft on segment A 1 is directed downward, while those from A 2 – A 6 covering ¹ / 3 of the sternites, and the segment A 7 bears a small tuft. The lateral and ventral surfaces are whitish-brown. The male genitalia are distinctive, characterized by short valvae with rounded apices and a short aedeagus ~ 3 × longer than wide. The vesica bears a broad dorsal meso-apical diverticulum, ~ ¹ / 3 the length of the vesica an autapomorphic feature for this species. Female genitalia remain unknown. Immature stages. Eggs. Unknown. Larva. Late instar with pale green integument; head with black and white patterns; two broken black subdorsal lines surrounding white dots; a pair of yellow dorsal hardened plates in every tergite from A 2 - A 7; wide verrucae with long white hair-like setae; wide white dorsal band (Fig. 23). Pre-pupa. Integument changes to a dark reddish-pink; subdorsal line changes to white elongated dots; dorsal brown band A 2 - A 7 including the area between the white spots; dorsal blurry grayish-brown band; pale gray hardened plates; verrucae with long dark gray hair-like setae. Pupa. Unknown. Cocoon. Thick walls covered by debris and plant residuals. Genetic characterization. Molecular data showed that Sosxetra grata (GenBank accession number: PQ 406480 – PQ 406483; BOLD BIN number: BOLD: ADP 8146, BOLD: AAA 8259) is sister to S. thutakanay + S. mamanina with ~ 3.08–4.1 % divergence (Fig. 1). Etymology. The name comes from the Latin word gratus that means beloved, dear, or grateful that might be based on this moth’s beauty. Distribution. Sosxetra grata is the most widely distributed species of the genus, ranging from Mexico to Brazil (Fig. 24). Remarks. Sosxetra grata was found to represent a complex group with relatively low genetic divergence compared to other species. Due to limited specimen availability, we treat this group as a single species until further study. The only previously available information for this species was the original description by Walker (1862), with no known physical specimens available for examination. Access to such material is essential for comparative taxonomic and systematic work; therefore, we have designated a neotype to ensure accurate identification and provide a stable reference for future research. Although holotypes of Walker are typically housed at the NHMUK, Poole (1989) did not specify the repository for S. grata, and the NHMUK Data Portal currently lists the location of the type as unknown. We have redescribed the known species Sosxetra grata based on a neotype designated in this study. The newly designated neotype is the only known specimen that matches the diagnostic features described by Walker (1862) (Figs 5, 18).