Lineodes corinnae, 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 : 343-347

Lineodes corinnae sp. n.

Figs 25-27 , 84 , 107 , 153

Material examined

Holotype: ♀, ‘ ECUADOR [sideways on left side] | GALÁPAGOS | Santa Crúz | Los Gemelos | 31.I.1989, M[ercury]V[apour]L[ight] | [legit] B. Landry’; ‘HOLOTYPE | Lineodes | corinnae | B. Landry’. Deposited in the CNC.

Paratypes: 3 ♂, 48 ♀ from the Galápagos Islands. – Isabela: 1 ♀, Albermarle, Volcan Sierra Negra (= Santo Tomas), Corazon Verde, 360 m, i.1971 (B.M. 1971-79, Ref.. L 118); 1 ♀, 3 km N S[an]toTómas,Agr[iculture]. Zone, 8.iii.1989, M[ercury]V[apour]L[ight] (B. Landry); 7 ♀ (one dissected, slide MHNG-ENTO-8678), NE slope Alcedo, ca. 400 m up (S) Los Guayabillos camp, GPS: 892 m elev[ation]., S 00° 25.208’, W 91° 04.765’, 1.iv.2004, u[ltra]v[iolet]l[ight] (B. Landry, P. Schmitz); 1 ♂ (dissected, slide MHNG-ENTO-8677), NE slope Alcedo, Los Guayabillos camp, GPS: 869 m elev., S 00° 24.976’, W 91° 04.617’, 2.iv.2004, uvl (B. Landry, P. Schmitz); 1 ♂, 9 ♀, Alcedo, lado NE, 700 m, camp guayabillos, 16.iv.2002, uvl (B. Landry, L. Roque); 2 ♀, Alcedo, lado NE, 1100 m, cumbre, caseta Cayot, 17.iv.2002, uvl (B. Landry, L. Roque); 2 ♀, V[olcan]. Darwin, 630 m elev., 16.v.1992, MVL (B. Landry); 1 ♂ (slide BL 1802), Albermarle, San[to] Tomas, 1200 ft alt[itude]., 23.viii. [19]06 (F.X. Williams); 2 ♀, Alcedo, 1100 m elev., 13.x.1998, uvl (L. Roque); 1 ♀, Sierra Negra, Alemania, xi.1974 (T.J. de Vries, B.M. 1976- 58); 1 ♀, Sierra Negra, Corazon Verde, xi-xii.1974 (T.J. de Vries, B.M. 1976-58). – Santa Cruz: 6 ♀, same data as holotype; 1 ♀, Horneman Farm, 220 m, 5.iv.1964 (D.Q. Cavagnaro); 1 ♀, Los Gemelos, 4.v.2002, uvl (B. Landry, L. Roque); 1 ♀ (slide MHNG-ENTO-8682), Los Gemelos, 27.v.1992, MVL (B. Landry); 2 ♀, [no specific locality or collector], vi.1970 (B.M. 1970- 567, Ref.. L. 118). – Santiago: 4 ♀, N side, GPS: 527 m elev., S 00° 13.690°, W 90° 44.135’, 5.iii.2005, uvl (P. Schmitz); 1 ♀, NE side, close to Caseta, GPS: 686 m elev., S 00°14.177’, W 90°44.619’, 6.iii.2005, uvl (P. Schmitz); 1 ♀, Highlands, los jaboncillos [camp], 820 m, 63. iv.1974 (B.M. 1975-7); 5 ♀ (one dissected, slide MHNG-ENTO-8681), Central [camp], 700 m elev., MVL (B. Landry). Deposited in BMNH, CAS, CDRS, CNC, and MHNG.

Diagnosis: The females ( Figs 25, 26 ), which have a wingspan of 13-18 mm, will be distinguished from congeners by the combination of markings of various shades of brown and the simple, thin, white postmedian line paralleling the termen for most of its length. The otherwise mostly dark brown hindwing also has a white to pale yellow spot, often v-shaped, between CuA2 and 1 submarginally. The males ( Fig. 27 ), with a wingspan of 13 mm, are noticeably darker than the females and with less apparent markings.

Etymology: I take pleasure in naming this species after my colleague Corinne Reuteler, for her always enthusiastic and professional technical assistance and for her friendship.

