Oospila loreenae, Lindt & Hausmann & Viidalepp, 2018

Lindt, Aare, Hausmann, Axel & Viidalepp, Jaan, 2018, Review of some species groups of the genus Oospila Warren, with descriptions of nine new species (Lepidoptera: Geometridae: Geometrinae), Zootaxa 4497 (2), pp. 151-194 : 161-162

Oospila loreenae sp. n.

(Figs 11, 47)

Holotype: ♂, Bolivia, Potrenillos del Guencia, 370 m, 15.10.2010, 17°40'21"S, 63°27'01"W (Type id. TAMZ 0094292 ) (A. Lindt) . Paratypes: 1 ♂, Bolivia, Achira , 1500 m, 18.10.2010, 18°08'02"S, 63°48'49"W ; 1 ♂, Bolivia, Potrenillos del Guencia, 370 m, 5.10.2010, 17°40'21"S, 63°27'01"W (slide 270) (A. Lindt). The holotype will be deposited at Museo Historia Natural Noel Kempff Mercado, Santa-Cruz, Bolivia, the paratypes are deposited in the collection of EMNH and in the private collection A. Lindt.

Diagnosis. Wing markings of this new species are similar to those of O. pallidaria , O. permagna and O. agnetaforslundae nom. nov. dealt with above. The latter has a definite comma-shaped, yellow discal mark to its hind wing, narrower yellow terminal line, fore wing apical spot absent, and smaller fore wing discal spot, O. pallidaria differing in broader valvae and broader dorsal processes to the transtilla of male genitalia, in the presence of dark discal spots on both wings and absence of the contrasting red-brown spot at the apex of the fore wing and by their conspicuous, whitish dorsal line on the abdomen.

Description. Wingspan, 19 mm (Fig. 11). The frons is red-brown above and paler brown below, the fillet is snow-white and the vertex yellow, a red-brown line between. The palpi are short, reaching the frons. The antennae are bipectinate, the longest external and inner pectinations reaching the length of 0.75 and 0.5 mm in males. The dorsum of the thorax is green, that of the abdomen also green with crests consisting of light brown and blackish brown scales. The male hind legs are slender, not hairy. The wings are yellowish green with a broad yellow marginal line and some scattered, fine whitish spotting, the fore wing costa is broadly lined in yellow. The apical spot of the fore wing is conspicuous, red-brown, reaching on fringe. The marginal line is pale beige on both wings, the fringe is shining yellow. The discal spots are linear, dark green on fore wings and as a beige line on hind wings, accompanied by some green scales.

Male genitalia (Fig. 47): The uncus and the gnathi are reduced, the socii are large and roundish. The tegumen and vinculum are equal in the length. The transtilla bears a pair of long, tapered dorsal processes and a pair of ventrolateral ones. The valva is well fused, the costal part is short and the sacculus bearing a medial process. The apex of the valva is heavily chitinized and spinulose. The aedeagus is as long as the valva, spoon-shaped and without cornuti. The sternite A8 is broadly bilobed to its posterior margin, broader than the corresponding tergite.

Genetic data. Holotype NGS-sequenced (TAMZ0094292_NGS; 658bp), BIN not yet assigned. Genetically nearest species on BOLD: O. permagna (5.2%), O. agnetaforslundae (6.1%).

Distribution. Bolivia.

Biology. The species is confined to dry tropical forests, flying in October.

Etymology. The new species is named after the first author’s granddaughter. Gender feminine, in the genitive case.

Remarks. Currently, O. loreenae sp. n. has to be accepted at species rank (mainly based on wing pattern and DNA barcodes), but it is possible that it will become necessary to downgrade it to a subspecies of O. permagna after analysis of more material from more localities with more DNA data.