Spiladarcha septifera, Sohn, Jae-Cheon, 2014

Sohn, Jae-Cheon, 2014, Three new species of Spiladarcha Meyrick, 1913 (Lepidoptera: Urodidae) from Costa Rica, Zootaxa 3884 (1), pp. 73-80 : 76-77

Spiladarcha septifera n. sp. ( Figs 3 , 9 )

Diagnosis: Spiladarcha septifera is similar to S. puravida in general appearance but can be distinguished from the latter in having the basal 1/3 of the forewing pale brown (dark brown in S. puravida ), the apex of the uncus truncate (narrowly rounded in S. puravida ), the gnathos medially protruding upwards (horizontally straight in S. puravida ), and the costal process of valva present (absent in S. puravida ).

Description: Head—Scales on vertex and frontoclypeus pale yellowish gray, dark grayish brown on terminal 1/4, with white tips. Antennal scape pale grayish brown, intermixed with white on basal half, dark grayish brown on distal half; elongate scales on anterodistal part of scape yellowish gray on basal 2/3, dark grayish brown on distal 1/3, with white tips; flagellomere pale brownish gray on basal half, dark brownish gray on distal half. Labial palpus upcurved to the middle of frontoclypeus; 1st segment brown, intermixed with white; 2nd segment pale brown, intermixed with white, suffused with dark brown on distal half of outer surface and with brownish white on basal half of inner surface; 3rd segment dark brown on outer surface, pale brownish gray, intermixed with white on inner surface, suffused with pale yellowish gray in apical 1/6 and with dark yellowish gray on basal 1/6 of outer surface.

Thorax—Patagium dark grayish brown, intermixed with pale yellowish-gray scales; tegula dark grayish brown, paler distally; mesonotum pale yellowish gray, intermixed with dark gray and pale brownish-gray scales marginally. Foreleg with coxa brownish white, sparsely intermixed with pale-orange and dark-brown scales; femur dark brown, with a narrow, oblique, brownish-white line connecting distal end of dorsal area and middle of ventral area on outer surface, brownish white, sparsely intermixed with dark-brown scales on inner surface; tibia mostly dark brown dorsally, brownish white, intermixed with brownish-white scales ventrally; tarsomere dark brown, with brownish-white ring distally. Midleg with coxa brownish white, sparsely intermixed with dark-brown scales, tinged with pale brown in distal 1/3; femur brownish white, with dark-brown band on middle and distal area of outer surface; tibia brownish white, suffused with dark brown and pale reddish brown on medial and distal area of outer surface; tarsomere brownish black, with brownish-white ring distally. Hindleg with coxa, femur, and tibia lustrous, brownish white; femur tinged with brownish gray ventrally; tibia tinged with pale brownish gray in distal 1/2 of dorsal area; 1st tarsomere pale grayish brown, brownish white distally; the remaining tarsomeres dark brown, each with brownish-white ring distally. Forewing length 4.8 mm (n=1), pale yellowish gray, sparsely speckled with pale brownish gray in basal 1/3, purplish gray, sparsely speckled with pale gray in distal 2/3, tinged with brown along dorsum; reddish brown speckles present at lower distal margin of discal cell; two patches of raised black scales present near basal 1/3, upper patch 2× longer than lower patch, juxtaposed with pale reddish-brown suffusion basally; small black spots of raised scales scattered along veins on upper surface; fringe dark grayish brown, each scale with brownish white tip. Hindwing and fringe dark grayish brown.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 9 )—Uncus triangular, truncated apically, with a pair of spinose zones ventromedially, 3/4 as long as lateral margin of uncus, spiniform setae shorter on apical part. Tegumen trapezoidal, with subtriangular emargination dorsally. Gnathos arms curved at basal 1/4, tapered toward apex. Valva narrow, 1.5× longer than uncus, obtuse apically; apical 1/3 with long setae dorsally; sacculus 5/6 as long as valva, with setal zone along distal half of apical area; setae wider and longer on apical part; base of costal process dilated; distal half of costal process elongate, curved, with four short spines in apical area. Juxta pentagonal, with Y-shaped extension dorsally and subtriangular emargination on ventral margin. Vinculum narrow, inverted-trapezoidal; saccus 1/2 as long as uncus, narrower to apex. Phallus straight, slightly broadened to apex and coecum, curved at distal 1/7; ductus ejaculatorius forming dorsoposteriorly; cornutus absent.

Type: Holotype—male, “ HOLOTYPE | Spiladarcha | septifera | SOHN 2014 ” [red label enclosed with black lines], “ COSTA RICA, Prov. Guanacaste | Bagaces, P.N. Palo Verde, Sector Palo | Verde, Send. Mapache, 0-50m, 29 | JUN-3 JUL, 2000. H. Méndez, de Luz | L_N_ 260952 _385020 #57027”, “Genitalia slide | SJC-759 | ♂ J. C. Sohn” [pale purple label enclosed with black lines], INBIO.

Distribution: Costa Rica (known only from the type locality).

Etymology: The species epithet is derived from the two Latin words, ‘ septum ’ and ‘ fero ’, meaning “a wall” and “carry” respectively, and refers to the patch of raised scales on the antemedian line of the forewing.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 6. Adults of Spiladarcha. 1. S. puravida n. sp., male, holotype (inset: labels); 2. S. puravida n. sp., female, paratype; 3. S. septifera n. sp., male, holotype (inset: labels); 4. S. adamskii Sohn, male, paratype; 5. S. tuberculata n. sp., male, holotype (inset: labels); 6. S. tuberculata n. sp., female, paratype.

FIGURES 7 – 10. Male genitalia of Spiladarcha (upper—genital capsule; lower—phallus). 7. S. adamskii Sohn, holotype; 8. S. puravida n. sp., holotype; 9. S. septifera n. sp., holotype; 10. S. tuberculata n. sp., paratype.