Description: Male (n=3) ( Fig. 27 ). Head with frons flat, vestiture appressed, with mixed colours including various shades of brown, yellowish orange, and more or less pure white, bulging occiput with mostly broad appressed scales directed anteromedially; antenna filiform, with reduced slightly erect vestiture of 3 scales at base and 0-2 just beyond except for laterally incomplete ring of basal scales on last 15 or so flagellomeres, ciliation dense on conspicuous protruding bases, shorter than width of flagellomeres to about as wide toward apex, scales dark brown with ventral cream patch on scape, mostly greyish brown with paler base beyond, with some yellowish on basal flagellomeres; maxillary palpus dark brown, with scales projecting forward slightly beyond frons; labial palpus porrect, projecting beyond frons for slightly more than 1.5X eye diameter, mostly dark brown with few orange scales laterally and along dorsal margin, white at base ventrally and cream to yellowish orange at base medially; haustellum yellowish orange. Thorax dorsally mostly with dark greyish brown scales with paler base, with few paler greyish brown and orange scales, white as narrow transverse band postmedially and along edges of metascutum. Foreleg coxa cream to yellowish orange with scattered dark brown and chestnut brown scales; femur as coxa, with black patch around distal 1/3; tibia blackish brown, with white ventrally at base and at apex dorsally; tarsomere I blackish brown with white at base, II dark greyish brown with white at base, III-V unicoloured greyish brown. Midleg femur as on foreleg but without black patch; tibia blackish brown with more or less dense scattering of white scales, especially on basal half, spurs well developed though short, blackish brown and dirty white; tarsomeres as on foreleg. Hindleg femur as on midleg, but more uniformly blackish brown at base; tibia as on midleg, with 2 pairs of spurs also short and coloured as on midleg; tarsomeres as on midleg. Forewing length: 6.0 mm (wingspan: 13.0 mm). Forewing vestiture as shown, sometimes with white postmedian lines more prominent, the outer one connecting above dorsal margin with thin subapical white line barely apparent in specimen shown. Abdomen dorsally blackish brown with white along all margins of whole of tergite I and on apical margin of tergites II-VII, also with chestnut brown medially on tergites II and III, and increasingly more laterally on tergites IV-VI, forming inverted V, basal scales apically covering genitalia blackish brown, longer apical scales paler greyish brown to dirty white; ventrally blackish brown, mottled with pale greyish brown, chestnut brown, white, and yellowish orange scales, with apical margin of each tergite white, although blackish brown medially on first three tergites. Segment VIII with sclerotization pattern as shown ( Fig. 84 ).

Male genitalia (n=2) ( Fig. 107 ). Uncus short, basically straight, of medium girth, with slightly enlarged bare base with rounded lateral margins, dorsally adorned with thick, blunt spines on distal 3/5 and with a few short setae on second fifth of length. Subscaphium short, not reaching tip of uncus, lightly sclerotized. Tegumen wide with complete cover and thickened margins except medially at apex and base. Pseudognathos laterally narrow, disconnected medially. Transtilla a pair of broad plates with median membranous connection the length of one plate. Valva quadrangular, with apex slightly rounded, with more thickly sclerotized dorsal margin slightly concave, medially on dorsal half at base with short, shortly setose low ridge connected at base with transtilla and followed by broad, triangular fibula with rounded angles almost touching ventral margin. Juxta almost a perfect circle. Vinculum with arms slightly enlarging on dorsal half; saccus bulbous, directed anterodorsally and slightly concave medially. Phallus an almost straight, homogeneously sclerotized tube about as long as valva; vesica with section of 1/3 length of shaft set with 30 or more short spine-like cornuti.

Female (n=49) ( Figs 25, 26 ): Antenna with ciliation less conspicuous than in male, with complete set of scales on each flagellomere, including complete basal ring except on first few flagellomeres without ventral scales; most scales appressed, but basal rings partly erect toward apex of flagellum; blackish brown to dark brown with orange on scape, mostly greyish brown but dorsally with white basal scales on first few flagellomeres. Thorax dorsally on basal half mottled white, pale and dark greyish brown, as well as with few orange scales, distal half with scales white and dark greyish brown with paler bases. Legs with some yellowish orange scaling also on tibiae of mid- and hindleg, as well as on tarsomere I. Forewing length: 6.5- 8.5 mm (holotype: 7.0 mm) (wingspan: 14.0- 17.5 mm; holotype: 15.0 mm). Wing vestiture paler brown than in males, with generally more distinct markings as shown, with some of them, i.e. at base, medially, and between subapical and subterminal lines sometimes pale greenish olive. Abdomen dorsally paler than in male, with blackish brown most prominent laterally and apical white line of tergites less conspicuous; ventrally with pale greyish brown and white scaling more prominent than in male.

