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Journal of the Lepidopterists’ Society
73(4), 2019, 281–284
FIRST RECORD AND LATE LARVAL STAGES OF APHYLE NIEDMANDI
(EREBIDAE: ARCTIINAE) IN SURINAME
Additional key words: Arctiini, Phaegopterina, Surinam, Neotropics, early stages
The genus Aphyle Walker, 1855 (Erebidae: Arctiinae:
Arctiini: Phaegopterina) has eight species, ranging from
Ecuador and Peru through the Amazon basin and the
Guianas to Bolivia and Brazil (Vincent & Laguerre 2014,
Grados 2018). Generally, they are night-active, rather
small (wingspan about 40 mm) moths with transparent
and creamy-white wings with patterns of dark blue-black
dots, bands and stripes on the forewings.
In Suriname, two species of Aphyle have been found,
each with only a few records: A. cuneata Hampson, 1905
(Lely mountains (August, 670 m, N04°16'10",
W54°44'40", 2340 h) and Nassau mountains (July and
August, 575 m, N04°48'50", W54°36'55", 2025 h – 2330
h,) and A. margaritaceus Walker, 1855 (Snesikondre
(March, 35 m, N04°57'00", W54°27'00", 2350 h),
Mapane Creek (March, 15 m, N05°23'40, W54°44'05",
0210 h), Merian2 area (March, 77 m, N05°08'55",
W54°30'25", 0140 h) and Aroewara Creek (Rothschild
1910)).
Aphyle niedmandi (Fig. 1a–c) was recently described
from Peru by Grados (type locality: Madre de Dios,
Albergue Refugio Amazonas, 12°52'30''S, 69°24'35''W,
231m). The species is distinguished from its congener, A.
cuneata, among others, by a series of five or six bluish-
black spots close to the forewing base, running from the
costal vein to just beyond the anal vein (Grados 2018). In
resting position, the series from both forewings form a
near-transverse row (Fig. 1a). We describe the first
records of A. niedmandi outside of Peru and the late
larval stages from Suriname.
On 29 January 2017 at about 1300 h, on a patch of
white sand savanna along a track from the road to Kraka,
Suriname (05º24'25" N, 055 º11'35" W, 15 m asl, about
46 km S of Paramaribo), the second author observed a
setose, purple-yellow larva, 38 mm long, on a
Melastomataceae sp. It was not observed feeding. It was
taken to Paramaribo where it started spinning a cocoon
the same evening. On 31 January, it pupated between
1600 and 2000 h. Ecdysis of a female (Fig. 1a–c) took
place on 9 February 2017 at about 1500 h. At the same
trail, another 31 mm prepupal larva was found on the
underside of a leaf of an unidentified plant on 14
November 2018 at about 1430 h. It started spinning a
cocoon the next day. Ecdysis of a female was on 24
November 2018 at about 2230 h. Larval setal length was
measured from photographs and is reported here
relative to the length of the body segment from which
the seta originates. As this method is error-prone
(segments may contract or extend), the setal lengths
mentioned should be considered as approximations. To
avoid lengthy formulations as “2 times the length of a
body segment”, this is noted as “2 S”. Voucher specimens
of the imagos were deposited in the collection of
Naturalis. Voucher specimens of larvae were not taken,
because all were reared to adults. Exuviae were not
vouchered. Photographs of the early stages were made
with a Nikon D300s camera, an AF Micro Nikkor 105
mm 1:2.8 D lens and a SB-800 flash. The imagos were
photographed with a Nikon D800 and an AF-S Micro
Nikkor 105 mm 1:2.8G lens on a tripod with a standard
grey card as background. Photographs were made in
NEF-format and with minor adjustments of exposure,
contrast and sharpening converted to TIF-files in the
same color space.
Last instar larva (Fig. 1d–g). Overall appearance of a
dark grey-purple setose larva with a dark orange head
capsule, red verrucae and a yellow dorsolateral band.
Head (Fig. 1e, f): vertices and frons dark orange, no
spines or scoli; light grey line over epicranial suture,
ecdysial lines light grey, lateral adfrontal sutures dark
brown; clypeus dark orange, anteclypeus light grey with
upper border convex; labrum orange with middle third
grey, notch to 25% of its length; first segment of
antennae light grey, second segment irregularly brown,
elongated, with long seta; stemmata in semicircle with 3
the largest, 2 and 4 slightly smaller and about equidistant
to 3, and 1 closer to 2 than 5 to 4.
