Brusqeulia yunkensis, Santa-Rita, Jose V. Perez & Baixeras, Joaquin, 2018

Santa-Rita, Jose V. Perez & Baixeras, Joaquin, 2018, Two new species of Brusqeulia Razowski & Becker, 2000 from the Neotropics, with comments on the systematic position of the genus in relation to the Apolychrosis Amsel, 1962 group of genera (Lepidoptera, Tortricidae, Cochylini), ZooKeys 770, pp. 193-210 : 195-197

Brusqeulia yunkensis sp. n. Figures 2, 4A, C

Type material.

Holotype: ♂, Bolivia, Santa Cruz Department, Florida Province, Pampa Grande Municipality, locality of Hueco de la Pascana, 1575 m, 18°7.09'S; 64°3.58'W, 25 Jan 2011, J. Baixeras, A. Valdivia and G. Fernández (MNKM).

Paratypes: (15♂, 6♀). Bolivia: Santa Cruz Department, Florida Province, Mairana Municipality, locality of Yunga de Mairana, Rasete, 2000 m, 18°04'S; 63°54'W, 4 Nov 2005 (6♂, 3♀), J. Baixeras, A. Valdivia and I. García (GS USNM 124290, USNM 124291); Yunga de Mairana, ca. Bosque de Helechos, 2150 m, 18°03'S; 63°55'W, 02 Nov 2005 (1♂), J. Baixeras, A. Valdivia and I. García (GS 20724); locality of Pampa Grande, Hueco de la Pascana, 18°7.09'S; 64°3.58'W, 10 Nov 2001 (1♂), A. Valdivia and J. Baixeras; Pampa Grande, La Hoyada, 1600 m, 17°57'S; 64°06'W, 07 Nov 2005 (1♂, 1♀), J. Baixeras, A. Valdivia and I. García (GS 20727, 20728); Pampa Grande, Agua Clarita, 1554 m, 17°56.74'S; 64°7.97'W 27 Jan 2011 (5♂, 2♀), J. Baixeras, A. Valdivia and G. Fernández; Pampa Grande, El Milu, 1534 m, 17°59.36'S; 64°3.23'W, 28 Jan 2011 (1♂), J. Baixeras, A. Valdivia and G. Fernández. Paratypes deposited in MNKM, USNM, and ICBiBE.

Material examined not included in the type series.

Bolivia: Santa Cruz Department, Florida Province, Mairana Municipality, locality of Yunga de Mairana, Rasete, 2000 m, 18°04'S; 63°54'W, 4 Nov 2005 (1♂, 1♀), J. Baixeras, A. Valdivia and I. García (GS JBA20684, JBA20815, SEM stub JBA193); Pampa Grande, Agua Clarita, 1554 m, 17°56.74'S; 64°7.97'W 27 Jan 2011 (2♂), J. Baixeras, A. Valdivia and G. Fernández (GS JBA20836, JBA20844, JBA20864). Deposited in ICBiBE.

Molecular characterisation.

We were able to obtain partial COI sequence data (i.e., the DNA barcode) for a single specimen (GENBANK accession number MG951753), and comparison of the sequence against Genbank did not render any useful information. Interestingly, sequencing of a second sample revealed the presence of DNA related to the entomopathogenic trypanosomatid genus Crithidia Léger, 1902 (phylum Euglenozoa; GENBANK accession number MH118295).

Diagnosis.

The habitus of B. yunkensis (Fig. 2A) does not ensure discrimination from similar species of Brusqeulia (e.g., B. baeza or B. uncicera ) or species of the closely related genus Limeulia Razowski & Becker, 2000. An examination of the available literature suggests that the crescent-shaped blotch of the forewing costa is present in all the species of the genus Brusqeulia and related genera. The distinctive characters at the species level are associated with the male and female genitalia. Brusqeulia yunkensis can be distinguished by the unusual configuration of the transtilla in males (Fig. 2B). The transtilla is well developed in most species of Brusqeulia and in associated genera, but a transtilla projecting posteriorly into a flat spinulous area is found only in B. crispula and presumably in B. monoloba . However, in B. yunkensis the spinulous area occupies ca. 0.2 of the total length of the transtilla, whereas in B. crispula and B. monoloba it occupies ca. 0.3 of the total length. The impression is a longer, more protruding transtilla in B. yunkensis than in the other two species. Brusqeulia crispula has a distinctive pillous disc on the cucullus that is present but only weakly developed in B. yunkensis ; no disc is apparent in B. monoloba . There is wide variation in the development of the uncus in Brusqeulia species, from thin projections, as in B. bonita , B. baeza , and B. araguensis sp. n., to relatively broad finger-like projections, as in B. crispula and B. tripuncta . Brusqeulia yunkensis has a moderate development similar to that of B. teneimorpha and B. guaramiranga . A rugous spatulate projection of the gnathos has never been described in species of the group and could be a unique character. An inward curved sacculus distally projecting into a pointed process (Fig. 2C) is similar to that found in some species such as B. baeza , B. monoloba and even B. crispula , but the shape of the terminal process is diagnostic in every species of the group. Finally, the phallus of B. yunkensis seems to be a simplified organ with respect to the typical stout structure in its relatives, more elongate and without any distal ventral process. The presence of denticles on the dorsal distal part of the phallus (Fig. 2E) together with slender terminal cornuti (Fig. 2D) has been reported only in B. sebastiani . The presence of microspinulation on the inner part of the vesica is unknown in other species of the genus. So far, morphological details of the females of Brusqeulia are limited owing to the paucity of material. The only female described is B. caracagena , a species for which the male is unknown. The latter can be easily distinguished from B. yunkensis by the ductus bursae (Fig. 2F) - extremely short in B. caracagena , longer and partially sclerotised in B. yunkensis . The spinous subpapillar sclerite (Fig. 4B and D) on the intersegmental membrane, present in B. yunkensis , is absent in B. caracagena .