Female genitalia (n=3) ( Fig. 153 ). Papillae anales slightly elongate, almost half as long as wide, slightly longer dorsally, broadly rounded apically; sclerotized support band very narrow and short, a thin pointed blade on each side of apophysis base; posterior apophyses long and straight, about 3X width of papillae anales, with narrow enlargement at 2/5. Segment VIII elongate, with tergum plate dorsally twice as long as on ventral side of apophyses, with few setae of medium length; without sternal plates or modifications of the membrane posterior to and around ostium bursae; anterior apophyses about as long but thicker than posterior apophyses, without differentiated enlargement subbasally. Ductus bursae with colliculum dorsoventrally flattened, and divided into two equally long parts, the basal parallel-margined and more thickly sclerotized dorsally and (apparently also) ventrally, the second, slightly wider at base and narrowing, sclerotized more lightly and with inception of ductus seminalis mediodorsally; subsequent section of ductus bursae, from 2/5 to 3/5 narrowing and ridged; ultimate section very narrow and unmodified. Corpus bursae small, about half as long as ductus bursae, circular, without signum or other modifications of membrane.

Biology: The host plant of the larva and the immature stages are unknown. The habitats of the species are at or above 220 m in elevation, from the agriculture zone to the rim of the volcanoes on which slopes the species occurs, in anthropized habitats to others only modified by goats or other feral farm animals. Collecting dates are in all months of the year except February, July, and September.

Distribution: Endemic to the Galápagos, this species has been found on the islands of Isabela, Santa Cruz, and Santiago.

Remark: The colliculum of the female ductus bursae after dissection is so much collapsed onto itself dorsoventrally that it is not possible to clearly discern which side (dorsal, ventral, or both) is well sclerotized.

Figures

Figs 25 - 32. Galápagos specimens of Spilomelinae, size not to scale. (25 - 27) Lineodes corinnae. (25) Lineodes corinnae ♀ holotype, CNC. (26) ♀ paratype, Isabela, NE slope Alcedo, ca. 400 m up Los Guayabillos camp, 892 m, 1. iv. 2004, MHNG. (27) ♂ paratype, Isabela, Alcedo, lado NE, camp Guayabillos, 700 m, 16. iv. 2002, MHNG. (28) Lineodes fontella ♂, Santa Cruz, NNW Bella Vista, 225 m, 18. ii. 2005, MHNG. (29, 30) Lineodes vulcanalis. (29) ♀ paratype, BMNH ©, the Trustees of the Natural History Museum, London. (30) ♂ holotype, BMNH ©, the Trustees of the Natural History Museum, London. (31, 32) Loxomorpha cambogialis. (31) ♀, Isabela, 11 km N Pto Villamil, 13. iii. 1989, CNC. (32) ♀, Santa Cruz, transition zone, recently cut road, 12. iii. 2004, MHNG.

Figs 81 - 91. Segment VIII of new Galápagos Spilomelinae species described herein. (81) Agathodes galapagensis, tergite above: slide CNC PYR 365. (82) Desmia mordor, tergite folded unto itself: slide MHNG-ENTO- 8668. (83) Diaphania galapagensis: slide MHNG-ENTO- 8934. (84) Lineodes corinnae, slide BL 1802. (85) L. vulcanalis: slide BMNH Pyr 21191. (86) Neoleucinodes galapagensis: slide MHNG-ENTO- 9025. (87) Samea coffea: slide MHNG-ENTO- 8719. (88) S. inconspicuella: slide CNC PYR 367. (89) Sisyracera jacquelinae: slide BMNH Pyr 21188. (90) Udea galapagensis: slide MHNG-ENTO- 8717. (91) U. sideralis: slide MHNG-ENTO- 9024. Figs 85, 89 under copyright and permission of the Trustees of the Natural History Museum, London.

Figs 107 - 109. Male genitalia of Galápagos Spilomelinae, a and b not to scale, (a) showing the genitalia without phallus and (b), the phallus. (107) Lineodes corinnae paratypes: slide MHNG-ENTO- 8677 (a); slide BL 1802 (b). (108) L. fontella: slide MHNG-ENTO- 9001, Santa Cruz. (109) L. integra: slide MHNG-ENTO- 8679, Isabela (phallus broken).

Figs 153 - 157. Female genitalia of Galápagos Spilomelinae, not to scale. (153) Lineodes corinnae paratype: slide MHNG-ENTO- 8678. (154) L. fontella: slide MHNG-ENTO- 9002, Isabela. (155) L. integra: slide MHNG-ENTO- 8680, Pinta. (156) Lineodes vulcanalis paratype, BMNH ©, the Trustees of the Natural History Museum, London. (157) Loxomorpha cambogialis: slide MHNG-ENTO- 8602, Isabela.