Proeulia razowskii Brown, 2024

Brown, John W., 2024, New genera and species of tortricid moths from Chile and Argentina (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), Zootaxa 5551 (1), pp. 51-90 : 63-65

Proeulia razowskii Brown , new species

LSIDurn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: D019FAF2-6148-45B8-85D5-014B57F9B553

( Figs. 10 , 29, 30 )

Remarks and diagnosis. Proeulia razowskii ( Fig. 10 ) belongs to a species group that is defined by the presence of a long, slender furca of the juxta that extends parallel to the venter of the phallus ( Figs 29, 30 ). The somewhat faint, outwardly oblique, median fascia of the forewing of P. razowskii is certainly homologous with the basal portion of the pronounced triangular patch of the forewing of P. hasta. Proeulia razowskii can be distinguished from P. rucapillana and P. hasta by its pale tan forewing ground color, with a small, pale brown blotch near the middle of the termen; and the absence of the dark basal patch that is characteristic of P. rucapillana .

Description. Head: Vertex and frons scaling mostly uniformly pale gray-brown; antennal scales pale gray-brown; scaling of labial palpus pale gray brown on outer surface, paler on inner surface.

Thorax: Dorsum scaling mostly brown throughout, with small patch of pale brown at posterior margin of metathorax. Legs brown. Forewing length 8.0‒ 8.5 mm (n = 4); forewing ground color pale cream-tan with pale brown mottling; basal 0.25 of costa with narrow brown patch, broadening slightly toward hind margin at wing base; medial fascia ill-defined, pale tan, extending obliquely outward from costa ca. 0.5 distance from base; a short, similarly colored, ill-defined dash from just beyond middle of hind margin, bordered on inner margin by small brown spot; a tiny brown pretornal spot; a pair of small, dark brown dots between end of discal cell and termen; terminal area mostly pale brown, cream at tornus; fringe mostly pale brown. Underside nearly uniformly brown. Hindwing grayish brown, densely mottled throughout; fringe white. Underside pale gray-brown.

Abdomen: Male genitalia ( Figs. 29, 30 ) with uncus rod-like, relatively uniform in width throughout; socius pendant lobes, ca. 0.5 length of gnathos, densely covered with fine setae; gnathos arm with small lateral lobe-like expansion near middle, arms joined distally into strongly-sclerotized, V-shaped, pointed process; transtilla membranous, dorsal surface lacking spines; valva relatively broad basally, with concave esacculus extending well beyond apex of ventral margin of valva, costa of valva upcurved distally, with rounded apex; membranous outer margin of valva rounded-concave at intersection with distal tip of sacculus; juxta a small triangular plate with a long, very slender, curved furca parallel to venter of phallus; phallus short, broad, ca. as long as valva, vesica with two long, strong, basally-attached, non-deciduous cornuti. Female genitalia unknown.

Types. Holotype ♂, Chile, Temuco Province, Fundo La Selva, 48 km NW Nueva Imperial, [-38.52265, -73.23201], 9‒11 Dec 1981, D. Davis ( USNM).

Paratypes (4♂). Chile: Temuco Province: Fundo La Selva , 48 km NW Nueva Imperial, 9‒11 Dec 1981 (2♂), D. Davis ( USNM). Osorno Province: 13: Parque Nacional Puyehue, Anticura , 750, 18 Nov 1981 (1♂), 17 Dec 1981 (1♂), E. Nielsen & O. Karsholt ( NHMD) .

Distribution and biology. This species is recorded from Temuco and Osorno provinces, Chile (n = 4), at 750 m elevation. All specimens were captured in December. Nothing is known of the life history.

Etymology. The specific epithet is a patronym for my friend and colleague Józef Razowski, whose contributions to our knowledge of Neotropical Tortricidae is unparalleled.

Figures

FIGURES 9‒16. Adults of tortricid species from Chile andArgentina. 9. Proeulia hasta, holotype male. 10. Proeulia razowskii, holotype male. 11. Strophotina samara, paratype male. 12. Gnatheulia flava, holotype male. 13. Chapoania dentigera, Chile, Ñuble Province. 14. Endemulia urrai, male holotype. 15. Paratepa ferruginea, holotype male. 16. Paratepa argentinana, holotype male.

FIGURES 29‒36. Male genitalia of tortricid species from Chile and Argentina. 29. Proeulia razowskii, USNM slide 154,814. 30. Proeulia razowskii, phallus, USNM slide 154,814. 31. Strophotina samara, USNM slide 82,064. 32. Gnatheulia flava, USNM slide 69,265. 33. Chapoania dentigera, USNM slide 88,635. 34. Endemulia urrai, USNM slide 154,830. 35. Paratepa argentinana, USNM slide 154,858. 36. Galomecalpa decolorana, USNM slide 154,867.