Ethmia millerorum 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 : 11

Taxon classification Animalia Lepidoptera Depressariidae

Ethmia millerorum Phillips sp. n. Figures 8, 53, 98, 138, 150

Diagnosis.

This species is most similar to Ethmia terpnota . It can be distinguished mainly on the basis of the male and female genitalia. In the male, the sacculus is slightly elevated but without the finger-like projection present in Ethmia terpnota . The valva distal notch is large compared with that of Ethmia terpnota . The corpus bursae of the female is a simple rounded sac without the constriction present in Ethmia terpnota . The signum is dentate with teeth slightly thinner and longer than those of Ethmia terpnota .

Description.

Male: FW length 10.9-11.9 mm (n = 3). Head: Labial palpus whitish curved, reaching antenna base, II and III segment brownish exteriorly, proboscis and front brownish, crown white. Thorax: Dorsal scaling white, dark narrow band at base of tegula and anterior pronotum, lateral black-blue spots on scutellum. FW ground color white, a large quadrate dorsal purplish coppery blotch at posterior half from 0.5 × from base nearly to tornus, extending anteriorly to middle of cell, costal area gray from base to apex; costal area at base with four blackish spots, one distinct spot at dorsum. HW ground color whitish darker towards margin; costa with long, pale ochreous hair pencil enclosed in subcostal pinch-fold. Abdomen: Dorsum and ventral scaling brown, genital scaling ochreous. Genitalia (Fig. 53) with uncus long, notched; gnathos with posterior teeth continuous; basal processes narrow and elongate; sacculus projected anteriorly.

Female: FW length 11.4-13.9 mm (n = 3). Head and thorax: As described for male, HW unmodified. Abdomen: Genitalia (Fig. 98) with corpus bursae a simple rounded sac; signum dentate with thin and long teeth.

Holotype.

Male: 09-SRNP-36206, DNA Barcoded, Costa Rica: Guanacaste: Área de Conservación Guanacaste: Sector Cacao, Sendero Arenales, 1080m, 1M 10 Jul 2009, Harry Ramírez. Reared from Bourreria costaricensis ( Boraginaceae ). Deposited in INBio. Paratypes: Costa Rica: Alajuela: ACG: Sector Rincón Rain Forest, Albergue Oscar, 719 m, 1M 1.iv.2011, H. Cambronero & S. Ríos. Guanacaste: ACG: Sector Cacao, Sendero Arenales, 1080 m, 1M 2F 12.vii.2009, Harry Ramírez; Sendero Derrumbe, 1220 m, 4M 1F 28.iv/3.v.2004, H. Ramírez, 1M 1F 25.iv/1.v. 2008, M. Pereira, 1F 10.vii.2009, H. Ramírez; Derrumbe, 1310 m, 1F 14.v.2010, F Quesada & S. Ríos; Estación Cacao 1150 m, 1M 02.i.2007, D. García, 1M 6.v.2007, M. Pereira, 1F 28.iv.2007, H. Ramírez, 1M 1F 3/5.v.2008, H. Ramírez, 1F 23vii. 2009, R. Franco & S. Ríos, 14.v.2010, F. Quesada & S, Ríos; Toma de agua, 1600 m, 1F 8.x.2010, S. Ríos & F. Quesada (BMNH, INBio, EME, USNM).

Distribution and biology.

Ethmia millerorum has been found in Costa Rica (Fig. 150) from 1150 to 1300 m in the Cordillera Volcánica de Guanacaste, in ACG rain forest.

Food plant records.

Ethmia millerorum has been reared from Boraginaceae : Bourreria costaricensis .

Immature stages

(Fig. 138). Dorsum: Head and segments T1-T3 bright orange with conspicuous black dots dorsum and lateral. Abdomen segments A1-A7 dorsum white with black dots, A7-A10 bright orange with black dots.

Etymology.

Ethmia millerorum is named in honor of Kenton and Sue Miller for their lifetime generation, coaching, cheerleading, and production of conservation of global biodiversity, beginning with the recommendation for the establishment and early growth of the seed of ACG as Parque Nacional Santa Rosa in 1971.