Scythris bicoloristrigella Nupponen, sp. nov., genus combination, 2022

Nupponen 1, Kari & Sihvonen, Pasi, 2022, Revision of Neotropical Scythrididae moths and descriptions of 22 new species from Argentina, Chile, and Peru (Lepidoptera, Gelechioidea), ZooKeys 1087, pp. 19-104 : 19

Scythris bicoloristrigella Nupponen, sp. nov., genus combination incertae sedis

Figs 27 , 56

Type material.

Holotype. Argentina • ♂; prov. Mendoza, Andes Mts., Cordillera del Tigre, Mendoza River valley near Uspallata village; 32°35.9'S, 69°22.9'W; 1900 m a.s.l.; 25 Jan. 2017; K. Nupponen & R. Haverinen leg.; [BOLD sample ID] KN01056; [genitalia slide] K. Nupponen prep. no. 1/9 Dec. 2019; coll. NUPP (MZH).

Paratype. Argentina • 1 ♂; prov. San Juan, Andes Mts., salt lake by Cordillera del Tigre; 30°52.8'S, 68°52.4'W; 1620 m a.s.l.; 26 Jan. 2017; K. Nupponen & R. Haverinen leg.; coll. NUPP.

Diagnosis.

Externally similar to L. ankylosauroides , sharing broad white streak in fold of forewing (dorsally and basally white, costally and terminally cream). Examination of the male genitalia is required to safely identify between S. bicoloristrigella , S. saldaitisi and S. wikstromi . In the male genitalia of S. saldaitisi , shape of asymmetrical valvae (left one very short) and anterior margin of sternum VIII straight are distinctive (valvae ca. equal length with incurved apexes and anterior margin of sternum VIII concave in S. wikstromi , valvae ca. equal length, right valva setose and anterior margin of sternum VIII concave in S. bicoloristrigella ).

Description.

Wingspan 15-16.5 mm. Head, collar, haustellum, tegula and thorax pale beige with scattered cream scales; posterior 1/2 of thorax with longitudinal cream line. Neck tuft white. Scape dorsally fuscous, ventrally pale beige, pecten longer than diameter of scape. Flagellum dark brown, 0.75 × length of forewing, ciliate, sensillae ~ 1.1 × as long as diameter of flagellum. Labial palps: palpomere I white; lower surface of posterior 1/2 of palpomere II and palpomere III dark brown, otherwise greyish white. Legs beige, tibiae darker. Abdomen dorsally beige, ventrally dirty white. Forewing pale fuscous; in fold broad streak from base to cell end: dorsally white from base to 0.6, edged by dark brown line dorsally, costally, and terminally cream; dark brown spots in midwing at 0.5, 0.65 and 0.7; in apical area few dark brown scales. Hindwing pale fuscous.

Male genitalia. Uncus heavily sclerotised hood distally, medioposteriorly indented. Gnathos massive, upturned 90° at basal 1/3, distal portion robust and heavily sclerotised, distally tapered, tip pointed. Tegumen elongated hood, dorsally widely open. Phallus ca. as long as uncus, rather broad, beyond middle bent and chute-shaped. Valvae asymmetrical, left valva 1.3 × as long as right; left valva with semi-circular indentation ventrally at 0.3, distal 0.7 tapered, setose, apically bent, tip pointed; right valva with large triangular lobe ventrally at base, distal 1/2 with numerous thin spiniform setae, dorsally folded, subapically tapered, apex with few minute spines and dense setae. Sternum VIII rectangular, elongated, 3 × longer than wide; posteromedially with very deep U-shaped depression, posterior shanks long, setose; lateromedially margin sclerotised, forming tapered extensions; anterior margin with two short, parallel apodemes. Tergum VIII hexagonal, anterior margin widely concave.

Etymology.

Diminuitive noun in apposition. The species name alludes to the bicolored streak in the fold of the forewing.

Distribution.

NW Argentina.

Habitat.

The habitat is a dry and xerothermic valley of the River Mendoza at medium altitude of the Andes, surrounded by rocky slopes with sparse and low vegetation. The paratype was collected at a xerothermic locality in the middle of a dry lake with sparse halophytic shrubs (Fig. 79 ).

Genetic data.

BIN: BOLD:ADY8267 (n = 1 from Argentina). Nearest species: Scythris saldaitisi Nupponen, sp. nov. (BIN: BOLD:ADZ5132, 5.3%).

Remarks.

Female unknown. Based on COI maximum likelihood phylogeny and morphology, South American taxa Scythris bicoloristrigella , Scythris saldaitisi , and Scythris wikstromi group together, associating next to the North American taxa classified in Scythris , Rhamphura , or Neoscythris on BOLD (Suppl. material 2). We are unable to classify these with certainty to any Scythrididae genus as diagnosed and illustrated in Landry (1991) and Bengtsson (2014). We therefore took a conservative view and classified these taxa in Scythris (incertae sedis), highlighting the need for further research.

Figures

Figure 79. Collecting site of Rhamphura angulisociella sp. nov., Scythris caimancitoensis sp. nov. and S. sanfranciscoi sp. nov.: Argentina, Rio San Francisco (397 m), 18 Sep. 2017.

Figures 24 B- 29. Scythrididae adults, genus Scythris 24 B S. tibicina Meyrick, 1916, male 25 A S. sanfranciscoensis Nupponen sp. nov., male, holotype 25 B S. sanfriscoensis Nupponen sp. nov., male, paratype 26 S. tigrensis Nupponen, sp. nov., male, holotype 27 A S. bicoloristrigella Nupponen sp. nov., genus combination incertae sedis, male, holotype 27 B S. bicoloristrigella Nupponen sp. nov., genus combination incertae sedis, male, paratype 28 S. saldaitisi Nupponen sp. nov., genus combination incertae sedis, male, holotype 29 S. wikstromi Nupponen, sp. nov., genus combination incertae sedis, male, holotype.

Figures 55 - 56. Male genitalia of Scythris 55 S. tigrensis Nupponen sp. nov., holotype, slide 1 / 08 Dec. 2019 KN 56 S. bicoloristrigella Nupponen sp. nov., genus combination incertae sedis, holotype, slide 1 / 9 Dec. 2019 KN.