Undulambia lindbladi Landry

Landry, Bernard & Roque-Albelo, Lazaro, 2006, The Acentropinae and Musotiminae (Lepidoptera, Pyralidae) of the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, Zootaxa 1354, pp. 45-56 : 48-54

Undulambia lindbladi Landry , NEW SPECIES

( Figs 3–11 )

Type material. HOLOTYPE: ɗ with the following labels. 1- " ECU [ ADOR]., GALAPAGOS/ Santiago , Central/ 700 m elev[ation]., 9.iv.1992 / M[ercury] V[apour] L[amp], leg [it]. B[ernard]. Landry" (typed on white card stock); 2- " HOLOTYPE / Undulambia / lindbladi / Landry & Roque-Albelo" (hand-written on red card stock). Deposited in the MHNG.

PARATYPES: 28 ɗ, 7 Ψ from Ecuador, Galapagos Islands. Isabela. 1 Ψ, Santo Tomas, 360 m, Jan[uary] 1971 [R. Perry & Tj. De Vries]; 2 Ψ, Volcan Sierra Negra, Corason [sic] Verde, 360 m, L164, January 1971, R. Perry & Tj. De Vries, B.M. 1971-79; 1 Ψ (dissected, slide MHNG 3039), [Volcan] Alcedo, lado NE, 700 m [elevation], camp guayabillos, u[ltra] v[iolet] l[ight], 16.iv.2002, leg. B. Landry, L. Roque; 1 Ψ (dissected, B.M. Pyralidae slide 21171), Corazon Verde, xi-xii-1974, T. J. de Vries, B.M. 1976-58; 1 Ψ, Corazon Verde, 19-20.xii.1975, T. J. de Vries, B.M. 1976-58. Pinta. 10 ɗ (two dissected: MHNG (wing) slide 3042, MHNG (genitalia) slide 3037), 400-650 m elev., day, 18.iii.1992, leg. B. Landry. San Cristobal. 1 ɗ (dissected, slide BL 1639), pampa zone, MVL, 15.ii.1989, B. Landry; 1 ɗ (dissected, slide BL 1183), same data except date: 18.ii.1989. Santa Cruz. 1 ɗ (dissected, slide BL 1638), Media Luna, Pampa Zone, MVL, 21.i.1989, B. Landry; 1 ɗ, ii-iii.1970, R. Perry & Tj. De Vries, Ref. No. L. BM. 1971-4; 1 ɗ (dissected, slide MHNG 3038), Los Gemelos, MVL, 27.v.1992, leg. B. Landry; 1 ɗ, Los Gemelos, 11.ix.2001, R. Boada; 1 ɗ, Media Luna, en Pteridium , 23.x.2001 [L. Roque]; 1 ɗ (dissected, B.M. Pyralidae slide 21170), 1 Ψ (dissected, B.M. Pyralidae slide 21169), Camote, xi.1974, B.M. 1975-7, Ref. No. L. Santiago . 8 ɗ (two dissected, MHNG 3036, MHNG 3129), same data as holotype; 2 ɗ, same data as holotype except date: 10.iv.1992. Deposited in the BMNH, CDRS, CNC, MHNG, and USNM.

Diagnosis. Among the other members of Undulambia , this species has male genitalia similar to those of U. fulvitinctalis (Hampson) , described from Peru, but the wing pattern differs. The male and female genitalia are also very similar to the illustrations provided in the original description of U. polystichalis Capps (1965) , described from Florida, U.S.A., but the two species differ in details of the wing pattern, and U. lindbladi has the wing margins less excised (see Munroe 1972, pl. 4). Other species of Undulambia have even greater differences in wing pattern from U. lindbladi .

