Orphanostigma eugeniephillipsia Solis, 2024

Solis, M. Alma, Cock, Matthew J. W., Janzen, Daniel & Hallwachs, Winnie, 2024, New World Orphanostigma Guenée, 1854, including a new species from Costa Rica (Lepidoptera: Crambidae: Spilomelinae), Zootaxa 5471 (3), pp. 383-390 : 385-389

Orphanostigma eugeniephillipsia Solis , sp. nov.

http://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:CC7E0169-0AB4-41BF-8417-6FAA5F4CECDA

( Figs. 6–7 , 14, 15 , 17 )

Type material. Holotype: ♀, COSTA RICA, Area de Conservación Guanacaste , Sector Pallas Dos , 10.76273, - 85.33398, el. 825 m, 04.I.2014, @ light trap, R. Franco & H. Cambronero, 14-SRNP-100397, [USNMENT01894128], deposited at MNCR-A. Paratypes: deposited at NMNH, 1 ♀, COSTA RICA, Area de Conservación Guanacaste , Sector Orosi , Manta Mecate , 10.95415, -85.49155, el. 587 m, 30.II.2011, @ light trap, H. Cambronero & S. Rios, 11-SRNP-104819, USNM slide #116383 [USNMENT01894118] ; 1 ♂, COSTA RICA, Area de Conservación Guanacaste , Sector Pailas , Catarata Borinquen , 10.817721, -85.390465, el. 945 m, 01/29/2017, light trap, A. Guadamuz & G. Pereira, 17-SRNP-100299, USNM slide #116382 [USNMENT01894117] ; 1 ♀, COSTA RICA, Area de Conservación Guanacaste , Sector Pailas , Catarata Borinquen , 10.817721, -85.390465, el. 945 m, 01/29/2017, light trap, A. Guadamuz & G. Pereira, 17-SRNP-100298, [USNMENT01894091]. The Barcode Identification Number (BIN) for the holotype and paratypes is BOLD:AAA0296 .

Diagnosis. Forewing length: 5–6 mm (n=4). Thick band of black and white scales distally on abdominal segments 5-6 and 8 th segment with lateral dots of black scales ( Fig. 6 ). Male genitalia valva saccular margin with a medially, dorsally directed thumb-like protrusion, and another more distal dorsally directed protrusion that is broadly curved and distally toothed and sclerotized, both as ½ as long as valva width ( Fig. 14 ); phallus with two flat, sclerotized plates, posterior plate with a sclerotized spine ( Fig. 15 ). Female genitalia with antrum sclerotized with two distal arm-like, lateral projections, bending posteriorly ( Fig. 17 ).

Morphological comparison. Although the best way to confirm identification of these species is with internal genitalia characters, we provide a few external characters of the head and abdomen. The antennae of O. haemorrhoidalis and O. eugeniephillipsia have an anterior brown line extending onto the shaft, and O. futilalis lacks these lines. Orphanostigma eugeniephillipsia has a thick band of black and white scales distally on abdominal segments 5–6 and lateral dots with black scales, O. haemorrhoidalis has a few black scales on abdominal segments 5–6 and sometimes with a few black scales laterally, and O. futilalis has no black scales on these segments. On the dorsum of the 8 th abdominal segment of O. haemorrhoidalis , O. futilalis , and O. eugeniephillipsia the segment is mainly orange yellow in color, but distally it has a white u-shaped line and within it are dark brown scales that can be seen prominently in the lectotype ( Fig. 4 ), but this brown may appear very dark or just as a smudge depending on the condition of the specimen. Wing coloration is not included in the diagnostic characters because, although the specimens of O. eugeniephillipsia are dark yellow orange beyond the postmedial line in both wings and only yellow in O. futilalis , there is wide variation in O. haemorrhoidalis (that O. eugeniephillipsia most closely resembles externally) from plain yellow to dark or “deep orange yellow” in this area of the forewing (as in O. abruptalis , and as described in Shaffer & Munroe 2007). There are only 4 specimens in the type series of O. eugeniephillipsia and only three specimens were found of the type series of O. futilalis (2 specimens were not found), so we recommend caution on identifications based only on wing coloration and recommend dissections of the genitalia.

Although the male genitalia of all three New World species have an elongated, sclerotized line from a broad transtilla just below the length of the costal or dorsal margin of the valvae, the armature of the saccular margin of the valva is distinctive in each of the three species ( Figs. 8, 10, 14 ). In O. eugeniephillipsia the saccular margin has two dorsally directed protrusions, medially a thumb-like protrusion and distally a broadly curved, distally toothed and sclerotized protrusion ( Fig. 14 ), in O. haemorrhoidalis the saccular margin medially has a knife-like elongated ridge, basally with a variously-shaped dorsally directed triangle, i.e., pointed, 1/3 the width of the valva (the shape of the triangle sides can vary and can be difficult to see with some slide preparations) ( Fig. 10 ), and in O. futilalis there is a basal, sclerotized ridge near the saccular margin with a ventrally directed, elongate protrusion (almost as long as the dorsal sclerotized ridge), with a square-shaped apex ( Fig. 8 ). The saccular margin of all three New World species varies from that of O. abruptalis as shown in Fig. 12 . The cornutus of the phallus is also distinctive between the three species: O. eugeniephillipsia has a posterior sclerotized spine on a flat plate ( Fig. 15 ), O. futilalis has a posterior broad, toothed, and spoon-like shaped sclerotization ( Fig. 9 ), and O. haemorrhoidalis has a posterior, sclerotized broad, curved, toothed band ( Fig. 11 ). The phallus of New World species differs from that of O. abruptalis that has “numerous minute denticles” ( Fig. 13 ) ( Shaffer & Munroe 2007).

