Lineodes vulcanalis, Bernard Landry, 2016

Bernard Landry, 2016, Taxonomic revision of the Spilomelinae (Lepidoptera, Pyralidae s. l.) of the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador, Revue suisse de Zoologie 123 (2), pp. 315-399 : 349-351

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.155309
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5823182
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03EA87B1-FF9E-820B-7E5C-FCB7FB71FD6D
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Lineodes vulcanalis
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Lineodes vulcanalis sp. n.

Figs 29, 30 View Figs 25 - 32 , 85 View Figs 81 - 91 , 110 View Figs 110 - 112 , 156 View Figs 153 - 157

Material examined

Paratype: 1 ♀ from the Galápagos Islands. – Isabela: 1 ♀ (dissected, slide B. M. Pyralidae Genitalia slide. 21192), Sierra Negra, Alemania, xi.1974 (T.J. de Vries) (B.M. 1976–58). Deposited in BMNH.

Diagnosis: The almost black forewing ground colour with the only markings as fine antemedian and median pure white fasciae and an orange patch submarginally near the tornus will separate this species ( Figs 29, 30 View Figs 25 - 32 ) from all others of the genus. It is similar to L. triangulalis Möschler [see Hayden et al. (2013)] and L. serpulalis Lederer in the presence of orange scaling submarginally near the forewing tornus, although only as a small orange line, and several white contrasting markings such as a wide median fascia and a double postmedian line in the radial and median sectors. Lineodes vulcanalis is also similar to Atomopteryx coelodactyla (Zeller, 1863) described from Venezuela, but this species is larger (holotype: 15 mm in forewing length) and the hindwing is paler toward the base and at least with an inverted, darker crescent at the end of the cell, and sometimes an indication of a subterminal line.

Etymology: The epithet refers to the dark colour of the holotype and to the volcanic nature of the Galápagos archipelago.

Description: Male (n=1) ( Fig. 30 View Figs 25 - 32 ). Head with frons protruding slightly, very slightly rounded, with slightly convex and thickened margin of frontoclypeus, vestiture short, appressed and mostly black on frons, with orange on dorsal part of frons, with white band along margin of eye from base of antenna to apex of frons, short scales behind eye ventrally orange, longer narrow scales on occiput mostly dark brown with few orange, projecting anteromedially; antenna filiform, with ventral ciliation dense and slightly longer than width of flagellomeres all along flagellum, scape with scales mostly black, with white spot at tip, first few flagellomeres with contrasting rows of basal, yellowish orange and apical, dark greyish brown appressed scales, with pair of yellowish orange scales laterally on each side of flagellomere basally, second third of flagellum with greyish brown scales gradually becoming paler and lateral yellowish orange scales becoming more erect, distal third with scales all yellowish orange and lateral scales distinctly erect; maxillary palpus small, directed upward, black scaled; labial palpus short, directed upward at half right angle, projecting barely above top of head and anteriorly for about as long as eye diameter, vestiture mottled with scales black to dark brown to chestnut brown with paler bases; haustellum with scales black to dark brown with slightly paler bases. Thorax dorsally mostly dark greyish brown with black scales, with small white patches laterally on mesoscutellum and on metascutum, also with chestnut brown on mesoscutellum and metascutum. Foreleg coxa blackish brown with paler greyish brown toward apex; femur blackish brown on basal half, with postmedian patch of yellowish orange, distally dark greyish brown with mixed chestnut brown; tibia chestnut brown on basal 1/3, blackish brown beyond; tarsomeres cream, with blackish brown at tip on first and second, pale greyish brown at tip of third. Midleg femur blackish brown with few scattered chestnut brown scales; tibia cream with scattered darker scales of different shades of brown, with chestnut brown patch subbasally followed by blackish brown patch, blackish brown at tip, only one tiny spur observed, dirty white; tarsomeres as on foreleg. Hindleg femur blackish brown with chestnut brown near middle, with apex on only complete hindleg hidden; single available tibia with base hidden, blackish brown toward base and apically, paler cream midsection with scattered chestnut brown and darker brown scales, one tiny spur observed, dirty white; tarsomeres cream, with greyish brown at apex of first and second. Forewing length: 6.5 mm. Wingspan not measurable as specimen is not spread. Forewing vestiture ( Fig. 30 View Figs 25 - 32 ) blackish brown with markings as snow white patch at 1/4 inner margin with few white scales above, snow white line at 1/2 inner margin curving outward and reaching diffuse dirty white patch postmedially below costa, with chestnut brown line on costa before apex, and with orange patch in anal angle not touching margin; fringe in Medial and Cubital sectors white, otherwise blackish brown. Hindwing not visible. Abdomen dorsally mostly blackish brown with paler based scales, with extensive chestnut brown on first tergite and as patches laterally on tergites II-VI, with few orange scales apically on tergite VII; ventrally blackish brown with scattered paler greyish brown and chestnut brown scales. Segment VIII with sclerotization pattern as shown ( Fig. 85 View Figs 81 - 91 ).