Description. Male (n = 29) ( Figs 3 , 5–8, 10 ). Head with labial palpi upturned, reaching upper margin of eye; second palpomere about 1.3X length of third palpomere and as long as larger diameter of eye; greyish brown laterally on first palpomere and base or most of second, whitish-beige elsewhere. Maxillary palpi dark brown laterally at base, beige medially and on apical segment. Fronto-clypeus usually white with brown laterally, but usually descaled; brown in darker specimens from San Cristobal. Vertex and occiput white with light brown to yellowish brown longer and thinner scales apicolaterally, and shorter and wider scales behind eyes; all brown in darker specimens from San Cristobal. Antenna about 10% shorter than forewing (n = 6); each antennomere with apical ring of short scales and with additional basal set of about 8 scales dorsally; scales dark brown on first half of antenna, grey on apical half. Thorax anteriorly mostly light brown with slight ochreous tinge, with scales darker brown at their apex, dark brown at base of tegulae, whitish beige on mesothorax; darker brown in darker specimens from San Cristobal. All legs beige medially, laterally as follows, but darker greyish brown in darker specimens from San Cristobal. Foreleg light greyish brown on coxa; darker greyish brown on other segments. Midleg femur and three apical tarsomeres light greyish brown, tibia and first two tarsomeres darker greyish brown except for beige tip of tibia. Hindleg mostly beige, or with light greyish brown on tibia and all or only first two tarsomeres. Forewing length 4.19–6.38 mm (Holotype: 5.56 mm). Forewing outer margin ( Fig. 3 ) slightly undulated, slightly more concave between M1 and M2; venation ( Fig. 5) with Sc ending at costal glandular swelling medially; R1 short, also ending at costal glandular swelling; R2 and R3 stalked, originating from about ¼ length of R4; R5 free, ending at apex; M1 free from R5, originating slightly below anterior angle of cell; M2 free, originating slightly above posterior corner of cell; cell open; M3 from posterior angle of cell; Cu1 from slightly before posterior angle of cell; Cu2 from about 2/3 cubital stem; CuP absent (diagnostic for subfamily); 1A represented by fold; 2A strong; 3A represented by short rudiment. Hindwing outer margin as in forewing; venation with Sc+R1 and Rs stalked from before 2/ 3 wing length; M1 arising slightly before middle of wing; cell open; M2 free, from above posterior angle of cell; M3 from posterior angle of cell; CuA1 from before posterior angle of cell; CuA2 from 3/5 length of cell; CuP absent; 1A weak, distinct only in its distal half; 2A shown as distinct line of stain, but not forming tube, except for base; 3A absent. Forewing colour dark brown with white and orange markings (obscured in darker specimens from San Cristobal); darker brown at base along costa and as outwardly concave crescent-shaped spot marking end of discal cell; with white, oblong, subcostal fovea medially; with four transverse white lines lined with dark brown: basal line usually incomplete towards costa, submedian line at 1/3 and nearly straight, postmedian line from 2/3 dorsum, straight to discal cell, surrounding apex of cell and ending straight on costa at 2/3, subapical line less conspicuous and made of separated spots between veins; orange markings as basal spot medially, along main veins before postmedian line, and as transverse lines following postmedian and subapical white lines although apical orange line separated into spots between veins; fringe with line of shorter scales dark greyish brown and line of longer scales light greyish brown. Hindwing mostly white with dark brown and orange lines, or mostly dark brown with inconspicuous lines in darker specimens from San Cristobal; with three thin lines, latter most conspicuous, before ¼ wing length; median dark brown line similar in shape to white postmedian line; with dark brown spot at end of discal cell; with somewhat diffuse and irregular postmedian band of light greyish brown or dark brown (especially towards anal margin) and light orange projecting towards termen along some veins and between M1 and M2; with subapical dark brown line sometimes interrupted along veins, followed by light orange or white; sometimes with dark brown spots terminally; fringe on termen as in forewing, lighter greyish brown on anal margin. Abdomen dorsally banded greyish brown (on most of segments’ surfaces) and beige (at apices of segments II to VII and base of segment II) except for white base and apex of segment I, but darker specimens from San Cristobal entirely greyish brown except for thin row of white at apices of segments I to VII; ventrally banded as on dorsal surfaces of segments, but darker areas much paler, especially so on darker specimens from San Cristobal.

