Rhamphura immunis (Meyrick, 1916)

Nupponen 1, Kari & Sihvonen, Pasi, 2022, Revision of Neotropical Scythrididae moths and descriptions of 22 new species from Argentina, Chile, and Peru (Lepidoptera, Gelechioidea), ZooKeys 1087, pp. 19-104 : 19

Rhamphura immunis (Meyrick, 1916)

Figs 4 , 38

Scythris immunis Meyrick, 1916. Exotic Microlepidoptera, vol. 2 (part 1): 13.

Material examined.

Lectotype. Peru • ♂; Oroya ; [11°31'S, 75°53'W]; 12200 feet a.s.l.; 5-14.; Parish leg.; [genitalia slide] JFGC No. 8056; NHMUK ID 010922360; NHMUK slide ID 010316668; coll. NHMUK.

Paralectotype. Peru • 1 ♂; same data as for lectotype; coll. NHMUK .

Diagnosis.

A small (wingspan 9 mm), dark species externally similar to several other dark species, e.g., S. inanima , S. depressa , and less contrasting specimens of S. medullata . Genitalia dissection is required for confident determination. Scythris immunis is readily separated from the other described species by details in the male genitalia: long bifurcate teguminal processes with lateral setose extensions; tegumen with pair of beak-like processes dorsally; row of pegs ventrally; valvae with dorsal, setose lobes; sternum VIII with long, anteriorly directed free apodemes.

Description.

The original description is quoted: "Wingspan 9 mm ♂, ♀. Head, palpi and thorax dark grey sprinkled with whitish. Antennal ciliations of ♂ 0.75. Abdomen stout in both sexes, bronzy-grey, beneath suffused and mixed with whitish. Forewings lanceolate; dark grey; two blackish longitudinal streaks from base, upper median, reaching to about 0.75, lower running to tornus, some slight whitish irroration on or between these; a similar less distinct streak above dorsum from base to middle: cilia grey. Hindwings with 4 and 5 separate; in ♂ pale grey, thinly scaled, in ♀ grey; cilia greyish, towards base ochreous-tinged."

Male genitalia. Tegumen with beak-like processes on posterior margin, row of pegs on ventral margin, apex bifurcate and setose. Phallus straight, short and thick, basal 1/2 tapered. Valva narrow, long, with dorsal setose lobes, freely articulated to vinculum. Sternum VIII rectangular, with long, anteriorly directed free apodemes. Tergum VIII medioposteriorly concave, with group of stout setae on both lateral sides.

Distribution.

Peru.

Remarks.

Female unknown. Scythris immunis was combined to Rhamphura by Landry (1991). We agree with the classification, because Rhamphura immunis has the diagnostic male tegumen with a pair of large beak-like processes extended from the posterior margin and with ventral rows of clusters or pegs. Further, male sternum VIII is sclerotised, with long, anteriorly directed, free apodemes. Meyrick (1916) described the species based on three specimens, stated to include both males and females. Clarke (1965) indicated that all three syntypes are actually males.

Figures

Figures 1 - 6. Scythrididae adults, genus Rhamphura 1 A R. depressa (Meyrick, 1931), male, holotype 1 B R. depressa (Meyrick, 1931), male, holotype 2 R. dimota (Meyrick, 1931), male, lectotype 3 R. subdimota Nupponen, sp. nov., male, holotype 4 R. immunis (Meyrick, 1916), male, lectotype 5 R. pozohondaensis Nupponen, sp. nov., female, holotype 6 R. spiniuncus Nupponen, sp. nov., male holotype.

Figures 37 - 38. Male genitalia of Rhamphura 37 R. subdimota Nupponen sp. nov., holotype, slide 5 / 12 Dec. 2019 KN 38 R. immunis (Meyrick, 1916), lectotype, slide JFGC No. 8056, genitalia shown in lateral view.