Cosmosoma regia (Schaus, 1894)

Schaus, W. (1894). On new species of Heterocera from tropical America.
Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1894: 225-243; p. 227.
(Original description, as Marissa regia.)

11. Marissa regia, sp. nov.

Antennae black, tipped with white. Head black, frons whitish, two
metallic blue spots posteriorly. Collar black, two metallic blue spots.
Thorax black, a broad white streak on patagia; a posterior blue and
whitish spot. Abdomen, first three segments crimson, the second spotted
with black and blue; the other segments black, with a subdorsal, two
lateral, and two ventral rows of white spots. Legs black; tarsi, joints,
and fore coxae white. Primaries hyaline, the margins broadly black, still
more so at the apex and inner angle; a small vitreous elongate spot on the
costal margin at the base; a basal transverse black mark; a large black
spot at the end of the cell, and connected by a broad black mark on vein 2
with the inner angle. Secondaries hyaline, the margins irregularly
bordered with black. Exp. 34 millim.

Hab. Aroa, Venezuela.

Obs. Allied to M. eone, Hübn.


Hampson, G. F. (1898). Catalogue of the Lepidoptera Phalaenae in the
British Museum, vol. 1, Syntomidae: p. 204, pl. IX fig. 10.

549. Cosmosoma regia. (Plate IX. fig. 10.)

Marissa regia, Schaus, P. Z. S. 1894, p. 227.
Lunomia nicippe, Druce, A. M. N. H. (6) xx. p. 303 (1897).

Female. Head and thorax black; antennae at tips, frons, and pectus white;
vertex of head with patches of metallic blue; tegulae and metathorax
with blue and white spots; patagia with white patches; coxae and
extremities of femora and tarsi white; abdomen with conjoined crimson
lateral patches on first three segments, on 1st segment almost meeting
dorsally, on 2nd leaving subdorsal and dorsal, and on 3rd a dorsal blue
and white spot, the other segments with dorsal and subdorsal series of
white spots and a sublateral series. Fore wing black, with some metallic
blue at base; a short hyaline streak below base of costa and a spot below
base of cell; a patch in end of cell and an elongate patch below the cell
and vein 2; a series of elongate postmedial patches between veins 7 and 3
and a slight streak below middle of vein 4. Hind wing hyaline; a
discocellular black spot with some metallic blue on it, the terminal area
black, expanding towards apex and tornus.

Hab. Venezuela, Aroa, 1 female; Peru, type male nicippe in Coll. Druce.
Exp. 36 millim. Type female in Coll. Schaus.


Draudt, M. (1915). Cosmosoma. In: Seitz, A. (ed.), The Macrolepidoptera
of the World, vol. 6, The American Bombyces and Sphinges: p. 83, pl. 14 h.

C. regia Schaus (= nicippe Druce) (14 h) is well recognizable by the broad
black base of the forewing with 2 large hyaline spots in it; the discoidal
spot is connected with the inner angle by black embedment between the
median veins. The first abdominal rings are above and laterally
carmine-pink, the rest of the abdomen black with white spots which are of
a magnificent sky-blue opalescence on the first segments. Colombia,
Venezuela, Peru.