Megalota vulgaris Brown, 2009

Brown, John W., 2009, The discovery of Megalota in the Neotropics, with a revision of the New World species (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae: Olethreutini), Zootaxa 2279 (1), pp. 1-50 : 12-14

5. Megalota vulgaris Brown , new species Figs. 5 , 29 , 53

Diagnosis. Megalota vulgaris is superficially similar to its congeners. However, in the male genitalia, the incurved projection near the middle of the valva is slightly broader with a few longer, downward-projecting, spinelike setae from the apex. The basal process of the valva is slightly broader distally, with a truncate tip as in M. aquilonaris and M. submicans . The patch of elongate setae from the basal half of the valva are significantly weaker in their attachment to the valva than in other species of the group, usually “deciduous” in slidemounted preparations (n = 11); the setae are rarely dislodged in preparations of the other species. In the female genitalia the anterior edge of the sclerotization of the colliculum is strongly curved, similar to that in M. submicans and M. synchysis , but the mesal lobe of the lamella postvaginalis is always more slender and symmetrical than in those species. It can be differentiated from M. peruviana by its longer, parallel-side colliculum (short and funnel-shaped in M. peruviana ) and its shield-shaped plate of the lamella postvaginalis with a small, mesal, triangular process.

Description. Head: Vertex tawny brown, frons mostly creamy gray; labial palpus creamy gray, with patches of brown and gray-brown. Thorax: Dorsum tawny brown mixed with darker brown, with long creamy white scales in distal 0.5 of tegula. Hind tibia in male with expanded patch of elongate, creamy gray sex scales concealing a white hairpencil. Forewing length 6.1–7.1 mm (mean = 6.5); pattern complex, basal 0.5 pale gray brown with irregular, ill-defined, dark brown basal fascia comprised mostly of an elongate dash from near base of wing near dorsum; dark brown triangular patch near mid-costa attenuating just below discal cell, angled toward termen, sometimes extending to dorsum as ill-defined region of darker scales; distal 0.33 of forewing creamy white and shiny gray brown, with an oblique obovate blotch extending from mid-termen toward apex, ending near distal end of discal cell. Fringe brown. Hindwing brown, anal margin in male with fold bearing long, fine, cream-white scales. Abdomen: Grayish brown. Male genitalia ( Fig. 29 ; 11 preparations examined) with tegumen subrectangular, dorso-posterior part membranous, expanded dorsally; uncus broadly cordate with extremely shallow notch mesally, each lobe densely spined; socius represented by a membranous digitate lobe; shape of valva and projections from valva nearly symmetrical, elongate setae from basal portion of valva weakly attached (usually lost in slide preparations), those of right valva less dense and shorter; subtriangular incurved projection ca. 0.65 distance from base to apex bearing dense patch of setae, with a few longer, downward-projecting spinelike setae from apex; basal process of valva relatively short, stout, ca. 2.5–3.0 times as long as wide, with 3–4 strong distal spines. Phallus long, slender, curved, with one external thorn apically; vesica with cornuti inconspicuous or absent. Female genitalia ( Fig. 53 ; 24 preparations examined) with papillae anales slender; sterigma shield-shaped, with nearly symmetrical, rounded-triangular lobe in middle posterad of ostium; colliculum sclerotized, occupying posterior 0.25 of ductus bursae, weakly curved at anterior end, remainder of ductus bursae membranous; corpus bursae pear-shaped, finely punctate throughout; signum a small band of short spines from an ill-defined, narrow plate.

Holotype. Male, Costa Rica, Heredia, Estación Biologica La Selva , 50–150 m, 10°26'N, 84°01'W, 9 Feb 2003, D. Wagner ( INBio), USNM slide 128,801.

