Elachista laxa, Sruoga, Virginijus, 2010

Sruoga, Virginijus, 2010, The Elachistinae (Lepidoptera: Gelechioidea: Elachistidae) of Ecuador with descriptions of five new species, Zootaxa 2524, pp. 33-50 : 36-39

Elachista laxa , new species

( Figs. 1 , 2 , 7–9 , 17 –21)

Type material. Holotype: ɗ, ‘ Ecuador | Pichincha Province | 11 km NW Aloag | 24.ii.2007, V. Sruoga leg [it].; ɗ | VS312 | Genitalia slide’. In VPU.

Diagnosis. In wing pattern and genitalia, this species is rather close to E. albisquamella Zeller, 1877 , known from Colombia (for illustrations, see Kaila 2000) and E. adunca , known from the same locality as E. laxa . The main differences between E. laxa and E. albisquamella are the following:

The juxta lobe in E. laxa is about 1.3 times longer than wide; in E. albisquamella it is 3 times longer than wide;

The phallus in E. laxa is longer than valva, curved at basal 1/2 and 4/5; in E. albisquamella it is shorter than valva and straight;

The apex of phallus in E. laxa is tapered; in E. albisquamella it is blunt. For the separation of E. laxa and E. adunca see the diagnosis of E. adunca .

Male ( Figs. 7–9 ). Forewing length 3.8 mm; wingspan 8.3 mm (n=1). Head: Frons whitish, background layer brownish grey; vertex and neck tuft brownish grey, mottled by paler bases of scales; labial palpus 1.7 times as long as width of head, whitish above except base of third segment brownish grey, ventrally brownish grey; antenna brownish grey, basal articles weakly annulated with paler rings; densely ciliated below, length of cilia about 2/3 diameter of shaft ( Fig. 9 ). Thorax and tegulae brownish grey. Forewing: ground colour brownish grey, strongly mottled with paler base of scales; indistinctly delimited oblique whitish streak from 1/ 3 of costa to fold where small group of raised dark brown scales; indistinct whitish spot at 2/3 length of costa and similar one on dorsum just before it; fringe scales grey. Hindwing brownish grey, with fringe concolorous.

Female. Unknown.

Male genitalia ( Figs. 17–21 ). Uncus lobes small, widely separate, apically rounded, ventral surface densely covered with long scales. Tegumen short and broad. Basal arms of gnathos fused along distal half; spinose knob of gnathos about 1.3 times longer than wide, dorsocaudally directed. Valva strongly curved and broadened towards cucullus; basal fold of costa gradually bent, strongly sclerotized; distal fold small and wide, weakly sclerotized. Sacculus strongly curved joining wide cucullus without angle. Juxta lobes widely rounded, 1.3 times longer than wide, with some setae in ventral surface. Digitate process very narrow, about 5 times longer than wide, with few setae near apex. Vinculum with broad median ridge, tapered towards small but wide saccus. Phallus longer than valva, slightly bent at basal 1/2 and 4/5; ductus ejaculatorius posteriorly directed; no caecum; apex ventrally and dorsally formed as separate lobes, dorsal lobe somewhat longer than ventral one; carina formed from small spines near distal opening on ventral lobe; vesica with few needle-like tiny spines.

Biology. Unknown.

Flight period. Based upon the single specimen available, adults fly in February.

Distribution. So far this species is known only from Pichincha Province of Ecuador ( Figs. 1 , 2 ).

Etymology. The species name is derived from the Latin laxus (wide) in reference to the wide juxta lobes.

Remarks. The head of the holotype is somewhat rubbed and therefore the description is incomplete.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Distribution map of Elachistinae species in Ecuador., Aloag, Pichincha Province;, Banos, Tungurahua Province;, Huigra, Chimborazo Province.

FIGURES 2 – 4. Collecting localities in Ecuador. 2, type locality of Elachista adunca sp. n. and E. laxa sp. n. on 24 February 2007, 11 km NW Aloag, Pichincha Province; 3, type locality of E. lata sp. n., E. speciesVS 307 and E. phiala sp. n. on 10 February 2007, Banos env., Tungurahua Province; 4, collecting locality of E. saccharella on 11 February 2007, 1 km E Banos, Rio Negro, Tungurahua Province.

FIGURES 5 – 9. Adults of Elachista species. 5, E. adunca sp. n., male, holotype. Scale bar 1 mm; 6, same, head, frontal view; 7, E. laxa sp. n., male, holotype. Scale bar 1 mm; 8, same, head, frontal view; 9, same, antenna, frontal view.

FIGURES 17 – 21. Male genitalia of Elachista laxa sp. n., holotype. 17, general view (phallus removed); 18, phallus; 19, juxta region; 20, gnathos; 21, apical part of phallus. Gen. slide VS 312. Scale bar 0.1 mm.