Lioptilodes karinupponeni Ustjuzhanin, Kovtunovich & Pototski, 2021

Ustjuzhanin, Petr, Kovtunovich, Vasyly, Pototski, Aleksander, Nupponen, Kari, Haverinen, Risto & Streltzov, Alexander, 2021, Two new species of plume moths (Lepidoptera: Pterophoridae) from Atacama Desert (Chile), Ecologica Montenegrina 45, pp. 16-23 : 17-18

Lioptilodes karinupponeni Ustjuzhanin, Kovtunovich & Pototski sp. nov.

https://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:69632AD7-D7A5-490B-8467-897D4D52F02F

Figs 1−3

Type material: Holotype, male, ( IZBE gen.pr. Nr. 3042358), CHILE ATACAMA, Huasco River valley by Huasco Bajo vill. 31.i.2017, 28°28'S, 71°09'W, 31m, K. Nupponen & R. Haverinen leg. ; Paratypes: 2 males, same data as holotype ; 1 male, 1 female, CHILE ATACAMA, Copiapo , 30 km W., 166 m, 27º 22' S, 070º 39' W, 29.i.2017 ; 1 male, CHILE ATACAMA, Cochiyoyo River Valley , 30 km W., 804 m, 27º 59' S, 070º 25' W, 30.i.2017, A. Pototski leg. ; 1 female, same data as holotype ; 1 female, CHILE, Andes Mts. , 1300 m, 33°21'S, 70°22'W, 02.ii.2017, Santiago 15 km ENE Camino a Farellones, K. Nupponen & R. Haverinen leg. ( IZBE, ZISP, NUPP, CUK) .

Description: External characters. Head, thorax and tegulae brown. Labial palpi light-brown, directed upwards, distally extended, 1.5 times longer than longitudinal eye diameter. Antennae brown. Wingspan 11-12 mm, in holotype – 11.2 mm. Fore wings greyish-brown. Brown spot in base of cleft, longitudinal brown stroke in medium part of wing. Hind wings unicolorous, color the same as of fore wings. Fringe on all wings light-grey. Hind legs light-brown, spurs basally darkened with dark-brown scales.

Male genitalia: Valves symmetric, distally narrowing. Uncus extended from base to apex, distally noticeably narrowing. Tegumen broad, W-shaped. Anellus arms relatively wide, of equal length. Saccus wide, rectangular. Aedeagus 1.5 times shorter than valve, with process in medium part, distally thick, apically narrow.

Female genitalia: Papillae anales oval. Posterior apophyses long, thin. Lamina vaginalis wide, bilobed. Antrum tubulate, sclerotized. Ductus short, membranous, directly passing into oval bursa copulatrix. Two short needle-like signa on sides of bursa copulatrix.

Differential diagnosis. In the male genitalia, in the wide rectangular saccus, the new species is similar to Lioptilodes gualaceo Gielis, 2014 , but clearly differs in the distally narrow uncus, distally narrow valves and the shape of the aedeagus. Externally, the adult is similar to Lioptilodes aguilaicus Gielis, 1991 , from which it differs in the much smaller size and the genital structure.

Distribution: Chile, Atacama.

Flight period: January - February.

Etymology: The species Lioptilodes karinupponeni is named in honor of a Finnish lepidopterologist Kari Nupponen, a member of the Estonian Society of Lepidopterologists and member of many other countries lepidopterologists societies, who is a dedicated to study of moths and a member of many joint expeditions with Aleksander Pototski and Risto Haverinen.

Figures

Figure 1. Lioptilodes karinupponeni Ustjuzhanin, Kovtunovich & Pototski sp. nov. Adult, male, holotype.

Figure 2. Lioptilodes karinupponeni Ustjuzhanin, Kovtunovich & Pototski sp. nov. Male genitalia, holotype (IZBE gen.pr. Nr. 3042358).

Figure 3. Lioptilodes karinupponeni Ustjuzhanin, Kovtunovich & Pototski sp. nov. Female genitalia, paratype (IZBE gen.pr. Nr. 3042359).