Ethmia adrianforsythi Phillips

Phillips-Rodriguez, Eugenie, Powell, Jerry A., Hallwachs, Winnie & Janzen, Daniel H., 2014, A synopsis of the genus Ethmia Huebner in Costa Rica: biology, distribution, and description of 22 new species (Lepidoptera, Gelechioidea, Depressariidae, Ethmiinae), with emphasis on the 42 species known from Area de Conservacion Guanacaste, ZooKeys 461, pp. 1-86 : 16-17

Taxon classification Animalia Lepidoptera Depressariidae

Ethmia adrianforsythi Phillips sp. n. Figures 14, 59, 104, 154

Diagnosis.

Ethmia adrianforsythi is most similar to Ethmia exornata and Ethmia dianemillerae . It can be easily distinguished by the presence of two anterior pronotal large dark spots adjoining bases of the tegula, a large spot on the scutellum sometimes split longitudinally by white, and the presence of just one spot in posterior half before the termen.

Description.

Male: FW length 10.3-11.2 mm (n = 3). Head: Labial palpus curved elongate exceeding base of antenna, smooth scale white, exterior of second and third segment brownish. Base of antenna dorsal white with brownish spots near flagellum; proboscis brownish, lateral rows of white scales basally, front and crown white. Thorax: Dorsal scaling white with dark gray markings narrow in the base of collar, broad on base of tegula, two large anterior pronotal spots adjoining bases of tegula and a large spot on scutellum sometimes split longitudinally by white; underside light brown, thorax and abdomen white laterally. FW ground color white, several dark spots in costal half, two dark spots of similar size in posterior half; a light brown band from base of costa to 0.75 × of FW; base of costa dark split by white spot; a large reddish spot surrounded by brown from costal band to dorsal, covering all area antemedial to postmedial, this blotch with zigzag whitish line over it; terminal area reddish, blending to golden at apex; one large spot beyond cell. HW ground color brownish with termen pale ochreous; costal area simple. Abdomen: Dorsal scaling brownish, white lateral, genital scaling pale ochreous. Genitalia (Fig. 59) uncus trifurcated, arms same size and thin; gnathos elongated, posterior end reaching half of central uncus arm, posterior with fine spines; basal process short; valva anterior margin deeply concave starting at one third from apex; sacculus narrow 0.6 × of valva length.

Female: FW length 11.5-12.5 mm (n = 3). Head and thorax: As described for male. Abdomen: Genitalia (Fig. 104) with sterigma simple unmodified; base of ductus without sleeve; signum a narrow and small fold with fine teeth.

Holotype.

Male: 10-SRNP-105021, DNA Barcoded, Costa Rica: Guanacaste, Rincón Rain Forest, Albergue Oscar, 725 m, 11.ii.2010, H. Cambronero & S. Ríos. Deposited in INBio. Paratypes: Costa Rica: Alajuela: ACG, Sector Rain Forest, Albergue Oscar, 725 m, 1M 11.ii.2010, H. Cambronero & S. Ríos; Sector Rain Forest, Manta Hugo, 491 m, 1M 13.iii.2009, F. Quesada & S. Ríos. Guanacaste: ACG, Sector Pitilla, 675 m, 1F 4.iv.2011, H. Cambronero & S. Ríos. Heredia: C.V.C, Sarapiquí, 11Km SE La Virgen, 500 m, 1M 19/21.ii.2003, D. Brenes. (BMNH, INBio, EME, USNM).

Distribution and biology.

Ethmia adrianforsythi has been collected in Costa Rica (Fig. 154) at middle elevations on Caribbean slope of Cordillera Volcánica de Guanacaste, and in the lowlands of Sarapiquí.

Food plant and immature stages are unknown. In ACG it has been found in the rain forest.

Etymology.

Ethmia adrianforsythi is named in honor of Adrian Forsyth of Washington, DC and the Blue Moon Fund of Charlottesville, Virginia for his continuous support of tropical biodiversity conservation from Monteverde to the Osa Peninsula to ACG, and for caring about dung beetles ( Scarabaeidae ).