Alasea Rota

Rota, Jadranka, 2008, A new genus and new species of metalmark moths (Lepidoptera: Choreutidae) from Costa Rica, Zootaxa 1933, pp. 12-18 : 14-15

Alasea Rota , new genus

Figs. 1–8

Type species: Alasea corniculata Rota , new species.

Diagnosis: Alasea can be easily distinguished from the New World genera Anthophila Haworth , Caloreas , Melanoxena Dognin , Prochoreutis , Tebenna Billberg , and Tortyra Walker based on wing shape and wing pattern. The combination of an almost black forewing with metallic specks and an orange-yellow hindwing with a narrow black border is unique ( Fig. 1 ) among these genera. In Choreutis Hübner the labial palpus is dilated distally and the corpus bursae has a signum (in Alasea the labial palpus is pointed distally and the corpus bursae has no signum). Rhobonda Walker has a much greater forewing length (8 mm vs. 5 mm in Alasea ). Hemerophila Hübner species have much broader wings (length to width ratio ca. 1.9:1 for forewing and 1.3:1 for hindwing vs. 2.3:1 and 1.9:1 of Alasea ), differently shaped valvae (long and narrow, with costa and sacculus similarly developed vs. short and wide, with long horn-like projection of costa in Alasea ), and a corpus bursae with a signum (absent in Alasea ). In Zodia Heppner the wings also are broader than in Alasea , there is no saccus, and a signum is present.

Description. Head: Frons smooth, with metallic sheen. Vertex with loosely appressed piliform scales. Eye bordered by piliform scales ventrally and laterally ( Fig. 2 ). Labial palpus upturned, smooth-scaled; length ca. 1.3 times horizontal diameter of compound eye ( Fig. 2 ). Haustellum well developed, basally with two rows of scales thickly arranged. Antenna ca. 0.5 times length of FW; basal 5–7 flagellomeres heavily scaled dorsally; sensillae ca. 1.5 times flagellomere diameter in male, ca. 0.5 times in female ( Fig. 4 ). Ocellus large. Chaetosema absent.

Thorax: Smooth-scaled, with metallic sheen. Legs with tibial spur pattern 0-2-4; long piliform scales on tibia of meso- and metathoracic leg ( Fig. 3 ). FW with apex bluntly pointed, tornus rounded; length ca. 2.3 times width; DC length ca. 0.55 times FW length; width of DC ca. 0.18 times DC length; CuA2 originating ca. 0.8 along length of DC; R4 and R5 connate, all other veins separate beyond DC; chorda present; M3 and CuA1 approximate at cell; apical 0.33 of CuP present ( Fig. 5 ). Hindwing elongate, apex bluntly pointed, anal region rounded. Length ca. 1.9 times width; length of DC ca. 0.5 times HW length; width of DC ca. 0.2 times DC length; Sc+R1 at costa before apex; Rs to costa at apex; vestigial M vein present in cell; M3 and CuA1 stalked ca. 0.3 distance; apical 0.25 of CuP present ( Fig. 5 ).

Abdomen: Male genitalia ( Fig. 6 ) with tegumen large, 1.5 times longer than vinculum, V-shaped with rounded dorsum. Small socius-like setaceous area subdorsal on tegumen. Vinculum triangular; saccus broad, short. Valva short, wide in basal 0.5; distal 0.5 represented primarily by curved horn-like projection from costa, extending beyond sacculus; costal horn-like projection with spine at distal end; sacculus convex; valva with sparse setae scattered throughout, except in mesal portion. Juxta vase-shaped, narrowing dorsally. Phallus ca. 2 times length of costa of valva; basal 0.67 represented by phallobase, distal 0.33 by aedoeagus; both parts of similar width; vesica with sclerotized plate distally (=cornutus?) ( Fig. 7 ). Female genitalia ( Fig. 8 ) with papilla analis typical for the family; setaceous on lateral and posterior margins. Cone-shaped sclerotization between papillae anales, around oviporus. Apophysis posterioris slender throughout; ca. 1.5 times as long as anterioris and about 0.33 as thick. Apophysis anterioris greatly enlarged posteriorly, tapering anteriorly; posterior 0.5 not free from membrane. Ostium on membrane between segments 7 and 8. Ductus bursae 0.17 as wide as long; posterior 0.25 slender, uniform in width almost to corpus, then broadened slightly just before junction with corpus; with slight twist less than one revolution. Corpus bursae ovate; small, about twice as broad as ductus in mated females (no unmated females examined); anterior 0.5-0.7 spiculate; without signum.

Etymology: The generic name is derived from the name for the ALAS project, during which this genus was discovered; it is female in gender.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 5. Morphological features of Alasea corniculata. 1. Adult male holotype; upperside on right, underside on left; 2. Head, lateral view; 3. Adult male holotype, lateral view; 4. Antenna of the male holotype; 5. Wing venation (JR 2003 - 1, INBio).

FIGURES 6 – 8. Genitalia of Alasea corniculata. 1. Male holotype genitalia with phallus removed and valvae not spread (slide JR 2008 - 50, INBio); 2. Phallus (slide JR 2008 - 50, INBio); 3. Female genitalia (slide JR 2008 - 29, INBio).