Saphenista powelli Brown, 2019

Brown, John W., 2019, Two new species and two new combinations in Saphenista Walsingham, 1914 from western North America (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), Insecta Mundi 738 (738), pp. 1-8 : 3-4

Saphenista powelli Brown , new species

Fig. 3 , 8, 12

Diagnosis. Saphenista powelli appears to be closely related to S. latipunctana and S. dilutana . In all three the forewing has similar maculation, although variable; the male lacks a hindwing costal roll (present in all other congeners); and the female genitalia have thickened apophyses and somewhat distally pointed papillae anales. However, the absence of a flangelike process from the vinculum (pres- ent in S. latipunctana and S. dilutana ) in the male genitalia ( Fig. 8 ) and the long, thickened apophyses posteriores (much shorter in S. latipunctana and S. dilutana ) ( Fig. 12 ) easily distinguish S. powelli from those related congeners.

Description. Head. Vertex and frons white; labial palpus with length ca. 3 times diameter of compound eye, white, second segment laterally with distinct brown-tipped cream scales, segment III exposed, white; antenna with white scales, sensory setae extremely long, 4–5 times flagellomere diameter in male, extremely short, sparse in female. Thorax. Nota white to cream; scales of tegula rather short, sometimes brown at base, otherwise white; no mid-posterior crest; forewing length 5.0–6.0 mm (mean = 5.5 mm, n = 10); forewing ground color white with variable, usually sparse, gray speckling, infrequently (ca. 10% of specimens examined) with faint, oblique, brown dash from near middle of hind margin representing median fascia (somewhat similar to that of S. latipunctana ). Fringe concolorous with forewing. Hindwing white to pale cream with faint pale gray-brown overscaling; male lacking costa roll (hair pencil); frenulum with one spine in male, three in female. Fringe whitish to pale cream. Abdomen. Lacking specialized processes. Mostly pale gray-cream. Male genitalia ( Fig. 8 ) with tegumen slightly curved at top; uncus absent; socii slender, densely hairy, erect, from lateral edge of top of tegumen; valva slender, gently upcurved throughout, nearly parallel-sided throughout, rounded apically; sacculus very short, ill-defined; transtilla well developed with median process bearing a wide, T-shaped expansion distally, lateral margins of process only slightly expanded distally; vinculum arms joined distally, lacking flange or other process; phallus large, almost as long as valva, slightly curved near middle, apically with slender ventral projection with attenuate, rounded apex, vesica with a single slender cornutus. Female genitalia ( Fig. 12 ) with papillae anales narrow, weakly pointed distally; postero-lateral margin of segment VIII densely covered with tiny spines; apophyses thickened, especially apophyses anteriores, length of apophyses anteriores about 0.75 that of apophyses posteriores; sterigma mostly membranous; ductus bursae moderately wide, intersection with corpus bursae poorly defined; corpus bursae short, ovoid, with sparsely distributed, minute spicules on entire inner surface, frail ductus of accessory bursae arising near middle of corpus.

Types. Holotype ♂, USA, California, Los Angeles Co., San Clemente Island, Eel Cove , 12 May 2002, r.f. Eriophyllum confertiflorum , em: 17 Jun 2002, J. Powell & D. Rubinoff ( EME)

Paratypes (4♂, 17♀): USA, California: same data as holotype, em: 17 Jun–2 Aug 2002 (EME).

Distribution and biology. This species is known only from a series of adults reared from larvae discovered on Eriophyllum confertiflorum DC. A. Gray ( Asteraceae ) on San Clemente Island, California. Larvae collected on 12 May produced adults in June and July, with a single August emergence.

Figures

Figures 1–6. Adults of Saphenista. 1) S. bartellae, paratype, Gilpin Co., Colorado. 2) S. bartellae, paratype, Marin Co, California. 3) S. powelli, paratype, Los Angeles Co., California. 4) S. latipunctana, Marin Co., California. 5) S. latipunctana, Contra Costa Co., California. 6) S. dilutana, paralectotype, Josephine Co., Oregon.

Figures 7–13. Genitalia of Saphenista. 7) Male of S. bartellae, USNM slide 150,181. 8) Male of S. powelli, USNM slide 153,767. 9) Male of S. latipunctana, MGP slide 349. 10) Male of S. dilutana, USNM slide 150,185. 11) Female of S. bartellae, USNM slide 150,182. 12) Female of S. powelli, USNM slide 153,565. 13) Female of S. latipunctana, EME slide 2762.