Male genitalia (n = 9) ( Figs 6–8 , 10 ). Uncus narrow, slightly down-curved, about 10% shorter than valva measured on dorsal margin, with sparse setae of short to moderate length, apically gently pointed. Gnathos almost straight, only slightly down-curved, about ¾ length of uncus, with 4–10 small, shark-tooth-like spines on apical 1/5; bases extended ventrally. Tegumen in dorsal view with anterior margin forming broad, thickly sclerotized V; dorsally about half as wide as laterally; posterior margin laterally weakly sclerotized on dorsal 2/3, thickly sclerotized, strenghtened, on ventral 1/3. With moderately sclerotized narrow plate (t–v plate of Yoshiyasu (1985), stated to be absent in Musotiminae ) situated along lateroposterior margins of tegumen and connected between lateroventral angles of uncus and short dorsobasal projections of valvae as well as dorsal point of strenghtened posteroventral edges of tegumen. Vinculum laterally narrow, with bulbous saccus directed upward, almost as long as and almost at right angle from lateral branches of vinculum. Subscaphium lightly sclerotized ventrally, scobinated. Juxta long, about 3X as long as wide, slightly shorter than gnathos, with narrow and low longitudinal crest dorsomedially from 1/5 to 3/5. Manica with minute setulae and spined ridges. Valva elongate, 2.5X longer than width at widest point situated near middle of convex ventral margin; dorsal edge on basal 1/3 wide, flattened and bare, with narrow, thickly sclerotized bar on medial edge; bar finely pointed apically and with short upward projection at base; medially with sparse short setae; apically rounded. Phallus slightly shorter than valva; apical third slightly down-curved; lateral margins mostly straight although irregular; basal 2/3 (from base to zone) dorsoventrally compressed, with lateral margins strongly sclerotized, but without sclerotization between margins for part or most of basal 2/3; beyond zone with partial (broken in diagonal dorsally), more strongly sclerotized ring of about 1/10 total length, apical 1/5 with longitudinal ridges all around; vesica without ornamentations.

Female (n = 7) ( Figs 4 , 9 , 11 ). Labial palpi projected straight ahead, only slightly upturned apically, longer than male’s, with second palpomere 1.5X longer than third palpomere and 1.8X longer than largest diameter of eye. Antenna about 25% shorter than forewing (n=3; range=16%–37%); antennomeres thinner than male’s. Colour ( Fig. 4 ) generally darker brown than in males. Forewing length 4.81–6.25 mm; pattern with more or less distinct white transverse markings, and with variable amounts of orange scaling; forewing and hindwing shape as males’, but without glandular swelling and fovea; frenulum with one acantha. Female genitalia (n = 3) ( Figs 9 , 11 ). Papillae anales rounded, about 2X longer than wide at largest width, dorsally, with basal sclerotized band wide dorsally (about 1/3 total width) to very narrow ventrally, with irregular margins; with setae of medium length to long mostly on apical margin and few long setae along margin of basal sclerotized band. Posterior apophyses slender, pointed, reaching basal margin of segment VIII. Segment VIII with narrow sclerotized basal band disconnected ventrally, also with band of few short setae laterally and dorsally at apex of segment; anterior apophyses slender, slightly curved, blunt, reaching about middle of segment VII. Ostium in middle of intersegmental membrane VII-VIII ventrally, without associated sclerotization, but with minute spinulae. Ductus bursae long and moderately wide, dorsoventrally compressed, reaching basal margin of segment VII, with spinulae next to connection with ductus seminalis (close to entrance of corpus bursae). Corpus bursae elongate, about 20% shorter than ductus bursae, slightly wider on proximal half, about twice as long as wide (width measured at proximal half), with spinulae on most of surface except proximal third. Spermatophore perfectly rounded except for short and slightly narrower neck.

Life history. One specimen was reared by the second author from a larva mining a stem of the fern Pteridium aquilinum var. arachnoideum Herter (Polypodiaceae) . The moths fly in the day time and at night, and they are attracted to light. Most of the available specimens were collected at higher elevations, mostly in fern covered habitats.

