Ethmia phylacis Walsingham

Phillips-Rodriguez, Eugenie, Powell, Jerry A., Hallwachs, Winnie & Janzen, Daniel H., 2014, A synopsis of the genus Ethmia Huebner in Costa Rica: biology, distribution, and description of 22 new species (Lepidoptera, Gelechioidea, Depressariidae, Ethmiinae), with emphasis on the 42 species known from Area de Conservacion Guanacaste, ZooKeys 461, pp. 1-86 : 17-18

Taxon classification Animalia Lepidoptera Depressariidae

Ethmia phylacis Walsingham Figures 15, 60, 105, 155

Ethmia phylacis Walsingham, 1912: 147; Powell 1973: 146.

Diagnosis.

This species is easily confused with Ethmia exornata or Ethmia dianemillerae but is distinguished by having a single dark dot, rather than two, in the dorsal area near the base of the FW.

Description.

Male: FW length 8.7 to 9.5 mm (n = 3). Head: Labial palpus moderately elongate, curved, exceeding base of antenna; white, first and basal half of second segment slightly dark exteriorly; proboscis dark brown, front and crown white. Thorax: Dorsal scaling white, base of collar narrowly, tegula broadly, and scutellum dark brown. FW broad, ground color white, costal area 0.20 × from base spotted dark brown; a single small spot of same color in posterior half; a large, median dorsal purplish mark extending through cell nearly to costa, apical area concolorous bronzy-purple; termen golden ochreous from tornus to above middle, blending with apical purplish. HW ground color whitish basally, becoming brownish before margins, ochreous at distal margins including fringe; costal area simple. Abdomen: Dorsal scaling dark brown; underside whitish with a median, longitudinal dark band; genital scaling pale ochreous. Genitalia (Fig. 60) uncus simple, basal processes with broad lateral flanges; gnathos heavily dentate, valva deeply notched at apex of sacculus.

Female: FW length 9.6-10.6 mm (n = 4). Head and thorax: As described for male. Abdomen: Genitalia (Fig. 105) with sterigma bearing lateral depressed lobes, antrum enlarged sclerotized with many inwardly directed spurs; ductus membranous; signum a narrow fold with numerous teeth.

Holotype.

Male: Mexico, stated as "Durango: Presidio" but should be Presidio de Mazatlan, Sinaloa (no date) [see Powell 1973] [BMNH, examined].

Distribution and biology.

According to Powell (1973) this species has been collected from southern Sonora and Sinaloa on the west coast to Veracruz and Yucatan on the east coast in Mexico. In Costa Rica Ethmia phylacis has been found in ACG dry forest at 300 m on the Pacific slope of the Cordillera Volcánica de Guanacaste (Fig. 155). The food plant and immature stages are unknown.