Proeulia uniformata Cepeda, 2020

Cepeda, Danilo E. & Curkovic, Tomislav, 2020, A new species of Proeulia Clarke (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) from Central Chile, Revista Chilena de Entomología (Rev. Chil. Entomol.) 46 (3), pp. 493-499 : 494-497

Proeulia uniformata Cepeda , sp. nov.

( Figs. 1-10 )

Diagnosis. Based on male genitalia, Proeulia uniformata is most closely related to P. cneca Obraztsov, 1964 , P. gladiator Razowski, 1999 , and P. elguetae Razowski, 1999 . All four of these species have a single cornutus in the vesica of the phallus. In P. uniformata the forewing wing is uniform brownish gray; in the male genitalia the uncus is simple, the socius is elongate, the gnathos has an acute apex, the transtilla is simple, and the sacculus is moderately developed; and in the female the ductus bursae is partially sclerotized. In contrast, in the P. cneca the forewing ground color is ochreus; in the male genitalia the uncus is longer, the socius is longer, the gnathos lacks an acute apex, the transtilla is sclerotized, and the sacculus is strongly developed. In P. gladiator the forewing ground color is ochreus yellow; in the male genitalia the uncus is smaller, the socius is broader, the gnathos has lateral prominences, the transtilla is strongly sclerotized, and the sacculus has a small subterminal spine. In P. elguetae the forewing ground color ochreous; in the male genitalia the uncus is lobed terminally, the transtilla has two lateral spine-like processes, and sacculus is strongly developed, with an acute, up curved apex. Based on female genitalia, P. uniformata presents a digitiform and projected signum, while in P. elguetae the signum is small and not projected. The females of P. cneca and P. gladiator are unknown.

Description. Male. Head: Frons, vertex, and occiput covered by brownish grey scales. Antenna filiform, with scape and flagellomeres dorsally covered by whitish grey scales. Ventrum of flagellomeres with short fine sensory setae. Labial palpus porrect, twice as long as maximum diameter of eye, without scales. Thorax: Tegula and scutellum covered with brownish grey scales. Forewing length 10.0 mm (n = 1); forewing nearly uniform brownish gray, with a few scattered dark black scales. Hindwing, opaque whitish, termen fringe with whitish elongated scales. Abdomen: Male genitalia ( Figs. 3-6 ) with uncus simple, moderately developed, gnathos plate with acute apex, socius elongate, slender, covered with long setae marginally, transtilla weak medially, valva longer than wide, costa with cucullus slightly angled upward, sacculus reaching 3/4 length of valva, terminating in a free rounded process, vinculum slender, longer than wide. Phallus thick with a single strong cornutus, 3/4 length of phallus, juxta stout, 1/3 length of phallus. Female. Head and thorax: Essentially as described for male, except forewing length 11.0 mm (n = 1), and hindwing whitish. Abdomen: Female genitalia ( Figs. 7-10 ) with papillae anales simple. Ostium broad, sterigma well sclerotized, ductus bursae short, membranous, partially sclerotized, with sclerite anterior to patch of dense spines. Corpus bursae rounded, with dorsum partially sclerotized, covered by dense spines, signum digitiform, strong and projecting.

Host plant. Unknown.

Etymology. The specific epithet is from the Latin uniformis and refers to the uniform color of the forewing.

Distribution. P. uniformata is known from a single locality in Chacabuco Province, Santiago Metropolitan Region. It is associated with sclerophyllous forest and scrublands. According to Morrone (2015), this distribution belongs in the Central Chilean Subregion, Province of Coquimbo.

Remarks. Proeulia uniformata is included in this genus based on the following features: antennae with short cilia, labial palpi porrect in both sexes, hindwing with R and M1 stalked for over 1/2 their lengths, M3 with CuA1 connate; male genitalia with uncus simple, gnathos plate simple, valva wide at base, sacculus longer than wide, and phallus stout with a single large, strongly developed, elongate cornutus. In the female genitalia, the area near the ostium is sclerotized, the ductus bursae is short, with a sclerite from the anterior surface of the corpus bursae, and a signum is present.

Material examined. Male holotype from: Chile, Cerro Vizcachas, Provincia de Chacabuco , Región Metropolitana de Santiago, 8-9.XII.2017, leg. J.F. Campodonico, trampa UV ( MEUC). 1 female paratype from: Chile, Cerro Vizcachas, Provincia de Chacabuco , Región Metropolitana de Santiago, 8-9.XII.2017, leg. J.F. Campodonico, trampa UV ( MEUC) .

Figures

Figures 1-5. Proeulia uniformata sp. nov. 1. Male holotype. 2. Female paratype. Scale: 1.0 mm. 3. Genitalia without phallus. 4. Uncus, gnathos, socis. 5. Valva. Scale: 0.25 mm.

Figures 6-10. Proeulia uniformata sp. nov. 6. Phallus. 7. Female genitalia. 8. Sterigma. 9. Corpus bursae. 10. Signum. Scale: 0.25 mm.