A review of Mexican Stamnodes (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) with the description of 16 new species Matson, Tanner A. European Journal of Taxonomy 2023 2023-12-14 911 1 79 Matson, 2023 Matson 2023 [617,873,264,291] Insecta Geometridae Stamnodes Animalia Lepidoptera 64 65 Arthropoda species tenebrosa sp. nov.   urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 70D831DE-EBB5-4442-9B83-688D10DECFB4  Figs 35, 38, 89, 95    Diagnosis   Stamnodes tenebrosa sp. nov.is very similar to  S. seiferti( Fig. 34), but so far as known the two species are allopatric. Known specimens of  S. tenebrosaare from the mountainous Northern Oaxaca Highlandsand Oaxaca’s Sierra Madre del Sur, while  S. seifertiis a northern Sierra Madre Occidental entity that extends into central Arizona, northern New Mexico, and the Trans-Pecos region of Texas.  Stamnodes tenebrosais darker and slightly larger than  S. seiferti, and while sharing many of the same pattern elements,  S. tenebrosacan be differentiated by its pale, arcing, medial, transverse band on the darkened hindwing upperside; in  S. seiferti, the hindwing upperside is lighter, given toward dull yellow, and lacks a well-differentiated transverse band. Male genitalia are exceedingly close to those of  S. seiferti; a notable difference is the rounded laterodistal shoulders of the shield-shaped juxta in  S. tenebrosaand more pointed or acuminate shoulders in  S. seiferti.  Stamnodes tenebrosaalso appears to have around 5–6 spinose cornuti while  S. seifertihas around 7–8; however, some of the cornuti are increasingly tiny and difficult to visualize and these counts should be considered with caution.    Etymology The specific epithet  tenebrosa, Spanishfor ‘dark, gloomy, or murky’, was inspired by this species’ dark wings relative to the much lighter colouration of its apparent sister,  S. seiferti.    Material examined    Holotype  MEXICO• ♂; Oaxaca, Mpio. Ixlepejl [Ixtepejl], Cerezal; [ 17.26° N, 96.56° W]; elev.  2300 m;  7 Nov. 1980; E.C. Wellingleg.; genitalia: TAM-2022-097; AMNH_ IZC 00352924.    Paratypes( 11 ♂♂)  MEXICO–  Oaxaca• 2 ♂♂; same collection data as for holotype; genitalia: TAM-2021-096( USNM 154203); USNMENT01771242, USNMENT01771243•  1 ♂; same collection data as for holotype; genitalia: TAM-2021-097; AMNH_ IZC 00353017•  2 ♂♂; same collection data as for holotype; CNIN•  1 ♂; Mpio. Río Hondo, San José Pacífico; [ 16.16° N, 96.50° W]; elev.  2400 m;  5 Nov. 1971; E.C. Wellingleg.; USNMENT01771244•  1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding;  21 Nov. 1971; AMNH_ IZC 00352923•  1 ♂; Mpio. Paxtlán, Agua Azul; [ 16.21° N, 96.51° W]; elev.  2300 m;  9 Nov. 1977; E.C. Wellingleg.; AMNH_ IZC 00352922. –  Puebla•  2 ♂♂;  7.5 kmNE of Azumbilla; [ 18.70° N, 97.36° W]; elev.  2200 m;  22 Aug. 1987; Brownand Powellleg.; EMEC1748448, EMEC1748449•  1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; CNIN.    Description  Male  FOREWING LENGTH. 18–19 mm(n = 12).  HEAD. Antenna filiform, grey scales above. Vertex and frons mostly grey, white around eyes and base of antennae. Labial palpus slightly porrect, 1.5 × diameter of eye, grey and white. Cephalic collar mostly grey.  THORAX. Patagium grey; tegula grey at base, more fuscous distally. Mesothorax grey to cream. Legs mixture of grey and white scales; tibial spur formula 0–2–4; epiphysis well developed.  