Ozadelpha specimen EvN4680

van Nieukerken, Erik J., Doorenweerd, Camiel, Nishida, Kenji & Snyers, Chris, 2016, New taxa, including three new genera show uniqueness of Neotropical Nepticulidae (Lepidoptera), ZooKeys 628, pp. 1-63 : 30

Taxon classification Animalia Lepidoptera Nepticulidae

Ozadelpha specimen EvN4680

Differential diagnosis.

Externally very similar to Ozadelpha conostegiae , but markedly larger (forewing length 2.8 mm against 1.8-2.0). Female genitalia recognised by longer anterior apophyses and very short bursa.

Female

(Figs 69, 94). Head: frontal tuft yellow orange, scape white; antenna broken. Collar indistinct, comprising lamellar scales, leaden. Thorax shining brass, forewing with basal leaden patch, a silver fascia at 2/3, narrowed in middle, at dorsum widened in both directions, silver scales along dorsum reaching basal patch. Hindwing scaling shining brown-grey. Abdomen dark fuscous, broadly rounded at tip.

Measurements. Female: forewing length 2.8 mm (n=1).

Female genitalia (Figs 77-79). T8 without setae. Anterior apophyses widened, ending in pointed process; posterior apophyses straight and narrow, longer than anterior ones. Total length bursa ca 340 µm, ductus bursae with one coil, corpus bursae asymmetric curved sac, devoid of any spines or pectinations. Ductus spermathecae without convolutions.

Biology.

Host plants. Unknown. The moth was found resting on the upperside of a Conostegia oerstediana ( Melastomataceae ) leaf along one of the main veins, thus this may well be the host.

Voltinism and habits. The moth was collected on March 2nd, 2012.

Distribution.

Costa Rica: Puntarenas Province.

Remarks.

We leave this species presently unnamed, as we only have a single female and no data on life history. There appear to be more closely related species of Ozadelpha feeding on Conostegia in Costa Rica, and we therefore rather await more material in order to be able to discriminate the various species better.

DNA barcode.

We barcoded the single specimen, currently the only DNA barcode we obtained from the genus Ozadelpha . This specimen was also sequenced for other genes and used in the molecular phylogeny ( Doorenweerd et al. 2016). Sequences may be retrieved in BOLD and Genbank under voucher/sampled ID RMNH.INS.24680.

Material examined.

Costa Rica: 1♀, Puntarenas Province, Monteverde, Estación Biológica Monteverde, 1530 m, 10°19'06.9"N, 084°48'29.3"W, 2.iii.2012 resting on upperside of Conostegia oerstediana leaf along the vein, Kenji Nishida & Yuriko Demura; genitalia slide ♀ EvN4680, RMNH.INS.24680 (RMNH).