Orthomecyna keoniae Medeiros

Medeiros, Matthew J & Adamski, David, 2012, Three new species of Hawaiian moths from Kahoolawe island (Lepidoptera: Crambidae & Coleophoridae), Zootaxa 3341, pp. 59-63 : 61-62

Orthomecyna keoniae Medeiros , sp. nov.

(Figs. 1.2 & 2.2)

Diagnosis. Orthomecyna Butler (1883) is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. Orthomecyna keoniae is similar to O. metalycia Meyrick , a species from Hawaii Island, but the costal lobe of the valva in O. metalycia has two concave indentations near the sledgehammer-like distal process, while only one concave indentation is present in O. keoniae ; O. keoniae with a more slender and tapering main lobe of the valva than in O. metalycia .

Description. Head: Vertex and frontoclypeus smooth, mottled brown and dusky brown. Labial palpi upturned, scales pale brown with dusky tips; maxillary palpi upturned, ca. 0.3x length of labial palpi. Ocelli present. Antennae ca. 0.6x length of forewing; dense, very short cilia present on ventral side of flagellomere. Proboscis brown.

Thorax: Tegula and mesonotum mottled light brown and brown. Legs mostly brown but with apical portion of each segment ringed with very pale brown. Forewing length = 10 mm (n = 1); ground color brown, with a mix of pale brown and darker brown scales, becoming darker near termen; a very faint transverse line present near proximal portion of discal cell; fringe brown. Hindwing brown, becoming dark brown along termen and anal margin.

Abdomen: Male genitalia (Fig 2.2): Uncus and gnathos slightly curved inwardly, both slender and tapering. Tegumen narrow, elongate. Costal lobe of valva completely separate from rest of valva, widening near apex to form a sledgehammer-like process. Main lobe of valva nearly the length of tegumen + uncus, slender and tapering, with several prominent setae near apex. Vinculum V-shaped. Phallus cylindrical near base; sclerite of phallus bifurcated at apex.

Female genitalia: Unknown.

Holotype 3: UNITED STATES: Hawaii: Kahoolawe: Kealaikahiki, Keana Keiki beach, 21 Oct 2008, M.J. Medeiros (genitalia slide 10A64) (BPBM).

Etymology. O. keoniae is named in honor of my father, Dr. John Medeiros. “Keoni” is a Hawaiian-language translation of “John” and O. keoniae means “John’s Orthomecyna ”. Dr. Medeiros is a prior resident of Paia, Hawaii, and a scientist himself who has encouraged my studies and been a role model for me.

Remarks. No new Orthomecyna species have been described since 1899 ( Zimerman, 1958); fourteen species are previously described in this genus. Although O. keoniae is currently known from only one individual, the fact that it is from Kahoolawe, which is difficult to access and is undergoing environmental restoration, warrants its description.