Ethmia bittenella (Busck)

Phillips-Rodriguez, Eugenie, Powell, Jerry A., Hallwachs, Winnie & Janzen, Daniel H., 2014, A synopsis of the genus Ethmia Huebner in Costa Rica: biology, distribution, and description of 22 new species (Lepidoptera, Gelechioidea, Depressariidae, Ethmiinae), with emphasis on the 42 species known from Area de Conservacion Guanacaste, ZooKeys 461, pp. 1-86 : 6

Taxon classification Animalia Lepidoptera Depressariidae

Ethmia bittenella (Busck) Figures 2, 47, 92, 147

Tamarrha bittenella Busck, 1906: 730.

Ethmia bittenella Meyrick, 1914: 28; Powell 1973: 119.

Diagnosis.

Ethmia bittenella is most similar to Ethmia delliella but can be distinguished by its smaller size, the FW pattern composed of groups of small dark dots, and the presence of a FW gray costal margin.

Description.

Male: FW length 7.8-8.3 mm (n = 4). Head: Scaling of front and crown smooth, white. Thorax: Pronotal scaling white; paired large spots, black, reflecting metallic blue, between tegulae and on scutellum. FW ground color white, markings blackish brown; a round spot on posterior half near base; gray costal margin. HW whitish basally, becoming pale brownish apically; costa dorsally with thick ochreous hair pencil from base to end of cell. Abdomen: Genitalia (Fig. 47) with uncus short, hood like; basal processes short, about 1.2 × uncus length; spines of anterior portion of gnathos large, valva large in relation to tegumen, with apical notch 0.20 × of valva.

Female: FW length 8.7-9.8 mm (n = 3). Head and thorax: As described for male, HW unmodified. Abdomen: Genitalia (Fig. 92) with sterigma wide surrounding ostium; ductus unsclerotized; signum as in Ethmia delliella .

Holotype.

Female: USA, Texas, Brownsville, in copula, 29 May 1904. USNM Type No. 9272 [USNM, examined].

Distribution and biology.

Ethmia bittenella has been collected from Texas to southern Mexico and in northwestern Costa Rica ( Powell 1973). In Costa Rica (Fig. 147) it is a common species in the dry forest of ACG, and has been found from 100 to 600 m on both slopes of the Cordillera Volcánica de Guanacaste, the Cordillera Tilarán, and Península de Nicoya. The food plant and immature stages are unknown. However, barely legible labels on Texas specimens say “anacua” and “anagua”, which suggest that this species feeds on Ehretia anacua ( Terán & Berland.) I.M. Johnst. ( Boraginaceae ) in Texas.