Ectoedemia bulbosa Remeikis & Stonis, 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 : 459

Ectoedemia bulbosa Remeikis & Stonis , sp. nov.

( Figs 1–10 )

Type material. Holotype: ♂, CHILE, Osorno , Anticura, Puyehue, 1–5.i.1986, L. E. Peña, genitalia slide no. RA650 ( USNM).

Diagnosis. An outstandingly distinctive species among all Nepticulidae because of the unique structure of its male genitalia. The combination of a wide valva with a pointed basal lobe, partially reduced gnathos, and a complex set of cornuti in the male genitalia distinguishes E. bulbosa sp. nov. from all currently known nepticulid species (also see Remarks).

Male ( Figs 1, 2 ). Forewing length about 2.8 mm; wingspan about 6.2 mm. Head: palpi whitish cream; frontal tuft pale, cream; collar comprised of piliform scales, cream; scape relatively slender, whitish cream with some pale brown scales; antenna slightly longer than half the length of forewing; flagellum with 47–48 segments, pale greybrown. Thorax and tegula pale grey-brown, with some golden gloss and little purple iridescence. Forewing pale brown with some golden gloss, densely speckled with grey-brown to dark grey-brown scales; antemedian and subapical fasciae ill-defined, comprised of milky white scales; fringe pale greyish brown with some golden gloss; underside of forewing pale brown with very weak purple iridescence, without spots or androconia. Forewing venation with partially reduced closed cell ( Figs 3, 4 ). Hindwing relatively wide, pale grey-brown with very weak purple iridescence on upper side and underside, without androconia; fringe pale grey-brown. Legs glossy, brownish cream with dark grey-brown scales on upper side. Abdomen fuscous on upper side, dark grey on underside; anal tufts relatively long, greyish cream; genital plates greyish cream.

Female. Unknown.

Male genitalia ( Figs 5–10 ). Capsule about 320 µm long, 290 µm wide. Uncus reduced (absent). Gnathos with membranous lateral arms and thickened caudal process ( Fig. 8 ). Valva ( Figs 5 , 7 ) 270 µm long, with triangular basal lobe ( Fig. 9 ). Juxta absent. Phallus ( Figs 6 , 10 ) 405–410 µm long, 120–160 µm wide, with large lateral carinae, laterally thickened cathrema and complex set of cornuti formed of long compact group of small spine-like cornuti, a few large spine-like cornuti, and one very large cornutus.

Bionomics. Host plant: Unknown. Adults fly in January.

Distribution. This species occurs in the southern Andes ( Chile) in the Valdivian forest habitat.

Etymology. The species name is derived from Latin bulbosus (bulbous) in reference to the rounded capsule in the male genitalia.

Remarks. Taxonomic position of Ectoedemia bulbosa is uncertain and, therefore, provisional. This new species is placed in Ectoedemia Busck because of the morphology of the male genital capsule with a fully reduced uncus, which represents the main apomorphy and the most striking diagnostic character of the genus; some other characters, including the head scaling and wing venation or the shape of the gnathos and transtilla in the male genitalia also principally resemble those of Ectoedemia and lend additional support. However, the phallus with a complex set of cornuti is not characteristic for the previously known Ectoedemia .

Figures

FIGURES1–6. Ectoedemia bulbosa Remeikis &Stonis, sp. nov., holotype (USNM).1, 2, male adult;3, 4, forewingvenation, slide no. RA650; 5, male genitalia, slide no. RA650, capsule; 6, same, phallus.

FIGURES 7–10. Male genitalia of Ectoedemia bulbosa Remeikis & Stonis, sp. nov., holotype, genitalia slide no. RA650 (USNM).7, capsule with phallus removed; 8, gnathos; 9, basal lobes of valvae; 10, phallus