Paratypes (182♂, 53♀). COSTA RICA: Cartago: Turrialba , 13–17 Feb 1965 (9♂), 17–21 Feb 1965 (3♂, 1♀), S. S. & D. D. Duckworth ( USNM) . CATIE, 3 km SE Turrialba , 29–30 May 1985 (1♀), J. Powell & J. Doyen ( EME) . Guanacaste: Est. Pitilla , 9 km S Sta. Cecilia, 700 m , Feb 1993 (1♂), 6–18 Aug 1993 (1♂), Nov 1989 (1♂, 2♀), P. Rios ( INBio) . Santa Rosa N.P., 12 Dec 1978 – 10 Jan 1979 (1♂), D. H. Janzen ( INBio) . Heredia: Est. Biologica La Selva , 50–150 m, 10°26'N, 84°01'W , 9 Jan 1993 (3♂), 10 Jan 1993 (2♂, 1♀), 11 Jan 1993 (1♂, 1♀), 12 Jan 1993 (2♂), 13 Jan 1993 (3♂), 14 Jan 1993 (3♂), 15 Jan 1993 (1♂), 10–17 Jan 1993 (1♂), 20 Mar 1993 (2♂), 13 Apr 1993 (1♂), 11 Sep 1993 (1♂), 12 Oct 1993 (1♂), 11 Nov 1993 (1♂), 16 Nov 1993 (1♂), 28 Jun 1994 (1♂), 6 Feb 1996 (1♂), 7 Feb 1996 (1♂), 9 Feb 1996 (2♂), 10 Feb 1996 (1♂), 12 Feb 1996 (1♂), 14 Feb 1996 (1♂), 15 Feb 1996 (1♂), 19 Feb 1996 (1♂), 22 Feb 1996 (2♂), 23–29 Feb 1996 (1♂), 4 Mar 1998 (1♂), 13 Mar 1996 (2♂), 25 Mar 1996 (1♀), 27 Mar 1996 (1♂), 29 Apr 1996 (1♂), 10 May 1996 (1♂, 3♀), 12 May 1996 (1♂, 1♀), 14 May 1996 (1♀), 15 May 1996 (1♂, 1♀), 16 May 1996 (1♂, 2♀), 17 May 1996 (1♂, 2♀), 18 May 1996 (1♀), 19 May 1996 (2♂), 16 Jan 1998 (4♂, 1♀), 17 Jan 1998 (1♂), 19–30 Jan 1998 (1♂, 1♀), 22 Jan 1998 (2♀), 28 Jan 1998 (3♂, 1♀), 3 Feb 1998 (4♂, 1♀), 5 Feb 1998 (1♂), 7 Feb 1998 (1♀), 9 Feb 1998 (2♂), 10 Feb 1998 (1♂), 16 Feb 1998 (2♀), 17 Feb 1998 (2♂), 20 Feb 1998 (1♂), 25 Feb 1998 (1♂), 4 Mar 1998 (2♂), 5 Mar 1998 (2♂), 16 Mar 1998 (1♂), 24 Mar 1998 (2♂), 31 Mar 1998 (1♂), 1 Apr 1998 (2♂, 2♀), 2 Apr 1998 (1♂), 6 Apr 1999 (1♂), 7 Apr 1998 (1♂), 22 Apr 1998 (3♂), 28 Apr 1998 (1♂), 29 Apr 1998 (1♂), 6 May 1998 (1♀), 14 May 1998 (1♂), 20 May 1998 (2♂, 1♀), 26 May 1998 (1♀), 27 May 1998 (1♂), 3 Jun 1998 (1♂), 14 Jul 1998 (1♂), 15 Jul 1998 (1♂), 2 Sep 1998 (1♀), 22 Sep 1998 (1♀), 24 Sep 1998 (1♂), 29 Sep 1998 (1♂), 7 Oct 1998 (1♂), 14 Oct 1998 (1♂), 21 Oct 1998 (1♂), 22 Oct 1998 (1♂), 27 Oct 1998 (1♀), 10 Nov 1998 (1♀), 12 Nov 1998 (1♂), 18 Nov 1998 (1♂), 19 Nov 1998 (1♂), 9 Dec 1998 (1♂), 16 Dec 1998 (2♂), 20 Jan 1999 (1♂), 2 Feb 1999 (1♂), 3 Feb 1999 (1♂), 11 Feb 1999 (1♂), 18 Feb 1999 (1♀), 25 Feb 1999 (1♂), 10 Mar 1999 (1♂), 16 Mar 1999 (2♂, 1♀), 18 Mar 1999 (3♂, 1♀), 20 Mar 1999 (1♂), 7 Apr 1999 (2♂), 14 Apr 1999 (1♂), 20 Apr 1999 (1♀), 21 Apr 1999 (1♂), 22 Apr 1999 (3♂, 1♀), 5 May 1999 (1♂), 1 Jun 1999 (1♂), 2 Jun 1999 (1♂), 9 Jun 1999 (3♂), 2–7 Feb 2000 (1♂), 18 Feb 2005 (1♀), 20 Feb 2005 (2♂), OET-INBio-ALAS (all INBio) , 22–20 Jan 2000 (1♂), D. Wagner ( INBio) , 13–23 May 1996 (1♂), 22 Jan 1998 (1♀), 22 Jan 1998 (1♂), 24 Jun 1999 (1♂, 2♀), 25 Jun 1999 (1♂), 26 Jun 1999 (1♀), 28 Jun 1999 (1♂, 1♀), 29 Jun 1999 (2♂), J. Powell ( EME) , 24–31 Mar 2002 (1♀), A. Y. Kawahara ( INBio) . 10 km SE La Virgen , ALAS transect, 450–550 m , 14 Feb 2003 (1♂), 19 Feb 2003 (1♂), 21 Mar 2003 (1♂), OET-INBio- ALAS ( INBio) . Braulio Carrillo N.P., Est. Magsasay , 200 m, Jul 1991 (2♂, 1♀), A. Fernández ( INBio) . Est. Magsasay , 200 m, May 1991 (1♀), R. Aguilar ( INBio) . Limón: Sector Cerro Cocori, Finca de E. Rojas, 150 m , Nov 1991 (1♂), Jan 1992 (1♂), Mar 1992 (1♀), Jan 1994 (1♂), E. Rojas ( INBio) . Valle de Estrella, R.B. Hitoy Cerere, E Hitoy Cerere , 100 m, Mar 2001 (1♂), L. Chavarria ( INBio) . Puntarenas: Est. Sirena, P.N. Corcovado, Osa Peninsula , 0–100 m, 5–11 Jan 1981 (1♂), Janzen & Hallwachs ( INBio) , Dec 1989 (1♂), Oct 1990 (1♂), Dec 1990 (2♂), G. Fonseca, Dec 1991 (2♂), J. C. Saborio, Mar 1991 (1♂), Apr 1991 (1♂), Oct 1991 (1♂), Nov 1991 (1♂), Jan 1994 (1♂), G. Fonseca (all INBio) . Rancho Quemado , Osa Peninsula , Jan 1991 (1♂, 1♀), Feb 1992 (1♂), F. Quesada ( INBio) . Golfito N.P., Piedras Blancas, Est. El Bonito, Alrededor de Est. , 100 m, 14–18 Oct 2001 (1♀), H. Mendez ( INBio) . GUATEMALA: Dept . Izabal: nr Matias de Galvez , 26–27 Jun 1966, (1♂), Flint & Ortiz ( USNM) .

