Lioptilodes lauri, Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich & Pototski & Haverinen, 2022

Ustjuzhanin, Petr, Kovtunovich, Vasyly, Pototski, Aleksander & Haverinen, Risto, 2022, New species of plume moths (Lepidoptera: Pterophoridae) from Argentina, Ecologica Montenegrina 58, pp. 29-41 : 30-32

Lioptilodes lauri sp. nov.

https://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:B3CEDCE2-6EF8-4635-831F-63780F8D318E

( Figs 1 – 4 )

Type material: Holotype, ♂ ( IZBE, gen.pr. № 221001), ARGENTINA, Andes Mts., Cordilerra del Tiere, Mendoza River valley near Uspallata vill., 1900 m, 32°35'S, 69°22'W, 25.i.2017. K. Nupponen, R. Haverinen & A. Pototski leg. ; Paratypes, 1♀ ( IZBE, gen.pr. № 221006) , 5 ♂, 1 ♀: ( IZBE; NUP, CUK) same data as holotype .

Description: External characters. Head, thorax and tegulae in white scales. Labial palpi light, directed forward, slightly expanded distally, 1.5 times longer than longitudinal eye diameter. Antennae yellowish-brown. Wingspan 15−18 mm, in holotype – 17 mm. Fore wings unicolorous, yellowish-brown, with slightly lightened rear edge. Hind wings unicolorous, of the same color as fore wings. Fringe on all wings light-brown. Hind legs pale-yellow.

Male genitalia. Valves symmetric, slightly narrowing distally. Uncus wide from apex to base, noticeably narrowing distally. Anellus arms relatively wide, of equal length. Saccus triangle, apically narrowing. Aedeagus thin, long, equal to valve in length, strongly curved. Basal process of aedeagus located perpendicular.

Female genitalia. Papillae anales narrow, oval. Posterior apophyses long, slightly thickened at apices. Anterior apophyses thin, short. Lamina vaginalis bilobed. Antrum sclerotized, shaped as narrow and long funnel, from base of which gradually narrowing and smoothly passing into short narrow wavy ductus. Bursa copulatrix large, oval. Two narrow spiky signa with acute apices.

Differential diagnosis. In the male genitalia, the species is similar to Lioptilodes friasi Vargas & Parra, 2005, but differs in the longer and thinner aedeagus and a different female genital structure. In L. friasi the antrum is twice shorter than in the new species, the signa in the bursa copulatrix are wide, while in the new species they are needle-like, narrow, apically acute. In the external characters, the adult is also similar to L. friasi and Lioptilodes zapalaicus Gielis, 1991 .

Distribution. Argentina.

Flight period. January.

Etymology. The new species is named after Risto Haverinen's twin brother Lauri Haverinen, with whom the Lepidopterology study started together in 1971.

Figures

Figure 1. Lioptilodes lauri Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich sp. nov. Adult male (Holotype, IZBE).

Figure 2. Lioptilodes lauri Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich sp. nov. Male genitalia (Holotype, IZBE, gen.pr. Nr. 221001).

Figure 3. Lioptilodes lauri Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich sp. nov. Female genitalia (Paratype, IZBE, gen.pr. Nr. 221006).

Figure 4. Lioptilodes lauri Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich sp. nov. Biotope: Argentina, Andes Mts., Cordilerra del Tiere, Mendoza River valley near Uspallata vill., 1900 m, Photo by A. Pototski.