Imara analibiae Espinoza & González, 2005

Espinoza, Bernardo & González, Jorge M., 2005, Description of a new species of Imara Houlbert, 1918 (Lepidoptera: Castniidae), Zootaxa 849, pp. 1-8 : 2-6

Imara analibiae Espinoza & González , new species ( Figs. 1–4 )

Diagnosis: The forewing pattern of Imara analibiae slightly resembles that of Ircila hecate (Herrich­Schäffer) , and the wing shape somewhat resembles members of Athis Hübner. However , the new species is excluded from both these genera by its wing venation. The discal cell of Imara analibiae is partly closed, with the radial accessory cell present, and with R3 and R4 connate. The origin of R4 occurs at approximately 2/3 the length of the forewing costa as in Ircila hecate ; however, the origins of M2, M3, and Cu1a are equidistant as in Athis . In the new species, the forewing is broad, somewhat rounded near its apex, but straight along its lateral margin. The radial accessory cell is reduced, the forewing cell is partly closed, and there is an indication of the recurrent vein. The discal cell of the hindwing is partly closed (for venation details in Ircila , Athis and Imara , see Miller 1986; for further venation details of Athis see González 2004). Although the forewing color and pattern of Imara analibiae resembles neither of the other two known species in the genus, I. pallasia (Eschscholtz) and I. satrapes (Kollar) , the venation of the new species is characteristic of that genus. In addition, the genitalia of I. analibiae are strikingly similar to that of I. pallasia with the uncus fused into a single blunt point, socius reduced, gnathos slightly sclerotised, and valva lobate.

Description. Male. Head: Brown; antenna dark brown; palpus creamy white. Thorax: brown. Fore­ and hind legs brown covered with reddish­brown scales; the specimen lacks the mid legs. Forewing ( Fig. 1 ): Length: 45 mm. Broad, with costal margin somewhat rounded near apex; apex acute; termen straight. Ground color brown with bluish/greenish iridescence; a white transverse band extending from costa near apex to middle of anal margin. Near costa, this band consists of two continuous, crescent­shaped spots, one spot between R3 and R4, the other between R4 and R5; band continuous from below R5 to anal angle. Forewing venation ( Fig. 2 ) with radial accessory cell closed in part; R3 and R4 connate at apex of radial accessory cell; origins of M2 and M3 closer to one another than M2 is to M1; 2A extends parallel to 1A and almost half the length of it. Ventral surface dark brown, with rather uniform faint bluish/greenish iridescence. Apical area brown extending to wing margin. Base and discal area with creamy­white patch basally that reaches the basal and discal areas. Hindwing ( Fig. 1 ): Dark brown to black dorsally, with rather uniform faint bluish/greenish iridescence, and a wide creamy­white post­median "band". A dark brown to black patch, with rather uniform faint bluish iridescence present along the tornus. An extra­discal band of seven white spots present. Middle spots clearly defined, those at margins somewhat diffuse. Basal to post­medial area creamy­white, ventrally, extending to both anal and costal margins. Extra­discal band of spots present ventrally. Hindwing Venation ( Fig. 2 ): Discal cell partially closed. Origin of RS and M1 closer to base of wing than to the Discal Cell. Setal patches present on secondary cell and along 1A basally. Abdomen: Covered with creamy white scales. First abdominal segment dark brown with rather uniform faint bluish/greenish iridescence. Last abdominal segment covered with reddish­brown scales. Genitalia ( Fig. 3 ): Uncus fused into a single blunt point; socius reduced; gnathos sclerotized, bifurcate anteriad, weakly dentate posteriad; scaphium setose, with anterior margin of subscaphium slightly sclerotized. Valva slighly lobate, setose. Saccus almost equal in length to costal margin of valve; phallus simple, sclerotized, with distance between recurved portion and dorsal margin of phallobase about 1.5X ventral length of phallobase; aedeagus simple.