Description.

Head: Vertex with long brownish scales protruding anteriorly and dorsally, fan-shaped, between antennae. Frons slightly convex covered with some whitish scales. Antennae dark brown, length ca. 0.5 as long as forewing costa, dorsally scaled, ventrally ciliated, two rows of scales per flagellomere. Palpus labialis porrect, length (all three segments combined) ca. 1.4 times diameter of compound eye, uniformly scaled; first segment short, slightly upcurved, with brown scales, second segment long, straight with mixed brown scales laterally and whitish scales dorsally, third segment short and slightly upcurved with whitish scales basally and apically and brown scales medially; opening of organ of vom Rath in apical position. Haustellum well developed. Ocelli and chaetosemata well developed.

Thorax: Upperside with pronotum, anterior half-part of mesoscutum, and tegulae covered by dark brown scales and posterior half-part of mesoscutum and metanotum covered by white scales; smooth-scaled including tegulae, without scales tufts. Underside, including legs, whitish, male foreleg hairpencil absent. Forewing length 5.0-6.6 mm (x̄ = 6.1; n = 19) in males, 5.8-7.3 mm (x̄ = 6.7; n = 7) in females. Forewing with typical venation of Cochylina, details described for the genus. Forewing pattern not sexually dimorphic (Fig. 2A). Forewing upperside with ground colour whitish with brownish-grey marking; most marks concentrated in costal area; system of pairs of strigulae vaguely recognisable, presumably concolourous with background, only through inter strigular dark marks; some scattered marks at basal fourth of costa; marks at level of Sc fused to produce a distinctive crescent shape brownish-grey blotch projected discally in a rather conspicuous coma-like patch confluent with R2-R3; single marks between Sc and R1, R1 and R2, R2 and R3, no marks beyond R3; some scattered grey scales between marks; striae strongly fragmented; dorsal marking ill- defined; fasciae undetectable; fringe ochreous; forewing underside uniformly brownish ochreous with some pale strigulae at radial level on the costa; overlapping area whitish. Hindwing upperside and underside, including fringe, uniformly brownish-ochreous; male costal fold absent; cubital pecten not detected.

Abdomen: Dorsad greyish, paler ochreous cephalad. Segment 8 unmodified. Male genitalia (based on four preparations; Fig. 2B, C, D, E) with tegumen well developed, laterally straight; uncus developed, basally confluent with top of tegumen, progressively narrowed distally; socii membranous, conspicuous, moderately developed, hairy; gnathos as two arms distally fused distally into a short process, moderately expanded distally in a central spinous molar-like sclerite; transtilla broad, strong, with a distal moderately flat area densely covered by short strong spines; valva elongate, variable in shape (Fig. 2B and C), costa slightly concave, sclerotised; cucullus moderately lobed, membranous, slightly sclerotised, with a central area densely hairy; sacculus internally concave, well sclerotised, distally projected in a finger-like structure, with triangular ventral subdistal process; pulvinus present; vinculum well developed; juxta strongly sclerotised in a rather pentagonal plate; ampulla present; phallus with coecum penis straight, central part strongly curved down, distal part straight, presence of dorsal teeth; vesica with two clusters of non-deciduous cornuti, one proximal oriented ventrally, consisting of aciculate cornuti, basally attached, arranged in a single longitudinal band, another distal consisting of an irregular patch of microspinulate cornuti. Segment 7 in females without modified scaling (corethogyne) but with two lateral, somewhat dorsal pockets on the 7-8 intersegmental membrane. Female genitalia (based on three preparations; Fig. 2F) with sterigma broad; lamella antevaginalis as a simple but evident lobe; ostium in a short funnel like antrum; lamella postvaginalis moderately sclerotised, smooth, broad, with a distinct ventrally prominent distal lobe as a transversal plate; ductus bursae as long as corpus bursae, moderately sclerotised in proximal half, double folded (in Z) when not extended; corpus bursae subspherical, moderately covered internally by acanthae and ctenidia in variable degree of development; no signum or other specially sclerotised area; a long ductus seminalis connected ventrally to cervix, no bulla seminalis; a large globular spermatophore extracted in one of the dissections; anterior apophysis fairly short, projected internally; ventral area of segment 8 behind the sterigma heavily covered by acanthae (spinous field) continuous with distal sclerotised plate of the lamella postvaginalis; a spiny star-shaped ventral subpapillar sclerite on the 8-9 intersegmental membrane at level of ventral lobes of anal papillae (Fig. 4B and D); posterior apophysis simple, approximately same length as papillae; egg pore broad between anal papillae.

Biology and distribution.

The early stages are unknown. Adults were collected in January (n = 11) and November (n = 14) at middle elevations (1554-2150 m) in Bolivia, Santa Cruz Department, Florida Province in municipalities of Mairana, El Rasete, and Pampagrande, localities of Agua Clarita, Hueco de la Pascana, and La Hoyada. The collecting sites include transition from dry to cloud forest.

Etymology.

The specific epithet refers to the Quechuan word yun-ka, which translates as warm valley, a band of forest on the slopes of the Andes Mountains. This zone is of enormous interest from a conservation perspective.