Saphenista dilutana (Walsingham) 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 : 5

Saphenista dilutana (Walsingham) , new combination

Fig. 6, 10

Cochylis dilutana Walsingham 1879: 29 , pl. 67, fig. 3.

Phalonia dilutana McDunnough 1939: 60 .

Phalonidia dilutana Powell 1983: 42 .

Incertae sedis [“ Cochylini Unplaced ”] dilutana: Razowski 1964: 383 ; Brown 2005: 208; Metzler and Brown 2014: 278.

Described in Cochylis and transferred to Phalonia by McDunnough (1939), C. dilutana was treated as “incertae sedis” by Razowski (1964: 359), who designated a lectotype (NHMUK) and illustrated its female genitalia. Powell (1983) transferred it to Phalonidia , and Brown (2005) and Metzler and Brown (2014) followed Razowski (1964), treating it as “unplaced Cochylini .”

After dissecting numerous females of Saphenista from the western U.S., it became clear that the thickened apophyses of the lectotype of P. dilutana (see Razowski 1964: fig. 82) are very similar to those of S. latipunctana ( Fig. 13 ). Also, the male genitalia of the paralectotype (USNM) from the type locality have an expanded distal end of the median process of the transtilla characteristic of Saphenista . On the basis of these two features, P. dilutana is transferred to Saphenista .

Diagnosis. Saphenista dilutana is extremely similar to S. latipunctana . Its forewing pattern falls within the range of variation of the latter, and its female genitalia are identical to those of the latter. Based on these features it is possible that S. dilutana is a synonym of S. latipunctana . However, subtle differences in the male genitalia may separate the two. In S. latipunctana the distal end of the median process of the transtilla is broad and T-shaped, whereas in S. dilutana (known from a single male paralectotype from the type locality) it is slightly narrower and more U-shaped owing to the shorter “arms” of the process; and the cornutus is slightly longer in S. dilutana .

Types. Lectotype ♀, USA, Oregon, Jackson Co., Rogue River, 4–6 May 1872, Walsingham , BMNH slide 7756 ( NHMUK) . Paralectotype ♂, same data as lectotype (USNM).

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.