Male genitalia (n=1) ( Fig. 110 View Figs 110 - 112 ). Uncus short, about 1/3 of length of tegumen, slightly down-curved, of medium girth, with slightly enlarged bare base, dorsally adorned with thick, blunt spines on distal 3/5 and with a few short setae on second fifth of length. Subscaphium narrow, reaching middle of uncus, well sclerotized distally. Tegumen forming complete cover, narrowing distally, with slightly concave lateral margins at midlength, about twice as long as mid-length width, with thickened lateral margins and median, longitudinal band of thicker sclerotization. Pseudognathos laterally narrow and thickly sclerotized, medially more thinly sclerotized and enlarged to twice lateral length. Transtilla with triangular lateral arms disconnected medially by length of one arm. Valva elongate, 4X as long as median width, dorsal margin thickly sclerotized on basal half, slightly concave medially, ventral margin slightly convex, more thickly sclerotized on basal half, medially at base with ventrally-directed, diagonal, thickly sclerotized, straight, thin, and pointed fibula with slightly wider base abutting transtilla. Juxta lightly sclerotized, ‘heart’ shaped, with narrow base, widening with rounded lateral margins, apically cleft. Vinculum narrow, horse scapula like, with thickly sclerotized anterior margin; saccus only slightly projecting medioventrally. Phallus straight, tube-like, with slightly enlarged bulbous base, with less thickly sclerotized dorsal wall, almost 3/4 length of valva; vesica scobinated, with one single, slightly curved cornutus about 0.15X length of phallus shaft.

Female (n=1) ( Fig. 29 View Figs 25 - 32 ): Antenna with ciliation slightly shorter than width of corresponding flagellomeres. Forewing length: 11.0 mm. Wingspan not measurable as specimen is not spread. Forewing vestiture less dark than in male, with more chestnut brown on dorsal half especially at base and before orange anal patch. Hindwing pale greyish brown with longitudinal patches of blackish brown along anal margin and second cubital vein, with small orange patch submarginally and on dorsal side of Cu2. Abdomen dorsally with chestnut brown featuring less prominently on tergites IV-VII than in male.

Female genitalia (n=1) ( Fig. 156 View Figs 153 - 157 ). Papillae anales of regular narrow length along whole setose surface; sclerotized basal margin very narrow and short; posterior apophyses about as long as width of papillae anales. Segment VIII with tergum widely sclerotized dorsally, about 1/3 of dorsal width just before posterior apophyses, and slightly wider ventrad from apophyses; with broad, lightly sclerotized and square sternal plate with lateral margins slightly converging apically and anterior and posterior margins concave; anterior apophyses almost twice as long as posterior apophyses, only very slightly enlarged at 1/4. Membrane around ostium bursae unmodified. Ductus bursae long and thin, with basal 1/20th of length membranous, second 20th forming well sclerotized colliculum, with inception of ductus seminalis at 3/20, with short enlargement at 7/10 followed by spiculate distal section until corpus bursae. Corpus bursae circular and short, about 1/4 of length of ductus bursae, with single signum a small rounded and spined depression.

Biology: Unknown except for the collecting months, i.e. June and November.

Distribution: Endemic to the Galápagos and found so far only on Santa Cruz and Isabela.

Remark: The female paratype specimen possibly belongs to another species as it is from a different island of the archipelago than the male holotype, but the forewing markings do match very well.