Ernassa inexplorata, Grados, 2024

Grados, Juan, 2024, Beyond appearances: the genus Ernassa Walker, 1856 (Lepidoptera, Erebidae, Arctiinae, Phaegopterina) and the description of eight new species, Zootaxa 5493 (4), pp. 301-327 : 308-310

Ernassa inexplorata sp. nov.

( Figs. 17–22 )

Diagnosis: Somewhat similar to E. sanguinolenta , differing by the wings and body, which are not as reddish, the wide spot is wider, ventrally are less reddish, the base of the valva, not as wide, the valva almost straight and slightly curved (lateral view) and strongly curved towards the mesal margin (dorsal and ventral view).

Type material: HOLOTYPE male ( Figs. 17–18 ): PERÚ. PASCO. 1 male, B.P. San Matías-San Carlos, Kametza , 12 km N de Iscozacín, 10º04’28”S, 75º08’33”W, 525 m, 04.xi.2015, L. Figueroa. 1 PARATYPE. JUNÍN. 1 male, río Tambo , 360 m, Leg. Izersky V . V . All deposited in the MUSM .

Male. Forewing span (26–27 mm) (n=2). Head. Reddish. Scape reddish, flagellum brown with a whitish spot on the distal segments. Thorax. Reddish. Legs reddish. Anterior tibiae with a patch of feathery scales. Forewing. Elongate. Dorsal. Reddish. Half of the anterior margin brown. Termen brown. Veins with brown scales. Subproximal rounded orange spot at Cu 2 -1A+2A, a smaller one in subdistal position; a small one at the discal cell and another at the anal cell. A subproximal subrenifor white spot at M 2 -M 3, projecting towards M 3 -Cu 1. Scattered brown scales, more noticeable towards the anterior margin and the external margin. Ventral. Reddish. All the anterior margin brown. Termen brown. Hindwing. Elongate and rhomboid with rounded angles. Dorsal. Reddish, with the proximal half creamy. Ventral. Reddish and creamy-white at the proximal part of Cu 2 -1A+2A and the anal area. Abdomen. Reddish dorsally and pale reddish ventrally. Male genitalia ( Figs. 19–22 ) (Genitalia # JGA- 1319). Tegumen with narrow sides, the anterior margin inverted U-shaped. Base of uncus wider than distal part of tegumen, two sclerotized lateral processes, arched L-shaped., with abundant long bristles on its mesal side; distal part short, pointed and hook-shaped at its end, a concave notch on its ventral part. Valva. Lateral view: wide, elongate; ventral process elongate, membranous, with the presence of setae; dorsal process sclerotized, slightly curved, distally rounded with setae present. Ventral view: wide, concave at the middle part of the mesal margin, ending obliquely and very sclerotized; towards the dorsal process, setae present at the edge where the direction of the valva shifts; dorsal processes strongly curved towards the mesal margin. Juxta sclerotized, triangular, membranous at the central part. Transtilla sclerotized, elongate, with a small membranous area anterior and central. Aedeagus elongate and curved; coecum penis elongate; vesica membranous, elongate dorsal process and a digitiform ventral process; with minute spicules at the dorsal area.

Female: Unknown.

Etymology: inexplorata is a feminine adjective in the nominative singular, which means “the unexplored”, “the unknown”.

Distribution. Central jungles of Peru, at the departments of Pasco and Junín.

Figures

FIGURES 17–18. Ernassa inexplorata sp. nov. Holotype. 17. Dorsal view. 18. Ventral view. Scales=5 mm.

FIGURES 19–22. Genitalia of Ernassa inexplorata sp. nov. Male (Genitalia # JGA-1319, MUSM). 19. Dorsal view. 20. Ventral view. 21. Lateral view. 22. Aedeagus. Scales= 1 mm.