Amorbia knudsoni Phillips & Powell, 2007

Phillips-Rodríguez, Eugenie & Powell, Jerry A., 2007, Phylogenetic relationships, systematics, and biology of the species of Amorbia Clemens (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae: Sparganothini)., Zootaxa 1670 (1670), pp. 1-109 : 28

13. Amorbia knudsoni Phillips & Powell , new species

Figs. 32, 33, 75, 99, 135

DIAGNOSIS. This species is most similar to A. laterculana . Males of A. knudsoni can be distinguished by the presence of struts of the socii and the absence of external spines on the aedeagus. Females of A. knudsoni are distinguished by the ductus bursae widening towards the corpus bursae.

DESCRIPTION. MALE. FW length 12.0–14.5 mm (mean = 13.5; n = 10). HEAD: Vertex yellowish. Labial palpus yellowish, inner surface beige. THORAX: Dorsum smooth scaled, ground color yellowish, tegula concolorous. FW gound color pale yellow with basal, median, and postmedian fascia with variable intensities of light brown. Termen slightly produced. HW straw yellow. ABDOMEN: Pale yellow; dorsal pit absent. Genitalia as in Fig. 75 (slide # ECK1490, ECK, U.S.A., Texas, Culberson Co.; n = 4). Uncus extending beyond socii. Struts of socii present. Transtilla rectangular with spines. Valva subrectangular, sacculus occupying basal 0.6 of valva, ending in a deep emargination at 0.5 length of valva. Aedeagus 0.7X length of valva, mostly straight, slightly curved in apical 0.35, without external processes.

FEMALE. FW length 14.0–15.0 mm (mean = 14.5; n = 4). HEAD and THORAX: As described for male, but fasciae less defined. ABDOMEN: Genitalia as in Fig. 99 (slide # MCC3, ECK, U.S.A., Texas, Brewster Co.; n = 1). Ostium not sclerotized, ductus bursae nearly uniform in width, slightly widening towards corpus bursae.

TYPE MATERIAL. Holotype: Male: USA: TEXAS: Brewster Co.: Big Bend Natl. Pk., Green Gulch , 5400 ft, 13.v.1972, J. G. Franclemont ( USNM).

Paratypes. USA: TEXAS: Brewster Co.: 2M, Chisos Mts, Green Gulch , 5500 ft, 6.vi.1973 (R. Hodges, USNM) ; Big Bend Natl. Park, Green Gulch , 5400 ft, 1M, 2F, 10.viii.1983 (2F, EME) , 2M, 2/ 4.vi.1986 (1M, EME, 1M, E. Knudson, ECK) ; Chisos Basin , 5200 ft, 1M, 6/ 7.v.1997 (E. Knudson, ECK) ; Culberson Co.: Guadalupe Mountains, Smith Cyn. , 5750 ft, 2M, 2F, 22.v.1973 (D. C. Ferguson & R. W. Hodges, USNM) ; Guadalupe Mts. N.P., Dog Canyon , 1F, 30.v.1992, 1M, 27/ 28.vi.1993 (E. Knudson, ECK) .

DISTRIBUTION AND BIOLOGY. This species is known from west Texas (Fig. 136) at 1700–1900 m elevation. The records show flight activity from May to August. Early stages are unknown.

ETYMOLOGY. The species is named for Edward C. Knudson who collected many of the paratypes.