Ground color of thorax and abdomen dark purple with
grey intersegmental membranes, abdomen with
dorsolaterally a longitudinal, rather wide, yellow band.
T1–A9 with multiple verrucae per segment, each with
dark brown, barbed setae, often giving a whitish
reflection, when flash photography is used.
Thorax (Fig. 1d–g): Legs orange. T1 with prothoracic
shield light grey, posterior margin very slightly convex,
length about 50% of the segment; just behind the shield
dorsally a few single setae directed rostrally, a small
dorsolateral, red-grey verruca with three setae projected
rostrally, the longest one 0.75 S; also behind the shield, a
lateral red verruca with multiple setae, the ones directed
rostrolaterally are 2 S long, shorter setae 0.5–0.6 S are
directed inferolaterally and inferocaudad; the spiracle is
GENERAL NOTES
cylindrical, about 20º tilted caudad, light brown and
situated in the caudad third of the segment, behind and
slightly above the lateral verruca; a light red-grey
subventral verruca with multiple setae, the longest ones
projecting rostrolaterally are 1.3–1.5S long. T2 purplish-
grey with dorsolaterally a, variably present, irregularly
formed yellow patch bordering the T2–T3
intersegmental membrane; three verrucae: a large,
subdorsal red one, rostrally in the segment, with setae of
1.5–3.4S long; a smaller, red, lateral verruca with setae,
about 2.2 S long; and, just behind this, a light grey
subventral one with setae about 0.4–1 S long. T3 with
dorsally, a broad, transverse yellow band with a slightly
convex anterior margin between the dorsal verrucae,
running between the dorsal verrucae and near the
T3–A1 intersegmental membrane, ending about midway
between the dorsal and lateral verrucae on each side;
number and postion of verrucae as in T2; subdorsal
verruca with setae 1–3.1 S long; lateral verruca with two,
laterally projecting, white-plumed setae, about 4 S long,
other setae with a length of about 1–3 S; setae on
subventral verruca 0.6–1.6 S long.
FIG. 1. Reared adult and late larval stages of Aphyle niedmandi (Erebidae: Arctiinae) in Suriname. a: reared female in resting position after
eclosion, 9 February 2017, 1610 h; b: same, mounted, dorsal view (wingspan 38 mm, forewing length 19 mm, proboscis 9 mm); c: same,
ventral view; d: last instar larva, 31 mm, 14 November 2018, dorsal view; e: last instar larva, 38 mm, 29 January 2017, lateral view; f: last instar
prepupal larva, 29 January 2017, frontal view; the dark orange head capsule has changed into light orange; g: last instar prepupal larva,
29 January 2017, dorsolateral view of rostral part; note faded colors of f and g compared to d and e; h: pupa in cocoon, exuviae at anal end,
1 February 2017. Photographs by second author.
282
282 JOURNAL OF THE LEPIDOPTERISTS’ SOCIETY
VOLUME 73, NUMBER 4
283
Abdomen (Fig. 1d–g) with prolegs on A3–A6 and
A10, a yellow dorsolateral longitudinal band and
multiple verrucae per segment. Prolegs (Fig. 1e) have
an elongated dark red base with some setae on pinacula,
the planta is grey without setae; crochets heteroideous,
arranged in mesoseries. The yellow band has a more or
less straight ventral margin, whereas the dorsal border
has posteriorly directed triangular extensions just
rostrally and caudad of the subdorsal verrucae. Dorsally
(Fig. 1d), the anterior part of A1–A7 has a triangular
purple patch with the base at the rostral intersegmental
membrane and the acute tip ending between and just
behind the middorsal verrucae; the caudad part of
A1–A6 has a dorsal kidney-shaped purple patch with a
red dorsal verruca in each “kidney pole”, a rather
straight rostral border and the laterocaudad parts dark
purple-black. The lateral zone of A1–A8 is of a lighter,
more bluish purple with grey patches and the subventral
area is grey. A1–A8 with six verrucae per segment above
the coxa. One is located dorsally, one subdorsally, three
laterally and one subventrally. The dorsal verrucae are
rather small, dark red surrounded by a black rim and
situated just anterior to the middle of the segment; the
ones on A1 and A8 bear dense tufts of erect black setae,
about 2.4–3.4S long, on A2–A7 the setae are 0.2–0.8S
