Ophthalmoblysis ibarrai Garzón-Orduña, 2019

Garzón-Orduña, Ivonne J., 2019, A new species of Ophthalmoblysis Scoble, 1995 (Geometridae: Ennominae) from México with ‘ sleepy’ eyespots, Zootaxa 4706 (3), pp. 469-476 : 470-472

Ophthalmoblysis ibarrai Garzón-Orduña , new species

( Figs 1 , 2 , 3 )

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:3592F2C2-EA19-43AC-9729-864A4C06F8E1

Type material. Holotype: Male ( Figs 1A, B ), México, Veracruz, Estación de Biología Tropical Los Tuxtlas , 18° 35’ 14’’ N, 95° 4’ 26’’ W, 170 m, 15.x.1985, leg: A. Ibarra ( CNIN) . Paratypes: 6 males, 3 females: México: Veracruz: same locality as holotype; collection dates 15.vi.1981 – 15.x.1985 . Paratypes divided between CNIN (1 female, 2 males) , EAPZ (1 female, 2 males) , and Los Tuxtlas Insect Collection (Estación de Biología Tropical de Los Tuxtlas) (1 female, 2 males) .

Etymology. The species is dedicated to Mr. Adolfo Ibarra Vázquez (IBUNAM), who collected most of the known specimens of O. ibarrai and who continues to contribute to the growth of the CNIN with admirable passion and enthusiasm.

Diagnosis. Ophthalmoblysis ibarrai differs from other species in the genus by the shape and pattern of the eyespot in the hindwing. The eyespot in O. ibarrai has an inner black disc that is not fully circular, giving it the appearance of a “sleepy” eye. Furthermore, it can be distinguished from its geographical closest congener (an undescribed species from Costa Rica) by a sclerotized extension at the tip of the male valva and a sclerotized cornutus in the vesica.

Description. Male. Head: Labial palps short, not covering eyes fully. Antenna bipectinated with very short pectinations, ochre dorsally and yellowish ventrally, 71 antennal segments (including pedicel). Thorax: Dorsally covered with ochre scales, basal 2/3 gray, distal 1/3 white; ventrally white, covered mostly by thin, elongate, whitish cream scales. Wingspan 28 mm; FW ochre to light brown, outer margin continuous and rounded. DFW with a prominent and uninterrupted submarginal line formed by dark brown scales, distally surrounded by a thinner (and also uninterrupted) line of metallic bluish scales. These two lines divide FW longitudinally but neither reaches coastal margin. Distal to these lines, FW with small patches of gold scales with minimal to no iridescence. Two round, small dots of silver iridescent scales at apex of wing, one in R 4 –R 5 and one in R 5 –M 1. Proximal to two lines a section 3‒4 mm wide covered by dull ochre scales. Most proximal area of FW covered by groups of strongly iridescent scales extending from costa to anal border. Fringe brown. Transmitted light from certain angles produces a subtle pinkviolet reflection. VFW with distal 1/3 tan, paler closer to body with cream/whitish tone. Fovea in FW mentioned by Pitkin (2002) not visible. HW distal outer margin continuous, rounded, cream; fringe cream, almost yellowish; anal margin with cream border covered by elongated hair-like scales. DHW with midsection of dull scales continuing from FW; a submarginal eyespot between veins M 1 -M 3 composed of four concentric rings of colored scales: a thick outer ring of light brown scales, followed by a thin ring of dark brown scales, light cream scales form next ring, and finally a black inner disc not fully circular. A spot of metallic scales tightly piled together interrupting distal margin of eyespot; a crescent-shaped band of iridescent scales surrounding eyespot proximally. VHW as in VFW, mostly cream to white especially closer to the body, slightly tan towards margin. Frenulum absent. Legs covered with shiny white to cream scales. Tibial spurs 0-2-4. Orange protibial epiphysis shaped like a fold. Abdomen: Male genitalia ( Fig. 2 ) with tegumen elongated, opened dorsally and sclerotized along edges. Tegumen with rounded knobs at each side of uncus. Uncus short, 1/3 or less length of tegumen, covered with setae of medium length and with sclerotized bases. Uncus ending in sclerotized tip. Gnathos slender and fused ventrally (looped). Valva ( Fig. 2C ) elongated and bowed, inner surface copiously covered by tall, membranous scales. Distal portion of valva rounded with tip dorsally featuring tiny sharp serrations, ventrally with a rounded and strongly sclerotized extension. A cluster of long and thin hairs externally and parallel to valva attached to side of tegumen (coremata perhaps). Similar hairs extending inward from a sclerotized extension at tip of valva. Juxta V-shaped, extended ventrally; phallus short, stout, bare; vesica with longitudinal striations with an elongated and rounded sclerite (cornutus) that ends in a bifid tip. Saccus rounded and short. Tip of abdomen covered by thick, elongate, white scales.

Female. Head and Thorax: As in male, except larger and overall darker. Antenna ciliate-setose. Wingspan 31 mm ( Figs 1C, D ). FW and HW dorsally as in male; ventrally conspicuously darker and tanner than in males (including antennae). Abdomen: Tip of abdomen without white long scales, instead covered by regular, slightly tan scales. Genitalia ( Fig. 3 ) with corpus bursa with longitudinal striations; a disc- like signum with radiating spines located slightly to side and close to anterior end. Papillae anales more rectangular than rounded. Ostium bursa with a slightly sclerotized lamella postvaginalis, antrum slightly sclerotized.

Variation. Except for small size differences among individuals of the same sex, the 11 specimens examined for this study do not show any other obvious intraspecific variation. All dissected females were mated.

Distribution and Biology. Ophthalmoblysis ibarrai is known only from the type locality (Estación de Biología Tropical Los Tuxtlas, Veracruz, México) at 140– 160 m. Species in Ophthalmoblysis may deviate in host plant use from other members in the Palyadini . Brehm (2002) reported that in Costa Rica an unnamed species of Ophthalmoblysis uses Connarus sp. ( Connaraceae ) as its hostplant, unlike species in Argyrotome , Phrygionis , and Opisthoxia , which use Myrsinaceae .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Ophthalmoblysis ibarrai sp. n. Dorsal and ventral sides of adult male (A&B) and female (C&D). Pictures taken by A. Ibarra. Scale bar = 1 cm.

FIGURE 2. Ophthalmoblysis ibarrai sp. n. Male genitalia. Tegumen in dorsal (A) and ventral view (B), Phallus with vesica not everted (C), and (D) valva in lateral view. Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURE 3. Ophthalmoblysis ibarrai sp. n. Female genitalia. Scale bar = 1 mm.