Argyrotaenia socoromaensis, Vargas, 2024

Vargas, Hector A., 2024, Argyrotaenia socoromaensis sp. nov. (Lepidoptera, Tortricidae), a sexually dimorphic micromoth with polyphagous larvae from the arid Andes of northern Chile, ZooKeys 1189, pp. 327-336 : 327

Argyrotaenia socoromaensis sp. nov.

Figs 1 , 2 , 3

Type locality.

Chile, Parinacota Province, Socoroma (18°17'22"S, 69°35'12"W), 3400 m elevation on the western slope of the Andes.

Type material.

Holotype: Chile • ♂; Parinacota, Socoroma; June, 2023; H.A. Vargas leg.; ex-larva inflorescence; Stevia philippiana ; May, 2023; "HOLOTYPE Argyrotaenia socoromaensis Vargas" [red handwritten label]; IDEA-LEPI-2023-01; HAV-1661 [genitalia slide]; NCMIC001-23 [BOLD Process ID] (IDEA). Paratypes: CHILE • 1 ♀; same data as for the holotype; IDEA-LEPI-2023-02; HAV-1678 [genitalia slide]; NCMIC002-23 [BOLD Process ID] • 1 ♀; same locality and collector as previous; May, 2021; ex-larva inflorescence; Lupinus oreophilus ; April, 2021; IDEA-LEPI-2023-03; HAV-1470 [genitalia slide]; NCMIC003-23 [BOLD Process ID] (IDEA).

Diagnosis.

Adults of A. socoromaensis sp. nov. are sexually dimorphic. The forewing of the holotype male is 10.3 mm long, distal third of the costal margin is almost straight, there are few yellowish-brown scales on the basal fascia, and median fascia is continuous with tornal blotch. In contrast, females have a forewing length of 6.5-8.2 mm, the distal third of the costal margin slightly concave, there are abundant yellowish-brown scales on the basal fascia, and median fascia is conspicuously separated from tornal blotch by the postmedian interfascia. The wing pattern and genitalia of the male of A. socoromaensis sp. nov. resemble those of the Peruvian A. oriphanes ( Clarke 1958, plate 124, figs 4-4b). However, the forewing of A. socoromaensis sp. nov. lacks white blotches on the costal half of the basal fascia, and has the median fascia with internal margin strongly sinuous in the middle and external margin slightly sinuous, while the forewing of A. oriphanes has broad white blotches on the costal half of the basal fascia, and the medial fascia with internal margin straight in the middle and external margin abruptly indented near the costa. In the male genitalia, the uncus is slightly apically broadened, the sacculus is broadly convex before middle and the phallus is mostly straight in A. socoromaensis sp. nov., in contrast with the uncus strongly apically broadened, sacculus with ventral margin straight before middle, and phallus strongly curved of A. oriphanes . The female of A. oriphanes remains unknown, impeding comparisons.

Description.

Male (N = 1; Fig. 1A ). Head. Vertex mostly whitish gray, dark gray near anterior margin; frons mostly dark gray with a whitish gray transverse stripe near ventral margin. Antenna with scape whitish gray on external surface, dark gray on medial surface, pedicel and flagellum dark gray, flagellum ciliated ventrally. Labial palpus dark gray on external surface, whitish gray on medial surface. Thorax (forewing length 10.3 mm). Mostly whitish gray and dark gray dorsally with scattered yellowish-brown scales; whitish gray laterally. Foreleg dark gray on external surface, whitish gray on medial surface, tibial epiphysis dark gray; midleg similar to foreleg but whitish gray tibial spurs; hindleg whitish gray with scattered dark gray scales, tibial spurs concolorous. Forewing with distal third of costa almost straight; fasciae and blotches mostly dark gray with scattered whitish gray and yellowish-brown scales; interfasciae mostly whitish gray with scattered yellowish-brown and dark gray scales; fringe gray; basal fascia triangular with external margin trilobed, yellowish-brown scales mostly concentrated near costa; antemedian interfascia with dark gray scales mostly on costal half and yellowish-brown scales mostly on posterior half; median fascia broadening from costa to posterior margin, continuous with tornal blotch, darker near costa, lighter near tornus, internal margin strongly sinuous in the middle, external margin slightly sinuous; postmedian interfascia with narrow, short posterior expansion in the middle not reaching the tornus; subapical blotch semicircular. Hind wing and fringe gray. Abdomen. Mostly dark gray with scattered whitish gray scales. Male genitalia (Fig. 2A-C ). Uncus elongated, anterior third somewhat conical, posterior two-thirds flattened, mostly parallel-sided, slightly broadened apically, apex rounded. Tegumen V-shaped in dorsal view, length in the middle about half of uncus. Gnathos arms as long as uncus, posteriorly curved, distally fused, apex rounded. Vinculum U-shaped. Transtilla a transverse stripe. Juxta diamond-shaped with small V-shaped dorsal excavation with a group of setae near each tip. Valva rectangular, slightly straightening apically, mostly membranous with rounded apical corners; scattered setae, more dense at apex; dorsal margin straight, costa undifferentiated; longitudinal fold lobe-like near transtilla, broadened, slightly sclerotized distally; presaccular gap broad near vinculum, not well-defined toward apex of valva; sacculus narrow, broadly convex before middle, distal third curved to apex of valva. Phallus mostly straight, length similar to valva, progressively narrowing apically, apex slightly curved; caulis small; coecum about a sixth of phallus length, with a keel-shaped antero-ventral projection; vesica with two cornuti.