long. The subdorsal verrucae are large, dark red, located
halfway the segment; setae projecting dorsolaterally are
about 1.5–4S long, the ones projecting mediallaterally
about 0.3–0.9S; from the A8 subdorsal verruca one
white-plumed seta projects, about 2.9S long, and from
the A9 subdorsal verruca there are two white-plumed
setae of similar length. The upper lateral verrucae are
located just rostrally of the middle of the segment, the
ones on A1, A2, A7 and A8 below and nearly touching
the yellow longitudinal band, the ones on A3–A6 are
situated more inferiorly; setae are 0.3–1.8S; the A1
upper lateral verruca has one white-plumed seta about
2 S long. The oval, light-brown spiracles are located
ventrally to the upper lateral verrucae, the one on A8 is
larger and tilted 30º backwards. The middle lateral
verrucae are small, situated caudad and slightly ventrally
to the spiracles; setae are 0.3–1.5S, but the ones on A7
and A8 have a single white-plumed setae, with a length
of 0,9 S and 3 S, respectively. The tiny lower lateral
verrucae are located in the rostral third of the segment,
ventral to the spiracle, the setae are 0.3–1.3S. The
subventral verrucae are just above the prolegs and about
the size of the subdorsal and upper lateral ones, but
somewhat more elongated; setae are up to 1.9S long. A9
has a subdorsal verruca with two white plumed setae,
about 10 S long, the other setae are about 2-6S long;
also a subventral verruca with setae 1–3.2S. A10 with
one long white plumed setae, further details of A10
not known. The late prepupa has the colors faded (Fig.
1f, g).
Cocoon and pupa (Fig. 1h). The cocoon is rather
wide, consists of more or less regular, rather loosely
spun silk threads, interspersed with dark brown setae. It
is fixed to the substrate on all sides by elaborate silk
sheets and strings. The pupa is 18 mm long and 6 mm
wide, smooth, shining, with a light green, somewhat
rounded head and thorax and a cream-colored abdomen
with the spiracles purplish. Shortly before eclosion, the
pupa changes into light beige.
This is the first record of Aphyle niedmandi outside of
Peru. The species is probably widely distributed in the
Guiano-Amazonian region. The last instar larvae have
white-plumed setae on T3, A1 and A7–A10, but in the
ones we examined there were considerable left-right
differences, possibly due to fractured setae. Additional
research is required to further document the species’
distribution, hostplant(s), early larval stages, possible
larval variation and parasitoids.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We thank Auke Hielkema for sharing his Suriname records of
Aphyle cuneata and A. margaritaceus and Juan Grados for in-
formation on A. niedmandi. We would like to express our grati-
tude to the Nature Conservation Division, Government of Suri-
name, for granting a research permit that includes study of the
early stages of Lepidoptera and their host plants. This research
has been made possible by the Uyttenboogaart-Eliasen Founda-
tion.
LITERATURE CITED
GRADOS, J. 2018. Four new species and one new subspecies of
Arctiinae (Lepidoptera: Erebidae) from the Tambopata river,
Madre de Dios, Peru. Zootaxa 4434: 29-48.
HAMPSON, G.F. 1905. Descriptions of new Genera and Species of
Syntomidae, Arctiadae, Agaristidae and Noctuidae. Ann. Mag.
Nat. Hist. 15: 425–453.
ROTHSCHILD, W. 1910. Catalogue of the Arctianae in the Tring
Museum, with notes and descriptions of new species. Nov. Zool.
17: 1–85.
VINCENT, B. & M. LAGUERRE. 2014. Catalogue of the Neotropical
Arctiini Leach, [1815] (except Ctenuchina Kirby, 1837 and
Euchromiina Butler, 1876) (Insecta, Lepidoptera, Erebidae,
Arctiinae). Zoosystema 36: 137-533.
HAJO B.P.E. GERNAAT (corresponding author),
Biodiversity Discovery Group, Naturalis Biodiversity
Center, P.O. Box 9517, 2300 RA Leiden, The
Netherlands; email: hajo.gernaat@naturalis.nl;JOKE
VAN DEN HEUVEL, Marcusstraat 6, Paramaribo,
Suriname; email: jokevandenheuvel58@gmail.com;
FRANS BARTEN, Mozartlaan 3, 5283 KA Boxtel, The
Netherlands; email: frans@fransbarten.nl.
Submitted for publication 4 April 2019; revised and accepted
24 April 2019.
