Megalota simpliciana 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 : 19-20

10. Megalota simpliciana Brown , new species Figs. 10 , 34 , 56

Diagnosis. Megalota simpliciana is superficially similar to other congeners, but usually can be distinguished by subtle features of the forewing pattern. In fresh specimens there frequently is a small, narrow, pale or white longitudinal streak from the distal edge of the median fascia in the discal cell that is lacking in other species. Also, the narrow, bar-shaped patch from the basal portion of the dorsum of the forewing frequently is interrupted in the middle, isolating a small, dark brown dot near the middle of the basal 0.25 of the wing. The male genitalia are easily distinguished by the following features: an extremely shallow notch at mid-dorsum of the bilobed uncus, the absence of the patches of setae from the valva, and a slightly club-shaped distal end of the basal process of the valva. The female genitalia are easily distinguished by the subquadrate ostium and the short colliculum with a rounded, membranous expansion of the ductus bursae immediately anterad.

Description. Head: Vertex dark copper-brown, frons brown; labial palpus mixed pale copper, creamy white, and pale brown. Thorax: Dorsum mostly brown, lighter posteriorly; tegula well defined, pale brown and copper; metascutum with dark copper-brown tuft. Hind tibia in male densely covered by long gray scales concealing hairpencil. Forewing length 6.8–8.1 mm (mean = 7.7); basal 0.3 separated from distal 0.4 by an oblique red-brown median fascia extending from ca. mid-costa to dorsum, broadening slightly toward dorsum, relatively straight, well defined along basal edge, irregularly undulate along distal edge with distinct rounded tooth near middle; basal 0.25 of wing pale pinkish gray-brown with faint indication of basal patch; a small, distinct, dark brown, bar-shaped patch from the basal portion of the dorsum, frequently interrupted in middle, isolating a small, dark brown dot near middle of basal 0.25 of wing; an oblong, slightly arched, redbrown patch extending from mid-termen toward costa, ending bluntly before reaching costa. Fringe orange brown. Hindwing brown, anal margin in male with well-developed fold bearing long, fine dark scales. Abdomen: Dark fuscous. Male genitalia ( Fig. 34 ; 7 preparations examined) with tegumen subrectangular; uncus broad, densely spined, with extremely shallow mid-dorsal notch; socius inconspicuous; valva simple, nearly parallel-sided throughout, rounded apically, with small triangular flange near middle of venter, spiniform setal patches absent; basal process of valva slightly curved near middle with distal end slightly expanded, rounded, with small patch of short spines. Phallus evenly sclerotized throughout, curved, a single small external spine at dorsum apically; vesica with one long, slender cornutus. Female genitalia ( Fig. 56 ; 3 preparations examined) with sterigma subrectangular surrounding ostium, with a distinct, sclerotized band extending dorso-laterad from each posterior corner; colliculum short, sclerotized, about twice as long as wide, with semisclerotized, rounded sac at anterior portion of colliculum, remainder of ductus bursae membranous; corpus bursae large, ovate, lacking spinules, with a stout, shark-finlike signum from a small irregular plate.

Holotype. Male, Costa Rica, Cartago, Turrialba , 1–6 Mar 1965, S. S. & D. D. Duckworth ( USNM), USNM slide 95,338.

Paratypes (36♂, 12♀). COSTA RICA: Alujuela : 4 km W Santa Cecilia , 250 m, 25 Feb 1985 (1♀), D. Janzen & W. Hallwachs ( INBio) . Area de Conservacion Guanacaste, Sector San Cristobal, Finca San Gabriel , 645 m, 05-SRNP-6729 , 24 Oct 2005, em: 9 Nov 2005 (1♂), 05-SRNP-6730, em: 8 Nov 2005 (1♀), r.f. Croton schiedeanus, C. Cano (USNM) . Guanacaste: Area de Conservacion Guanacaste, Sector Pitilla, Pasmompa , 440 m, 03-SRNP-20903 , 4 Sep 2003, em: 21 Sep 2003 (1♂), 03-SRNP-20904, em: 23 Sep 2003 (1♀), 03- SRNP-20905, em: 11 Sep 2003 (1♂), 03-SRNP-20978, em: 24 Sep 2003 (1♂), all r.f. Croton schiedeanus, P. Rios (USNM) . Area de Conservacion Guanacaste, Sector del Oro, Margarita , 380 m, 05-SRNP-21023 , 4 Mar 2005, em: 15 Mar 2005 (1♀), r. f. unknown plant, L. Rios ( USNM) . Cartago: Turrialba , 17–21 Feb 1965 (1♂), 13–17 March 1965 (1♂), S. S. & D. D. Duckworth ( USNM) . Heredia: Est. Biologica La Selva , 50–150 m, 10°26N, 84°01W, UV light , 12 Jan 1993 (1♀), 18 Sep 1993 (2♂), 13 Jan 1994 (1♂), 5 Feb 1996 (1♂), 12 Feb 1996 (1♂), 15 Feb 1996 (1♂), 11 May 1996 (1♂), 15 May 1996 (1♂), 9 Dec 1996 (1♂), 22 Jan 1998 (1♂), 26 Jan 1998 (1♂), 4 Mar 1998 (1♂), 24 Mar 1998 (1♂), 6 Dec 1998 (1♀), 9 Dec 1998 (3♂), 9 Feb 1999 (1♂), 2 Feb 1999 (1♂), 18 Mar 1999 (1♂, 1♀), 22–29 Jan 2000 (1♀), 22–23 Mar 2001 (1♂), 7 Feb 2002 (1♂), 16-17 Feb 2002 (1♂), INBio-OET-ALAS (all INBio) . 11 km SE La Virgen , 10°20'N, 84°04'W, 450–550 m, 23 Feb 2003 (1♂), INBio-OET-ALAS ( INBio) . Limón: Sector Cerro Cocori, Finca de E. Rojas, 150 m, 31 Jan–21 Feb 1992 (1♂), E. Rojas ( INBio) . Puntarenas: Est. Sirena, Corcovado National Park , Oso Peninsula, 0–100 m , 5–11 Jan 1981 (5♂, 2♀), Mar 1991 (1♂), D. Janzen & W. Hallwachs ( INBio) . Quepos , P.N. Manuel Antonio , Sep 1992 (1♀), Dec 1993 (1♀), G. Varela ( INBio) .

Distribution and Biology. Megalota simpliciana is known from the Costa Rican provinces of Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limón, and Puntarenas, at elevations below 500 m. Five specimens were reared at Santa Rosa National Park from larvae collected on Croton schiedeanus Schldl. (Euphorbiaceae) ( Janzen & Hallwachs 2007).

Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the simple valva lacking the ornamentation of most species in the genus.

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 34–36. Male genitalia of Megalota; valva spread, phallus removed. 34. M. simpliciana, image of USNM slide 85,851; 35. M. delphinosema, image of USNM slide 84,895; 36. M. jamaicana, image of USNM slide 124,108.

FIGURES 56–59. Female genitalia of Megalota. 56. M. simpliciana, image of USNM slide 95,367; 57. M. delphinosema, image of USNM slide 84,864; 58. M. ricana, image of INBio slide 38,789; 59. M. bicolorana, image of USNM slide 85,869.