Distribution and Biology. Megalota vulgaris is known from the provinces of Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limón, and Puntarenas in Costa Rica and from Guatemala. Although the vast majority of specimens are from lowland rainforest localities below about 200 m, there is a single record from 700 m (Guanacaste). The early stages and larval food plant of M. vulgaris are unknown; adults have been collected throughout the year, with many fewer records from June through September.

Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the commonness of the species.

Figures

FIGURES 1–12. Adults of Megalota. 1. M. submicans (holotype), 2. M. synchysis (paratype), 3. M. peruviana (paratype), 4. M. aquilonaris (holotype), 5. M. vulgaris (paratype), 6. M. cacaulana (holotype), 7. M. macrosocia (holotype), 8. M. ochreoapex (holotype), 9. M. spinulosa (holotype), 10. M. simpliciana (paratype), 11. M. delphinosema (Costa Rica), 12. M. jamaicana (holotype).

FIGURES 28–30. Male genitalia of Megalota; valva spread, phallus removed. 28. M. aquilonaris, image of USNM slide 124,098; 29. M. vulgaris, image of USNM slide 124,184; 30. M. cacaulana, image of USNM slide 85,871.

FIGURES 52–55. Female genitalia of Megalota. 52. M. aquilonaris, image of USNM slide 124,109; 53. M. vulgaris, image of USNM slide 95,323; 54. M. ochreoapex, image of USNM slide 85,864; 55. M. spinulosa, image of USNM slide 84,874.

FIGURES 13–24. Adults of Megalota. 13. M. ricana (holotype), 14. M. ceratovalva (holotype), 15. M. bicolorana (holotype), 16. M. longisetana (holotype), 17. M. deceptana (holotype), 18. M. crassana (holotype), 19. M. gutierrezi (holotype), 20. M. chamelana (holotype), 21. M. beckeri (holotype), 22. M. plenana (holotype), 23. M. flintana (holotype), 24. M. pastranai (holotype).