FOREWING. Ground colour fuscous, gradually darkening toward outer margin. Costomedial area with subquadrangular, dark fuscous patch terminating near center of wing and outwardly highlighted by U-shaped band of lighter scales. Underside fuscous in basal half, tan and speckled with fuscous scales in distal half; basal and distal areas separated by medial transverse band; band forming near right angle in center of wing that opens toward base. Fringe lighter than fuscous area of outer margin above, concolourous with underside below.  HINDWING. Concolourous with forewing ground colour above, darkening toward outer margin, and bearing pale, arcing, medial transverse band. Underside tan, speckled with fuscous scales, and bearing darkened medial transverse band. Fringe as in forewing.  ABDOMEN. Fuscous to ochreous above, white below.  GENITALIA( Fig. 58). Uncus long, slender, and strongly spatulate at apex. Juxta shield-shaped, posteriorly concave with dozens of erect setae between rounded laterodistal shoulders or protuberances. Valva ear-shaped with costal sclerite terminating in subapical area; inner face of valva with two prominent hair tufts: first tuft arising from large rounded tubercle in antemedial area; second tuft, shorter, linearly extended in costomedial depression. Vesica with 5–6 spinose cornuti greatly decreasing in size in succession.  Female No material available.   Distribution( Fig. 89)  Mexico: so far as known,  Stamnodes tenebrosa sp. nov.inhabits the mountainous Northern OaxacaHighlands and the Sierra Madre del Sur in Oaxacaand Pueblaat elevations around 2200–2400 m.    Biology Adults fly in November after sympatric  S. catarina sp. nov.,  S. churro sp. nov., and  S. patamon. Larvae are predicted to immediately follow the adult flight.  Stamnodes seiferti, the presumed sister taxon of  Stamnodes tenebrosa sp. nov., has some of the most cold-hardy and latest developing caterpillars in its native range. It would be unsurprising if  S. tenebrosaalso matures under unusually cold conditions. It is likely that the larvae of  S. tenebrosawill feed on  Cercocarpus.    Molecular characterization This species has not been sequenced. 4463259400 1980-11-07 AMNH E. C. Welling Mexico 2300 17.26 Cerezal 767 -96.56 64 65 TAM-2022-097, IZC 00352924 1 1 Oaxaca holotype 4463259398 1980-11-07 TAM, USNM E. C. Welling Mexico 2300 17.26 Oaxaca 767 -96.56 64 65 TAM-2021-096, USNM 154203, USNMENT01771242, USNMENT01771243 13 13 Oaxaca paratype 4463259325 1980-11-07 AMNH E. C. Welling Mexico 2300 17.26 Cerezal 767 -96.56 64 65 TAM-2021-097, IZC 00353017 1 1 Oaxaca paratype 4463259342 1980-11-07 CNIN E. C. Welling Mexico 2300 17.26 Cerezal 767 -96.56 64 65 2 2 Oaxaca paratype 4463259377 1971-11-05 USNMENT E. C. Welling Mexico 2400 16.16 San Jose Pacifico 769 -96.5 Rio Hondo 64 65 USNMENT01771244 1 1 Oaxaca paratype 4463259309 1971-11-21 AMNH E. C. Welling Mexico 2400 16.16 San Jose Pacifico 769 -96.5 Rio Hondo 64 65 IZC 00352923 1 1 Oaxaca paratype 4463259397 1977-11-09 AMNH E. C. Welling Mexico 2300 16.21 Agua Azul 769 -96.51 Mpio. Paxtlan 64 65 IZC 00352922 1 1 Puebla paratype 4463259401 1987-08-22 EMEC Brown & Powell Mexico 2200 18.7 Azumbilla 765 -97.36 64 65 EMEC1748448, EMEC1748449 2 2 Oaxaca paratype 4463259341 1987-08-22 CNIN Brown & Powell Mexico 2200 18.7 Azumbilla 765 -97.36 64 65 1 1 Oaxaca paratype