Female. Head: Brown; antenna dark brown to black, with rather uniform faint bluish/ greenish iridescence; palpus creamy­white. Thorax: Dark brown; fore leg brown covered with reddish­brown scales; mid leg reddish brown with a creamy white band on lateral exterior side of femur posteriad; hind leg creamy­white with a reddish brown band near apex of femur. Forewing ( Fig. 1 ): Length 59 mm. Broad, somewhat rounded near apex, and slightly rounded along lateral margin. Dark brown to black dorsally and ventrally, with rather uniform faint bluish/greenish iridescence on both. Diagonal and transverse creamywhite bands present, both dorsally and ventrally. Diagonal band formed by two white continuous crescent­shaped spots; one between R3 and R4, the other between R4 and R5. Below intersection (R5), diagonal band continuous, increasing in width toward anal angle. Paratype with an additional creamy­white spot in postmedial area, between M3 and Cu1a. Marginal area with a discontinuous grayish­white band along Cu1a and Cu1b. Forewing Venation ( Fig. 2 ): Radial accessory cell present with forewing cell partially closed, with a suggestion of recurrent vein; R3 and R4 connate; origins of M3 and Cu1a closer to one another than M3 is to M2; 2A extends parallel to A1 and almost half the length of it. Hindwing ( Fig. 1 ): Dark brown to black dorsally, with rather uniform faint bluish/greenish iridescence and creamy­white post­median band. An extra discal spot band than is visible. A band of seven creamy­white well­defined spots present along lateral margin, those at each end of band smaller. Hindwing Venation ( Fig. 2 ): discal cell partially closed. Origin of RS and M1 is closer to base of wing than to discal cell. Setal patches present in secondary accessory cell and at base of 1A. The hindwing is reddish brown ventrally, basal area with post­medial band of creamy­white spots extending from costal to anal margin, tornus area dark brown to black, with rather uniform faint bluish/greenish iridescence. Creamy­white spots present ventrally. Frenulum has 9 bristles in allotype, 10 in paratype. Abdomen: Creamy white dorsally; first abdominal segment dark brown with rather uniform faint bluish/greenish iridescence; last abdominal segment covered with reddish brown scales. Genitalia ( Fig. 4 ): The female genitalia were extracted and associated with the specimen for some years before we found it. The tips of the papillae anales are missing, and only their bases remains attached. The base looks slightly sclerotized. Ostium bursae, enlarged, enclosed, with membranous tube. Corpus bursae opaque and membranous with signum located centrally.

Type material. HOLOTYPE ɗ, Costa Rica, Heredia, Finca La Selva, I­IV­ 1983, 55m, leg. I.A. Chacón (INBIOCRI001056116); ALLOTYPE Ψ, Costa Rica, Heredia, Puerto Viejo, Sarapiquí, Finca la Selva, 35m, 30­IV­1987, M. M. Chavarria Díaz (INBIOCRI001056101); PARATYPE Ψ, Costa Rica, Heredia, Est. Biol. La Selva, 50– 150m, 10°26’ N, 84°01’ W, Coll. D. McKenna, 4­II­2002 (INB0003218720). All specimens deposited in INBio.

Host plant. Unknown.

Distribution and Habitat. The three specimens of I. analibiae were collected in the forest of the Estación Biológica La Selva, Organization of Tropical Studies (OTS), near Puerto Viejo, Sarapiquí, Heredia province, Costa Rica. The collecting sites are in an area of approximately 1,500 ha bordering Braulio Carrillo National Park. The elevation of the La Selva Station ranges from 50 to 150 m, with 4 m mean annual rainfall that is spread rather evenly throughout the year. The habitat is a mosaic of mature lowland forest, secondary growth forest of various ages, and abandoned pastures.

Etymology. The specific epithet is a combination of Ana and Libia. The species is named after two great women: Ana, mother of the first author, and Libia, mother of the second author, as homage to their efforts to raise their families and to encourage the need for honesty, hard work, and the search for knowledge in their children.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Imara analibiae n. sp. Top: male, holotype. Left: dorsal view; right: ventral view. Bottom: female, paratype. Left: dorsal view; right: ventral view.

FIGURE 2. Imara analibiae n. sp. wing venation. Male: Left (Top: Forewing; Bottom: Hindwing). Female: Right (Top; Forewing; Bottom: Hindwing.)

FIGURE 3. Male genitalia of Imara analibiae n. sp. Center: genital capsule and aedeagus depicted as located inside the abdomen. Top left: detail of lateral view of uncus and gnathos. Top right: dorsal view of uncus.

FIGURE 4. Female genitalia of Imara analibiae n. sp. allotype. Left: corpus bursae; right: ventral view of the genitalic structure showing the posterior and anterior apophyses, the ostium bursae. The tips of the papillae anales are broken and not illustrated.