Alara armilla Zelazny, 2011

Zelazny, B. & Webb, M. D., 2011, 3071, Zootaxa 3071, pp. 1-307 : 18

Alara armilla Zelazny , sp. nov.

( Fig. 127)

Description. Forewings 2.2 times longer than wide, length: male, 2.8–3.3 mm (mean = 2.9, n= 18), female 2.9–3.7 mm (mean = 3.2, n= 12). Colour variable; head and thorax stramineous, brown and reddish brown; head often with a small red mark above the eyes; in males vertex, antennae and facial carinae in front of eyes often bright red (as in holotype); clypeus with reddish lateral marks near apex. Pronotum red, tinted with brown. Legs with junction of femora and tibiae as well as apices of tibiae red to reddish brown; bases of fore tibiae greyish. Abdomen bright red (males) to reddish-brown (females). Wings infuscated with base of forewings sometimes brown; veins reddishbrown to red. Rostrum reaching end of abdomen. Forewings with Sc+R forked in basal third; Ms1 branched in its basal third; base of Ms1 connected to Cu1 by a cross-vein. Male genitalia with pygofer narrow. Genital styles nearly rhomboid in outline; bases of dorsal processes separated by a small gap. Aedeagus stem with two small, pointed dorsal processes just before apical part; apical part flat, slightly tapering towards its end, on its dorsal side a large impression and two short rounded terminal lobes.

Etymology. The species name is a Latin noun ( armilla = an arm-band) used in apposition.

Type material. Holotype ♂ (forewing 2.9 mm, body 1.7 mm), PAPUA NEW GUINEA: NEW IRELAND; labels: 1) BISMARCK ARCH.: NEW / IRELAND: Kavieng / July 3, 1959 2) GINGER 3) J.L. Gressitt / Collector ( BPBM) . Paratypes. NEW IRELAND: same data as holotype but 2. VII.1959, 1 ♂ (fw. 2.8) ; NEW BRITAIN: Vunabakan , 180m, 10 km E of Kerava, 16–20.XI.1959, 1 ♂ (fw. 2.9), T. C. Maa; PAPUA NEW GUINEA: NE: Adelbert Mts., Wanuma, 800–1000m, 26.X.1958, 1 ♂ (fw. 3.2) 2 ♀ (fw. 3.1, 3.4), Gressitt, alpinia; W . Highlands, Baiyer R., 1150m, 19.X.1958, 1 ♂ (fw. 3.1), Gressitt, alpinia; Kar Kar I., Kurum, 0–100m, VIII.1968, 1 ♂ (fw. 2.6) 2 ♀ (fw. 2.8, 2.9), N.L.H. Krauss; INDONESIA : PAPUA: Sentani , 90+m, 15+ 22.VI.1959, 8 ♂ (fw. 3x2.8, 3x2.9, 3.0, 3.3) 7 ♀ (fw. 2x2.9, 3.1, 2x3.4), Maa ; Hollandia area , W. Sentani, Cyclops Mts., 150–250m, 16–18,23. VI.1959, 3 ♂ (fw. 2x2.9, 3.0), Maa; Bodem, 100m, 11 km SE of Oerberfaren, Sarmi District, 7–17.VII.1959, 1 ♀ (fw. 3.1); Ifar, 300– 600m, 22.VI.1959, 1 ♀ (fw. 3.2), Gressitt; Nabire, S. Geelvink Bay, 1–20m, 2.VII.1962, 1 ♀ (fw. 2.9), Gressitt, alpinia; INDONESIA : WEST PAPUA: Vogelkop , Bomberai, 700–900m, 7. VI.1959, 1 ♂ (fw. 3.2) 1 ♀ (fw. 3.7), Gressitt, ginger; Vogelkop, Fak Fak, S coast of Bomberai, 10–100m, 1. VI.1959, 1 ♀ (fw. 3.2), Gressitt (all in BPBM) .

Distribution. New Ireland, New Britain, Island of New Guinea.

Diagnosis. Alara armilla is characterized by the reddish brown bands on the legs, by the red and brown coloration of body and forewings, and by the forewings having Ms1 branched before the middle. The coloration of the head is variable. The species shows similarities to A. interrupta sp. nov. from Laos and A. dux from Sri Lanka. It can be easily separated from these by its uniformly infuscated forewings.