Acalyptris argentosa ( Puplesis & Robinson, 2000 ) Stonis & Remeikis, 2018

Stonis, Jonas R. & Remeikis, Andrius, 2018, Odd species of Nepticulidae (Lepidoptera) from the American rainforest and southern Andes, Zootaxa 4392 (3), pp. 458-468 : 464-468

Acalyptris argentosa ( Puplesis & Robinson, 2000) , new combination by Stonis et al. 2017: 502.

( Figs 31–42 )

Material examined. 2 ♂ (paratypes), BELIZE, Cayo District, Chiquibul Forest Reserve , Las Cuevas, 3– 16.iv.1998, R. Puplesis & S. Hill, ♂ genitalia & wing venation slide no. AD875 (LEU, with further re-deposition in ZMUC) (Note: all remaining specimens of the type series are deposited in BMNH) .

Remarks. The species was described and illustrated by Puplesis & Robinson (2000: 57; Figs 60, 205, 206) as a taxon with uncertain and provisional taxonomic position. On the basis of our recent detailed re-examination, argentosa was transferred from the genus Glaucolepis Braun to Acalyptris Meyrick ( Stonis et al. 2017) . In the course of our study, we made some new findings about the morphological characters of A. argentosa , specifically the wing venation and particularly wing scaling, with hitherto unnoticed and hardly visible but very specific androconia. Below we provide only novel data, i.e. data which were missing in the original description of the species.

Male ( Fig. 31 ) forewing brown on underside ( Fig. 32 ). Forewing venation with a distinctive closed cell ( Fig. 33 ) contrasting with an indistinctive cell shifted to the forewing base as in most of the studied Acalyptris species. Hindwing with an oval-shaped androconial structure on upper side ( Figs 34, 35 ). Hindwing underside with a large basal cluster of pale brown (distally whitish cream) lamellar scales ( Figs 36, 37 ). Both androconial structures of hindwing, particularly the large cluster on hindwing underside, make this species unusual, but the structures are hardly visible or not visible at a certain angle; they can be noticed only by rotating the specimen and preferably over a dark background. For other details of male morphology, see Puplesis & Robinson 2000: 57; Figs 60, 205, 206.

Male genitalia ( Figs 38–42 ) exhibit characters shared with many other Acalyptris except for a weakly developed apical process of valva ( Fig. 40 ) and ill-defined lateral apodeme ( Figs 39, 40 ).

Bionomics. Adults fly in April. Otherwise unknown.

Distribution. The species is known from the rainforest habitat in Belize, Central America.

Figures

FIGURES 31–37. Male paratype of Acalyptris argentosa (Puplesis & Robinson). 31, male adult; 32, same, forewing underside;33, venation, slide AD875; 34–37, hindwing (35, descaled hindwing, slide AD875)

FIGURES 38–42. Male genitalia of Acalyptris argentosa (Puplesis & Robinson), paratype, slide AD875