Blastobasis babae Adamski

Adamski, David, 2013, Review of the Blastobasinae of Costa Rica (Lepidoptera: Gelechioidea: Blastobasidae), Zootaxa 3618 (1), pp. 1-223 : 47-48

Blastobasis babae Adamski , new species

( Figs. 16, 93–94, 290, 333, Map 12)

Diagnosis.— Blastobasis babae is similar to B. thyone in facies but differs from the latter by having a shorter uncus; a wider gnathos; the sockets of tergal setae extending beyond the midlength of the tegumen; a more broadly curved apical process of the ventral part of the valva; a more spinose apicoventral margin of the proximal flange of the dorsal part of the valva; and a slightly shorter phallus.

Description.—Head: Vertex and frontoclypeus pale brown. Outer surface of labial palpus brown intermixed with pale-brown scales along apical margins of segments 1–2, inner surface paler [some scales missing]. Antennal scape and pecten pale brown, flagellum brown; first flagellomere in male dilated, inner surface of dilated part with 24 palmate sex scales (n= 1), ( Fig. 290). Proboscis pale brown.

Thorax: Scales on tegula and mesonotum brown tipped with pale brown. Legs with dark-brown scales tipped with pale brown intermixed with pale-brown scales near midsegments and apical margins of all segments and tarsomeres. Forewing ( Fig. 333): Length 4.8–5.0 mm (n = 10), pale brown intermixed with few brown and darkbrown scales; submedian fascia incomplete, faint; cell with three dark-brown spots, one spot near middle, two spots on apical end along crossvein. Undersurface brown. Venation ( Fig. 16) with M 3 and CuA 1 arising from a common point on distoposterior part of cell; cubital veins divergent from bases; CuA 1 straight, CuA 2 broadly curved. Hindwing: Translucent pale brown. Venation ( Fig. 16) with anterior part of crossvein weak, posterior part of cell open; cubitus 4 -branched with all veins arising submarginally from cubitus.

Abdomen: Male genitalia ( Figs. 93–94): Uncus slightly narrowed from single-tiered base, gradually narrowed, forming broadly rounded apex, slightly downcurved, sparsely setose, shorter than width of anal opening. Dorsal strut of tegumen absent. Gnathos wide, confluent with tegumen, posteroventral margin greatly protracted mesially, bidentate; midwidth of pigmented part of gnathos wider than midwidth of uncus. Sockets of tergal setae extending beyond midlength of tegumen. Valva divided; ventral part gradually narrowing from beyond base, abruptly narrowed apically, forming inwardly curved spinelike process; process setose on outer surface, planate on inner surface; ventral margin setose from about 1 / 5, upturned slightly, forming narrow 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 abruptly curved inwardly at 2 / 3; area beneath costa overlaid with sparse microtrichiate membrane, 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 slightly cleft, extending laterally, forming broadly rounded, apicoventral ridge; proximal flange bearing many hairlike setae intermixed with few conical setae, and sparse microtrichiae. Juxta bandlike. Vinculum semicircular. Phallus and sclerite of phallus shorter than valva; sclerite of phallus sigmoid-shaped; anellus slightly narrowed from base, broadly rounded apically, setose mostly on apical 1 / 2. Female Genitalia: Unknown.

Holotype, 3, “Quepos, 120 m, P[arque] N[aciónal] Manuel Antonio, Prov[incia] Punt[arenas], COSTA RICA, G. Varela & R. Zuniga, Dic[iembre] 1990, L-S- 370900, 449800 ”, “ INBio: COSTA RICA: CRI 000, 228278 ” [barcode label], “ INBio 3 Genitalia Slide by D. Adamski, No. 3939 ” [yellow label].

Paratypes (9 3): 1 3, same data as above except, “ INBio: COSTA RICA: CRI 000, 228852 ”, “Slide No. 3938 ”, “Wing Slide No. 7049 ”; 1 3, same data as above except, “R. Zuniga, Ene. 1991 ”, “ INBio: COSTA RICA: CRI 000, 580629 ”, “Slide No. 3899 ”, 4 3, same data as above except, “Feb.”, “ INBio: COSTA RICA: CRI 000, 346854 ”, “Slide No. 3944 ”, “ USNM 83786 ”; “ INBio: COSTA RICA: CRI 000, 347128 ”, “Slide No. 3945 ”; “ INBio: COSTA RICA: CRI 000, 347177 ”, “Slide No. 3948 ”, “ USNM 83787 ”; “ INBio: COSTA RICA: CRI 000, 680077 ”, “Slide No. 3892 ”, “ USNM 83788 ”; 1 3, same data as above except, “ Mar. 1991 ”, “ INBio: COSTA RICA: CRI 000, 660687 ”, “Slide No. 3891 ”; 1 3, “Est. Sirena, 0–100 m, P.N. Corcovado, Prov. Puntarenas, COSTA RICA, G. Fonseca, Mar. 1992, L-S- 270500, 508300 ”, “ INBio: COSTA RICA: CRI 000, 780371 ”, “Slide No. 3913 ”; 1 3, same data as above except, “# 2769 ”, “ INBio: COSTA RICA: CRI 000, 755416 ”, “Slide No. 3929 ”, “ USNM 83789 ” [5 in INBio, 4 in USNM].

Distribution (Map 12): Blastobasis babae is known from three collecting sites along the southern Pacific Coast; one near the mouth of the Golfo de Nicoya, one south of the western part of the Cordillera de Talamanca, and one on the Osa Peninsula.

Etymology. The specific epithet babae is derived from the Latin babae , meaning an exclamation of astonishment or joy.