Gnatheulia flava Brown, 2024

Brown, John W., 2024, New genera and species of tortricid moths from Chile and Argentina (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), Zootaxa 5551 (1), pp. 51-90 : 67

Gnatheulia flava Brown , new species

LSIDurn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 28E2BE35-3ADC-41EA-B0DF-66DD74A4192E

( Figs. 12 , 32 )

Diagnosis and remarks. Superficially, G. flava is extremely similar to G. gnathocera , from which it is only weakly distinguished by the absence of the faint submedian and postmedial lines ( Fig. 12 ). Because both species are represented by a single male holotype, the consistency of this difference is uncertain. The male genitalia of G. flava are likewise very similar to those of G. gnathocera , but the tegumen is narrower; the lateral processes of the gnathos are more angled in their distal one-third; the apically-joined median plate of the gnathos arms is slightly longer and more rounded distally; and the transtilla is apparently absent.

Description. Head: Scales of vertex and frons yellow; scales of labial palpus mostly yellow ocherous on outer surface, paler on inner surface; scaling of antenna yellow on dorsum, cream on venter.

Thorax: Dorsum and tegula with bright yellow scales. Forewing length 8.5 mm (n = 1); apex conspicuously falcate; forewing ground color bright yellow; a narrow line of brown scales along basal 0.1 of costa, with similarly colored, distinct, subtriangular blotch near mid-costa, and narrow brown line along termen from apex to ca. CuA 2; faint, brown, rounded blotch from near middle of hind margin, slightly larger than costal blotch, but much fainter; short, narrow, ill-defined, jagged line near distal end of discal cell; fringe brown from apex to CuA 2, yellow from CuA 2 to tornus. Underside yellow ocherous. Hindwing pale cream, slightly darker around periphery; fringe cream, without dark basal line. Underside pale grayish cream.

Abdomen: Male genitalia ( Fig. 32 ) with uncus short, subtriangular; socius comparatively short, ovate, pendant, densely clothed in fine hairs; gnathos with pair of long, somewhat angled, apically-pointed, lateral processes; median plate of joined gnathos arms short-digitate, slightly dilated and rounded apically; transtilla absent or membranous [lost in slide mounted preparation?]; valva simple, nearly parallel-sided, with conspicuous rounded process at base of costa, upturned in apical 0.2; sacculus simple, restricted to basal 0.2 of venter of valva, lacking free distal process; phallus long, slender, attenuate and pointed apically, slightly bent in basal 0.4; vesica lacking cornuti. Female genitalia unknown.

Type. Holotype ♂, Argentina, Tucumán, Ciudad Universitaria , 17 Feb 1959, J. Clarke, USNM slide 69,265 ( USNM ).

Distribution and biology. This species is known only from the holotype from Tucumán, Argentina. The biology in unknown.

Etymology. The specific epithet “flava ” refers to the bright yellow coloration of the forewing.

Figures

FIGURES 9‒16. Adults of tortricid species from Chile andArgentina. 9. Proeulia hasta, holotype male. 10. Proeulia razowskii, holotype male. 11. Strophotina samara, paratype male. 12. Gnatheulia flava, holotype male. 13. Chapoania dentigera, Chile, Ñuble Province. 14. Endemulia urrai, male holotype. 15. Paratepa ferruginea, holotype male. 16. Paratepa argentinana, holotype male.

FIGURES 29‒36. Male genitalia of tortricid species from Chile and Argentina. 29. Proeulia razowskii, USNM slide 154,814. 30. Proeulia razowskii, phallus, USNM slide 154,814. 31. Strophotina samara, USNM slide 82,064. 32. Gnatheulia flava, USNM slide 69,265. 33. Chapoania dentigera, USNM slide 88,635. 34. Endemulia urrai, USNM slide 154,830. 35. Paratepa argentinana, USNM slide 154,858. 36. Galomecalpa decolorana, USNM slide 154,867.