In the female genitalia, all three species have a broad ostium bursae, almost the width of the segment, the antrum is sclerotized and variously shaped, half as long as the corpus bursae, corpus bursae with very short spines, the corpus bursae posterior is 1/3 less broad than the anterior 2/3 rd that is broadly rounded, with a small round indentation from the corpus bursae wall or signum, and a ductus seminalis from the flat, square-like posterior edge of corpus bursae. The antrum consists of anterior and posterior sections, the shape is distinctive in the three species: O. eugeniephillipsia has two arm-like, lateral projections bending posteriorly originating from the anterior section ( Fig. 17 ), but in O. haemorrhoidalis and O. futilalis the lateral projections from the anterior section are short and stubby ( Figs 16, 18 ). The lateral projections originate dorsolaterally in O. futilalis ( Fig. 16 , black arrow), and ventrally in O. haemorrhoidalis ( Fig. 18 , black arrow). The antrum of O. abruptalis lacks distinctive lateral projections, and the antrum is broader than New World species with a strap-like sclerotization anteriorly that is lacking in New World species ( Fig. 19 ).

Distribution. Known only from the Area de Conservación Guanacaste, Costa Rica.

Remarks. The four light-caught specimens of the type series were not reared, although its host plant is predicted to be in the Verbenaceae because most of the O. haemorrhoidalis specimens from the ACG, Costa Rica were found feeding on species in this plant family (Janzen & Hallwachs 2009). Most were reared on Lantana camara , and a much fewer number were found feeding on Lantana trifolia L., and additionally on Verbenaceae , one specimen each was reared on Lippia berlandieri Schauer and L. oxyphyllaria (Donn. Sm.) Standl.

Etymology. This species is named in honor of Dr. Eugenie Phillips of San Jose, Costa Rica in recognition of her decades of dedicated attention to the taxonomy of Costa Rican microlepidoptera, and especially her efforts to the integration of Costa Rican biodiversity with social processes for widespread public understanding of the importance of the survival of Costa Rica’s wildland and its biodiversity.

Figures

FIGURES 1–7. 1, Orphanostigma futilalis, male lectotype, with abdomen before dissection and anal segments pattern visible, San Benito, Texas [USNMENT01433287]. 2, O. futilalis, female paralectotype, with wings spread, Brownsville, Texas [USNMENT01521297]. 3, O. futilalis lectotype labels. 4, O. haemorrhoidalis, male lectotype, Brazil [USNMENT01894048]. 5, O. haemorrhoidalis lectotype labels. 6, Orphanostigma eugeniephillipsia, sp. nov., female holotype, ACG, Costa Rica [USNMENT01894128], forewing length = 5 mm. 7, O. eugeniephillipsia, sp. nov., adult holotype labels.

FIGURES 8–15. 8, Orphanostigma futilalis lectotype male genitalia, San Benito, Texas, USNM slide #116366. 9, O. futilalis phallus, USNM slide #116366. 10, O. haemorrhoidalis male genitalia, ACG, Costa Rica, USNM slide #116402 [USNMENT01894170]. 11, O. haemorrhoidalis phallus, USNM slide #116363. 12, O. abruptalis male genitalia, Sri Lanka, USNM slide #116379 [USNMENT01894037]. 13, O. abruptalis phallus, USNM slide #116379. 14, O. eugeniephillipsia, sp. nov., paratype male genitalia, ACG, Costa Rica, USNM slide #116382 [USNMENT01894117]. 15, O. eugeniephillipsia, sp. nov., paratype phallus, USNM slide #116382. [black arrows indicate the saccular margin and species-specific ornamentation on the valva]

FIGURES 16–19. 16, Orphanostigma futilalis paralectotype female genitalia, Brownsville, Texas, USNM slide #116,365 [USNMENT01521289]. 17, O. eugeniephillipsia, sp. nov., paratype, ACG, Costa Rica, USNM slide #116383 [USNMENT01894118]. 18, O. haemorrhoidalis, ACG, Costa Rica, USNM slide #116403 [USNMENT01894170]. 19, O. abruptalis, Sri Lanka, USNM slide #116380 [USNMENT01894185]. [black arrows indicate projections from anterior section of antrum]