Bryotropha altitudophila, Rutten, Twan & Karsholt, Ole, 2004

Rutten, Twan & Karsholt, Ole, 2004, (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), Zootaxa 740, pp. 1-42 : 20-21

Bryotropha . altitudophila sp. n.

(figs. 17, 18, 34, 35, 43, 50, 71–74, 79)

Type material. Holotype: ɗ: West Fork 6500 ft., 16 mi SW Flagstaff, Coconino Co. Arizona, 15.vii.1961, Ronald W. Hodges, gen. slide USNM 9888 ( USNM). Paratypes: 41 ɗ, 14 Ψ. — CANADA, Saskatchewan: 1 ɗ: SW Sask., The Great Sand Hills, 60 km NE Tompkins, prairie, 28.vi.1994, ad luc, M. Ahola & L. Kaila leg., gen. slide AR 0 741 ( ZMUH); USA, Arizona: 1 ɗ, 1 Ψ: Apache Co., South Fork Cmpg., 12 km W Springerville, 20.vii.1989, MVL, B. & J.­F. Landry, gen. slide ɗ: AR 0 726, Ψ: AR 0 536 ( CNC); 1 ɗ, 1 Ψ: Madera Canyon 4880 ft., Santa Rita Mnts., 9.vii.1959, R.W. Hodges, gen. slides ɗ: USNM 13,310, Ψ: USNM 9868 ( USNM); 1 ɗ: S.W.R.S. 5 mi W Portal, Cochise Co. 5500 ft., 1.vi.1965, V. Roth, gen. slide AR 0 644 ( USNM); 1 ɗ: Fort Valley 7350 ft., 7­1/ 2 mi NW Flagstaff, Coconino Co., 28.vii.1961, Ronald W. Hodges, gen. slide USNM 9887 ( USNM); 2 ɗ: West Fork 6500 ft., 16 mi SW Flagstaff, Coconino Co., 4.vii.1961, Ronald W. Hodges, gen. slides USNM 9889, USNM 9890 ( USNM); 1 ɗ: ibid., 15.vii.1961; 1 Ψ: ibid., 5.viii.1961, gen. slide USNM 9874. — Colorado: 1 ɗ, 1 Ψ: Chaffee Co., Poncha Ck., 3 km S Poncha Springs, at black light, pinyon­juniper­oak forest, 14.vii.1982, J.­F. Landry, gen. slides ɗ: AR 0 545, Ψ: AR 0 533 ( CNC); 1 ɗ: Alamosa Co., Sand Dunes Staff Quarters 8200 ft., 24.vi.1982, Ronald W. Hodges, gen. slide AR 0 667 ( USNM); 3 ɗ: ibid., 27.vi.1982; 1 Ψ: Alamosa Co., Great Sand Dunes, Mosca Creek 8200 ft., Ponderosa pine pinyon­juniper Douglas fir, 24.vi.1982, Ronald W. Hodges, gen. slide AR 0 711 ( USNM); 3 ɗ, 1 Ψ: Alamosa Co., Zapata Ranch 9500 ft., Ponderosa pine pinyon­juniper Douglas fir, 27.vi.1982, Ronald W. Hodges ( USNM); 1 ɗ: ibid., 8200 ft., 21.vi.1982; 2 ɗ: 1 mi S Poncha Springs 7000 ft., Pinyon­juniper oak­cottonwood willow­Rhus, 13.vii.1982, Ronald W. Hodges, gen. slide AR 0 665 ( USNM); 1 ɗ: ibid., 6.vii.1982. — Nebraska: 1 Ψ: Cherry Co., Valentine NWR, Hackberry Lake, 24.vi.1983, Ronald W. Hodges ( USNM); 1 Ψ: ibid., 18.vi.1983; 1 Ψ: ibid., 21.vi.1983, gen. slide AR 0639; 2 ɗ: ibid., 22.vi.1983; 1 ɗ: ibid., 29.vi.1983; 1 ɗ: ibid., 1.vii.1983; 1 ɗ, 1 Ψ: ibid., 2.vii.1983, gen. slide Ψ: AR 0 642. — New Mexico: 1 Ψ: Socorro Co., Gran Quivira Nat’l Mon. 6600 ft., 1–3.vii.1964, D.R. Davis ( USNM). — Texas: 1 ɗ: Brewster County, Chisos Mts., K­bar Ranch 3400 ft., 2.vi.1973, R.W. Hodges ( USNM). — Wyoming: 3 ɗ: 6 mi NW Newcastle, 25.vi.1965, R.W. Hodges ( USNM); 1 Ψ: ibid., 20.vii.1965; 1 ɗ, 1 Ψ: ibid., 10.vii.1965, gen. slides ɗ: AR 0 641, Ψ: AR 0640; 1 ɗ, 2 Ψ: ibid., 13.vii.1965; 4 ɗ, 1 Ψ, ibid., 18.vii.1965, gen. slide USNM 9873; 1 ɗ: ibid., 15.vii.1965, gen. slide USNM 9886; 3 ɗ: ibid., 23.vi.1965, gen. slide AR 0662; 1 ɗ: ibid., 28.vi.1965. — MEXICO: 1 ɗ: Hgo Nr. Jacala, 2–3.vii.1965, Flint & Ortiz, gen. slide USNM 9848 ( USNM).

