Ethmia laphamorum Phillips

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 : 32

Taxon classification Animalia Lepidoptera Depressariidae

Ethmia laphamorum Phillips sp. n. Figures 29, 74, 119, 161

Diagnosis.

Ethmia laphamorum can be distinguished from Ethmia nigritaenia , its most similar species, by the smaller size and the less contrasting line through the middle of the FW from base to apex. In the male genitalia Ethmia laphamorum presents a very reduced “plume” projection at the apex of the valva and the distal spines are absent. In the female genitalia, the sclerotized sleeve at the base of ductus is shorter than that of Ethmia nigritaenia .

Description.

Male: FW length 10.8-12 mm (n = 3). Head: Labial palpus curved, long, exceeding base of antenna; proboscis and front white with lateral brownish markings, crown light brown, occipital tuft dark brown at mid-dorsum. Thorax: Pronotum light brown with black spots marginal. FW brownish with irregular darker markings; posterior area with an elongated dark mark at 0.3 × from base; an irregular black band from base to apex. HW whitish; costal fold to 0.7 × from base, enclosing a whitish brush of elongate hair scales from base. Abdomen: Pale ochreous dorsal and ventral, bright ochreous tergum I and II, genitalia scaling concolorous. Genitalia (Fig. 74) with uncus sclerotized; valva apex with a very reduced “plume”, distal spines absent; a large finger like projection at sacculus, below apex.

Female: FW length 11.1-12.7 mm (n = 3). Head and thorax: As described for male, except HW unmodified. Abdomen: Genitalia (Fig. 119) with sclerotized sleeve at base of ductus bursae; signum with posterior margin serrated.

Holotype.

Male: 09-SRNP-104663, DNA Barcoded, Costa Rica: Guanacaste, Sector Santa Elena La Angostura 300 m, 25.v.2009, F. Quesada & R. Franco. Deposited in INBio. Paratypes: Costa Rica: Guanacaste: Sector Maritza, Casa Rafa 579 m, 2M 1F 4/5.vi.2011, H. Cambronero & R. Franco; Sector Murciélago, Mirador Murciélago 87 m, 2M 6F 22.xi.2011, H. Cambronero & R. Franco, 5F 23.xi.2011, H. Cambronero & S. Ríos, Mirador Nance 133 m, 2M 1F 23/24.xi.2011, H. Cambronero & S. Ríos, 3F 23.xi.2011, S. Ríos & R. Franco; Sector Santa Elena, La Angostura 300 m, 3M 7F 25/26,v,2009, F. Quesada & R. Franco, Manta Potrero Grande 20 m, 3F 22.v.2009, F. Quesada & H. Cambronero. Sector Santa Rosa, Luces 575 m, 3M 6F 31.v/1.vi. 2011, H. Cambronero & S. Ríos, Sendero los Patos 3M 3F 9.xii.2007, F. Quesada & R. Franco (BMNH, INBio, EME, USNM).

Distribution and biology.

In Costa Rica (Fig. 161), Ethmia laphamorum has been collected on both slopes of Cordillera Volcánica de Guanacaste and Península de Nicoya, from 20 to 600 mts. It occurs in ACG dry forest.

The food plant and immature stages are unknown.

Etymology.

Ethmia laphamorum is named in honor of Nick and Gardiner Lapham of Rappahannock, Virginia for their many years of support of ACG rain forest land purchase for permanent wildland conservation.