Female (N = 2; Fig. 1B ). Head. Vertex and frons yellowish gray. Antenna with scape whitish gray on external surface, dark gray on medial surface, pedicel and flagellum dark gray, flagellum ciliated ventrally. Labial palpus whitish gray on basal half and dark gray with scattered yellowish gray scales on distal half of external surface, whitish gray on medial surface. Thorax (forewing length 6.5-8.2 mm). Mostly whitish gray dorsally, yellowish gray tegulae; whitish gray laterally. Foreleg mostly dark gray on external surface with scattered yellowish gray scales, whitish gray on medial surface, tibial epiphysis dark gray; midleg mostly whitish gray with scattered dark gray scales, whitish gray tibial spurs; hindleg whitish gray with scattered dark gray scales, tibial spurs whitish gray. Forewing with distal third of costa slightly concave; maculation mainly similar to male, but basal fascia with abundant yellowish-brown scales mostly near tegula; antemedian interfascia with yellowish-brown scales mostly between posterior lobe of the basal fascia and posterior margin of the wing; median fascia with almost uniform width from costa to discal cell, broadened from discal cell to posterior margin of the wing; postmedian interfascia with broad posterior expansion reaching tornus, clearly separating medial fascia from tornal blotch; subapical blotch somewhat triangular. Hind wing similar to male, but termen slightly concave near apex. Abdomen. Mostly dark gray with scattered whitish gray scales. Female genitalia (Fig. 2D-F ). Papillae anales elongate, flattened, narrow, slightly broadened posteriorly, roughened, with setae. Apophyses posteriores about 1.2 times length of papillae anales; apophyses anteriores about 1.4 times length of papillae anales. Sterigma a narrow stripe between the antrum and apophyses anteriores, angled near antrum; antrum somewhat cup-shaped, truncate anteriorly, ventral wall about half the length of dorsal wall, posterior margin of ventral wall slightly convex, posterior margin of dorsal wall rounded; ductus bursae membranous, narrow, about half the length of apophyses anteriores, colliculum about half the length of ventral wall of antrum; ductus seminalis arising near the middle of ductus bursae; corpus bursae membranous, elongated, about 1.5 times the length of ductus bursae, signum spine-like, slightly curved, capitulum small, rounded.

Etymology.

The specific epithet is derived from the type locality.

Distribution

(Fig. 3A ). Argyrotaenia socoromaensis sp. nov. is known only from the type locality in the surroundings of Socoroma Village, at about 3400 m elevation on the western slope of the Andes in the Parinacota Province, northern Chile.

Host plants

(Fig. 3B, C ). The adult specimens of A. socoromaensis sp. nov. examined in this study were reared from larvae collected on inflorescences of Stevia philippiana Hieron. ( Asteraceae ) and fruits of Lupinus oreophilus Phil. ( Fabaceae ).

Figures

Figure 1. Habitus of Argyrotaenia socoromaensis sp. nov. A holotype male, dorsal view B paratype female, dorsal view. Scale bar: 5 mm.

Figure 2. Genitalia of Argyrotaenia socoromaensis sp. nov. A male genitalia, ventral view, phallus removed B phallus, lateral view C cornuti D female genitalia, ventral view E signum F antrum. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.

Figure 3. Habitat and host plants of Argyrotaenia socoromaensis sp. nov. A habitat at the type locality, near Socoroma Village, at 3400 m elevation on the arid western slope of the Andes of northern Chile B Stevia philippiana Hieron. (Asteraceae) C Lupinus oreophilus Phil. (Fabaceae).