Blastobasis rotae Adamski

Adamski, David, 2013, Review of the Blastobasinae of Costa Rica (Lepidoptera: Gelechioidea: Blastobasidae), Zootaxa 3618 (1), pp. 1-223 : 72-74

Blastobasis rotae Adamski , new species

( Figs. 129–130 , 308 , 351 , Map 23)

Diagnosis.— Blastobasis rotae is similar to B. manto in facies but differs from the latter by having a shorter uncus; a longer pigmented part of the gnathos; a wider and more acutely curved apical process of the ventral part of the valva; a wider basal ridge of the digitate process of the dorsal part of the valva; a less spinose proximal flange; and a more acutely curved phallus from midlength.

Description.—Head: Vertex, frontoclypeus pale brown. Outer surface of labial palpus brown intermixed with pale-brown scales along apical margins of segments 1–2, inner surface pale brown. Antennal scape brown intermixed with pale-brown scales along anterior and apical margins, [pecten missing], flagellum brown; first flagellomere in male dilated, inner surface of dilated part with 32 palmate sex scales (n=1), ( Fig. 308 ). Proboscis pale brown.

Thorax: Tegula and mesonotum pale brown. Legs pale brown intermixed with few dark-brown scales [many scales missing]. Forewing ( Fig. 351 ): Length 5.8 mm (n = 1), pale brown intermixed with brown scales; cell with a short, brown streak near middle and two brown spots on apical end along crossvein. Undersurface brown. Hindwing: Translucent pale brown.

Abdomen: Male genitalia ( Figs. 129–130 ): Uncus narrowed from base, broadly rounded apically, slightly downcurved, sparsely setose, shorter in length than width of anal opening. Dorsal strut of tegumen absent. Gnathos wide, confluent with tegumen, posteroventral margin slightly protracted mesially, bidentate; midwidth of pigmented part of gnathos narrower than midwidth of uncus. Sockets of tergal setae extending beyond midlength of tegumen. Valva divided; ventral part broadly curved dorsolaterally from beyond base, abruptly narrowed apically, forming inwardly curved spinelike process; process setose on outer surface, planate on inner surface; ventral margin sparsely setose from 1/6, greatly upturned near 1/6 forming wide fold to near slightly raised, setose lobe at base of apical process; dorsal part with apical portion of costa extending dorsolaterally, forming setose digitate process; digitate process slightly curved inwardly; area beneath costa overlaid by membrane with sparse microtrichiae, extending above and below phallus to opposite side; basal ridge of digitate process protracted ventrally, fusing with dorsolateral ridge of proximal flange; ventral margin of proximal flange basally cleft, extending ventrolaterally, forming broadly rounded ridge; proximal flange bearing conical setae intermixed with small spinules, and sparse microtrichiae. Juxta bandlike. Vinculum semicircular. Phallus about as long as valva, sclerite of phallus shorter; phallus and sclerite of phallus acutely curved from midlength; anellus gradually narrowed from base, forming a narrowly rounded, setose apex. Female Genitalia: Unknown.

Holotype, 3, “Est[ación] Maritza, 600 m, Lado O Vol[can] Orosi, Prov[incia] Guanacaste, Costa Rica, M. Segura, 27 Feb [rero]- 10 Mar [zo] 1992, L-N-326900, 373000, “INBio: COSTA RICA: CRI000, 737803 [barcode label], “INBio 3 Genitalia Slide by D. Adamski, No. 3506 [yellow label].

MAP 23. Distribution of Blastobasis rotae (●) and B. manto (˔).

Distribution (Map 23). Blastobasis rotae is known from one collecting site in northwestern Costa Rica on the western most part of the Cordillera de Guanacaste.

Etymology. The specific epithet rotae is derived from the Latin rota meaning, a wheel.

Figures

FIGURES 129 – 134. Male genitalia of Blastobasinae. 129 – 130, Blastobasis rotae (slide 3506). 131 – 132, Blastobasis manto (slide 4036). 133 – 134, Blastobasis dicionis (slide 3470).

FIGURES 308 – 311. Male sex scales on first flagellomere of Blastobasis. 308, Blastobasis rotae. 309, Blastobasis manto. 310, Blastobasis dicionis. 311, Blastobasis beo.

FIGURES 344 – 351. Imagos of Blastobasinae. 344, Blastobasis abollae, holotype. 345, Blastobasis lex, holotype. 346, Blastobasis vesta, holotype. 347, Blastobasis nivis, holotype. 348, Blastobasis phaedra, holotype. 349, Blastobasis aedes, holotype. 350, Blastobasis tapetae, holotype. 351, Blastobasis rotae, holotype.