Notes. The identification of this species to genus Undulambia was originally made by E. G. Munroe after his examination of the first specimens collected by BL in 1989. Its morphology generally agrees with the description of the genus provided by Lange (1956) and Munroe (1972), and the characters mentioned by Yen et al. (2004) in their Table 2 which compares most of the genera of Musotiminae . Of particular importance to us in assigning U. lindbladi to Undulambia when comparing it with the generic description are the presence of a median costal swelling and fovea on the male forewing, the absence of cataclystiform wing pattern elements (especially terminal dots on the hindwing as found in Neurophyseta Hampson ), the simple male valva with a narrower apex, and the similarity in shape of the phallus. Undulambia lindbladi differs from the type species of the genus ( U. striatalis Dyar ) in the less incised wing margins, the wing pattern ( U. striatalis has a striking pattern of longitudinal stripes), the stalking of forewing veins R2 and R3 before their common stem is stalked with R4 (R2 and R3 are separately stalked with R 4 in U. striatalis ), the apparent absence of 3A in the hindwing, the less bifid juxta in the male genitalia, and the narrower ductus bursae. This comparison suffers from the coarse description of U. striatalis and our lack of material, but we believe that no other Musotiminae genus of the New World would make a better choice for U. lindbladi . We feel especially confident in E. G. Munroe’s initial assignment of this species to Undulambia as he described two of the seven recognized Musotiminae genera in the New World ( Malleria and Midilambia ; Cymoriza Guenée having been synonymized by Munroe (1995) by placing its type species, C. damescalis Guenée , in Neurophyseta ) and he listed all the species, introducing 41 new combinations ( Munroe 1995). Also, if one considers U. polystichalis Capps , from Florida, to be a member of Undulambia , then the wing pattern similarity is another character in favour of assigning U. lindbladi to Undulambia . However, a phylogenetic analysis of the New World genera would be desirable, although clearly beyond the scope of this study, to properly evaluate the placement of this species and all other Undulambia species with regards to their similarities and differences from the type species of Undulambia . With this in mind we prefer the conservative approach of considering the differences as intra-generic.

In order to determine that the Galapagos Islands’ species of Undulambia was new, BL examined the types of 15 of the 29 described species in the BMNH and Munroe’s (1972) treatment of North America (3 species), and M. A. Solis (pers. comm.) compared it with the types of the other 11 species in the USNM.

The name of this species honours Sven-Olof Lindblad of Lindblad Expeditions, based in New York, U.S.A., for his multiple generous contributions to conservation in the Galapagos Islands. The species has been found so far on the islands of Isabela, Pinta, San Cristobal, Santa Cruz, and Santiago . The sexual dimorphism reflected by the longer and forward directed labial palpi of the female hasn’t been recorded for the North American species of Musotiminae ( Munroe 1972) , but in Neurophyseta species and Austromusotima camptozonale (Hampson) the labial palps are sexually dimorphic, although the dimorphism is different than that of Undulambia lindbladi Landry ( Phillips and Solis 1996; Yen et al. 2004). Wing colour dimorphism has been noted also for Undulambia polystichalis Capps (1965) .

In the Galapagos Islands this species can be differentiated from the other Lepidoptera species by the characters that identify it as a Pyralidae (scaled proboscis and presence of abdominal tympanal organs) and, among the Pyralidae , by the wing pattern, especially the presence in the forewing of two paler, usually white, transverse lines bordered by dark brown scales, i.e., an almost straight submedian line and a curved postmedian line from about 2/3 dorsal margin to 2/3 costa. The slight incision of the outer margin between M1 and M 2 in both wings is also diagnostic, as well as the presence in the male of a glandular swelling on the forewing costa associated with a subcostal fovea medially.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 4. 1, 2: Parapoynx fluctuosalis (Zeller). 1, Female from Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos (FW = 9.0 mm, CNC); 2, Male from Papua New Guinea (FW = 8.0 mm, D. Agassiz Collection). 3, 4: Undulambia lindbladi Landry. 3, Holotype male; 4, Paratype female from Isabela (MHNG).

FIGURES 10 – 11. Undulambia lindbladi Landry. 10, Male genitalia in lateral view, without phallus, saccus partially deformed dorsally (slide MHNG 3036); 11, Female genitalia in lateral view (bursa broken proximally, from slide BMNH 21169).

FIGURES 6 – 9. Undulambia lindbladi Landry. 6, Male genitalia in ventral view, without phallus (slide BL 1183, CNC); 7, Phallus in laterodorsal view (slide BL 1183); 8, Phallus in side view (slide MHNG 3129); 9, Female genitalia, ventral view (slide MHNG 3039).