Amorbia exustana ( Zeller, 1866 )

Phillips-Rodríguez, Eugenie & Powell, Jerry A., 2007, Phylogenetic relationships, systematics, and biology of the species of Amorbia Clemens (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae: Sparganothini)., Zootaxa 1670 (1670), pp. 1-109 : 33-34

18. Amorbia exustana ( Zeller, 1866)

Figs. 41, 42, 80, 103, 135

Tortrix exustana Zeller, 1866 , Stett. Entomol. Zeit. 27: 146.

Amorbia exustana ; Powell et al., 1995, Atlas of Neotropical Lepid., part 2: 148.

DIAGNOSIS. This species is most similar to A. osmotris , but A. exustana can be distinguished by the modified scaling on the vertex, male forewing costal fold, and conspicuous cubital pecten at the base of Cu of the hindwing.

REDESCRIPTION. MALE. FW length 10.5–11.5 mm (mean = 11.0; n = 7). HEAD: Frons concave, white scaled, vertex scaling in two groups, rust colored. Antenna with orange-brown scaling. Labial palpus at least 3.0X length of inter-antennal space, porrect, dark brown laterally, inner surface paler. THORAX: Dorsum smooth scaled, rust colored; tegula concolorous. FW ground reddish brown highly variable in intensity of color and shapes of fasciae, but basal, median and terminal fasciae dark brown. Costal fold well developed, reaching to middle of costa. HW white with gray mottling toward apex, conspicuous cubital pecten at the base of Cu. ABDOMEN: Pale brown. Genitalia as in Fig. 80 (slide # 1945218, INBio, Costa Rica, Guanacaste, Estación Cacao; n = 3). Transtilla bluntly pointed in middle anterior, numerous fine spines over posterior margin. Valva subrectangular. Sacculus sclerotized, 0.65X length of valva, emarginate in basal half, without free distal lobe. Aedeagus 0.66X length of valva, slender, curved at 0.66 distance from base .

FEMALE. FW length 12.0–13.0 mm (mean = 12.5; n = 10). HEAD and THORAX: As described for male, except patch of cream colored scales in center of FW. ABDOMEN: Genitalia as in Fig. 103 (slide # 2427538, INBio, Costa Rica, Cartago, Orosi; n = 2). Sterigma developed into small lateral pockets, pointed anteriorly; median sinus rounded. Ductus bursae 2.0X length of papillae anales, conspicuously widening towards corpus bursae, sclerotized in the posterior 0.25 .

TYPE MATERIAL. Holotype: “Columbien”, 1866 ( BMNH).

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL. COSTA RICA: ALAJUELA: NE slope Volcán Poás, 8 km N Vara Blanca, 1400 m, 1F, 6.vi.1988 (J. Brown & J. Powell, EME). CARTAGO: Tapantí, Río Grande de Orosi, 1300–1400 m, 1M, 23.i.1985 (D. Janzen & W. Hallwachs, INBio); R. Grande de Orosi, desde Puente Río Dos Amigos hasta La Represa, 1400–1800 m, LN 186600, 562000, 1F, ii.1995, 1F, 22.viii./ 15.ix.1995, 1F, xi.1997 (R. Delgado, INBio); Río Aquiares, nr. Sta. Cruz, 9 air km NW Turrialba, 1500m, 1F, 8.vi.1988 ( JAP 88F26, confined, no oviposition) (J. Powell, EME); Paraíso, P.N. Tapantí, Sect. La Represa, 300 m S del puente del Río Porras, 1660m, LN 186550, 560600, 1F, viii.1998, 3F, ii.1999, 1F, vi.1999, 3M, 3F, ix.1999, 1M, 2F xi.2001, 1M, iii.2002, 2F, x.2002 (R. Delgado, INBio); Paraíso, Parque Nacional Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte, Costado Casa Administrativa 1F, 1200 m, xi.1999 (R. Delgado, INBio). Tapantí, 1200–1700 m, 1M, 1F, 20.viii/ 15.ix.1999 (V. Becker, VBC). P.N. Tapantí, 1150 m, 1F, x.1994 (R. Delgado, INBio). Tapantí, 1F, 9.ix.1999 (V. Becker, INBio) (1M, r. f. eggs on synthetic diet, em: i. xii.1999, EPR-103-99, INBio). Tapantí, Quebrada Segunda, 1300 m, xi.2000 (R. Delgado, INBio). HEREDIA: 6 km ENE Vara Blanca 1950–2050 m, 1M, 17.ii.2002 (J. Powell, EME), 1M, 7.xii.2002 (K. Nishida, USNM). GUANACASTE: Estación Cacao, lado sureste del Volcán Cacao, 1100 m, LN 323300, 375700, 1M, 8/ 30.vi.1991 (C. Chaves, INBio); Fila Orosilito, Est. Pitilla, 9 km S Santa Cecilia, 800–1000 m, LN 328650, 378600, 1M, iv.1995 (C. Moraga, INBio). PUN- TARENAS: Monteverde 1500 m, 1M, 1/ 4.ix.1999 (V. Becker, VBC). SAN JOSE: San Gerardo de Dota, Cerro de la Muerte, 3M, 20.ii.1996 (D. & J. Powell, EME). ACLAP [Area de Conservación la Amistad Pacífico], Parque Internacional La Amistad, Sector Altamira, Cerro Frantzius, Sendero al Valle del Silencio, LS 334200N 574 500E, 2100 m, 1M, 8/ 20.x.2004 (voucher number RGT-00766.1, pupa on Pharus sp. ( Poaceae )) (R. Gonzalez, INBio).

DISTRIBUTION AND BIOLOGY. This species is known from Colombia and Costa Rica where it occurs from 800 to 2000 m elevation ( Fig. 135). Records show flight activity in nine months of the year, including both the dry and the rainy seasons.

IMMATURE STAGES. Eggs are green. Larvae hatched after an average of 12 days (n = 6) and fed on synthetic diet. The head is tan with dark lateral bands; the prothoracic shield is tan with narrow lateral and dorsal dark brown bands. Development required ca. 10 weeks (E. Phillips voucher record EPR-103-99).