Diagnosis. Small ochreous­brown to dark brown species with indistinct wing markings.

Description. Adult (figs. 17, 18). Wingspan 11–13 mm. Labial palpus creamy ochreous to ochreous suffused with fuscous on the inner side, heavily suffused fuscous on the outer side, segment 3 darker than segment 2. Antenna fuscous ringed with ochre. Head with frons ochreous to brown; vertex darker. Thorax as forewing, tegula lighter than thorax. Forewing ochreous gray to brown with costal edge fuscous and with distinct blackish basal spots at costa and tornus; plical and discal stigmata moderately distinct, first discal beyond second plical; costal and tornal patches ochreous and indistinct, fused to form an outwardly angulated fascia; subapical area heavily suffused with darker scales; termen with an indistinct lining of blackish scales; cilia ochreous with one to several lines and yellowish tips. Hindwing pale ochreous gray, darker toward apex; cilia concolorous, with one or more faint lines.

Variation. The ground color may vary from dark ochreous to dark brown. In light colored specimens the subapical area with its many dark scales can stand out. The stigmata may be followed by streaks of pale ochreous scales, and the head may be ochreous all over.

Similar species. Similar to B. branella , which generally has a more ochreous gray tinge as compared with a more brownish tinge in the allopatric B. altitudophila . B. hodgesi q.v.

Male genitalia (figs. 34, 35, 43, 71–74). Uncus rather broad subrectangular. Socius with 3–4 setae. Gnathos slender and long, the first half gradually curved at 150º or more. Thornshield triangular with up to 50, usually small, spikes. Vinculum curved at 1/3. Aedeagus remarkably slender. Variation is only slight. Similar species B. branella q.v.

Female genitalia (fig. 50). Segment VIII with crescent­shaped lamella postvaginalis and microtrichia. Distal end of the ventral groove marked by a small sclerotized extension. Ventral side of segment VIII weakly invaginated, dorsal side without a median tongue. Signum complex, consisting of an elongate to oval weakly sclerotized middle part, surrounded by a broad, heavily sclerotized and finely grooved, rim. Two semi­circular membranes, set with short sharp spikes, connect the signum to the corpus bursae. Separated from other species by the shape of the signum.

Biology. Early stages unknown. Adults were collected from early June to early August between 900 and 2200 m, probably in one generation.

Distribution (fig. 79). Locally common in the central part of the Nearctic from Saskatchewan, Canada in the north to Mexico in the south.

Etymology. Noun in apposition, referring to the higher altitudes which this species prefers (altitudo [Lat.] = altitude; philo [Gr.] = friend of).