Tambitnotia peruviana Heppner & Bae

Heppner, John B. & Bae, Yang-Seop, 2016, A new species of Tambitnotia from Peru, with the first reported female of the genus (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae: Olethreutinae), Zootaxa 4196 (3), pp. 446-450 : 446-450

Tambitnotia peruviana Heppner & Bae , new species

( Figs. 1–6 )

Type locality. Pampa Hermosa Lodge (1220 m), [near San Ramon], Department Junín, Peru.

Diagnosis. This species is very similar to T. tambita from Colombia, but it differs in having a darker gray, more expanded patch near the middle of the forewing dorsum, and with the apical strigulae in greater contrast to the ground color than in T. tambita . The male genitalia of T. peruviana have decumbent socii with a rounded distal tip in comparison to the upright, distally pointed socii of T. tambita . Plus the cucullus has a slightly different shape between the two species.

Description. Wing length 17.4–19.0 mm (n = 3). Male ( Fig. 1 ). Head ( Figs. 3-4 ): Vertex and frons white; labial palpus white; antenna dark brown, with sparse silvery-pale white scales dorsally (pair each segment). Thorax: White, with posterior end dark gray; tegulae white; venter white; legs lustrous white except for foreleg black tarsal spines and gray foretibia; foretarsae gray-brown, with white segmental rings distally; mid-tibia pale tan, with spine-like scales on dorsal margin; mid- and hindtarsi dull pale tan, some white dorsally and black tarsal spines ventrally. Forewing gray with pale whitish basal 1/3 but gray also along the dorsal basal margin; dark brown strigulae past whitish base to apex along costal margin, with midway strigula extended darkly to end of cell, likewise for preapical strigula extending towards central apical region, and with apical strigulae on a pale yellow-white field; midwing a dark gray patch at angle from dorsal margin to center of wing, and with pale irrorations; a sinuous extension of the midwing dorsal strigula, then extended to tornus; tornus with a dark patch, distally somewhat paler and a subterminal orange area adjacent to 3 distinct black-brown spots along termen near the tornus; fringe white with scales basally gray-brown; venter gray-brown, with slight green iridescence in cell, with tan costal strigulae on dark costal margin except for white field on apex; lighter dorsal margin. Hindwing white (somewhat translucent), with distal 1/3 along termen dark brown; translucent white, with gray-brown along costa and termen. Abdomen: Lustrous white; venter cream-white; genital tufts tan with silvery-gray dorso-centrally. Male genitalia ( Fig. 5 ) as for genus with uncus obsolete and truncated tegumen; gnathos weakly sclerotized; large, medium sclerotized socius ( Fig. 5 a) as carinate ridge and posterior acute points, all slightly recurved in position fused to tegumen; valva elongated and narrowed, with quadrate and angulate saccus, and oval cucullus with setae and strong spines on margin, sacculus slightly offset from center to distal end of neck; phallus small, narrow, with angled distally, vesica with field of small thorns; vinculum reduced; juxta strongly sclerotized, triangular.

Female ( Fig. 2 ). Head and Thorax: As in male but head with vertex gray-white and labial palpus dull tan-white; forewing darker and more strongly white basally, and hindwing with the dark termen slightly wider than in male; ventrally same as male. Abdomen: Female genitalia ( Fig. 6 ) with ovipositor short, setose; anterior apophyses about 1.2x as long as posterior apophyses; genital sternite ( Fig. 6 a) quadrate with posterior convex extensions around spatulate and posteriorly truncated sterigma; a strong ridge on anterior margin of genital sternite; ostium circular in center of genital sternal plate; ductus bursae sclerotized, narrow, tubular in posterior 1/3, then widening to twice its width before end of sclerotization, with narrow ductus seminalis, which widens to small bulla seminalis; ductus bursae continues to corpus bursae about same length as from entrance of ductus seminalis to ostium, with a narrow sclerotized ridge ventrally posterior to corpus bursae; corpus bursae ovoid, as large as width of genital plate, with one large thorn-like signum ( Fig. 6 b).

Specimens studied. Holotype: Male , Pampa Hermosa Lodge (1220 m), nr. San Ramon [21 km N], Department Junín, Peru, 2–3 Nov 2009, J. B. Heppner (genitalia slide JBH 2827), ( FSCA /McG) . Paratypes (1♂, 1♀). Peru: Department Junín: Pampa Hermosa Lodge (1220 m), nr. San Ramon 21 km N, 2–6 Apr 2011 (1♂), J. B. Heppner (genitalia slide JBH 2920). Department Cusco : San Pedro (1368 m), Kosñipata Vy., [ Manu Dist. ], 11–15 Nov 2009 (1♀), J. B. Heppner (genitalia slide JBH 2908) ( FSCA /McG).

Etymology. Named after Peru.

Biology. Unknown.

Distribution. Known only from central Peru, Departament Junín and Cusco.

Discussion. The new species is very similar to T. tambito but easily separated as noted under the diagnosis, particularly in regard to the downward directed socius, the latter being upright in T. tambito. The female paratype provides the first details of the genitalia and absence of sexual dimorphism for the genus. Because the species from Colombia and Peru have such similar males, it is likely that the females of the two species are similar, as well. Based on the row of tiny dots along the forewing termen, Tambitnotia may belong to Grapholitini , but this question requires further investigation.

The type-locality in Department Junín is just north of the town of San Ramon in a small river valley at about 1220 m elevation at the base of the Reserva Forestal Pampa Hermosa and is surrounded by tropical montane forest . This area is part of a very biodiverse alto-Amazonian region of Peru long known as Chanchamayo, a long river valley from the Andean foothills into the nearest Amazonian jungle east of Lima . Numerous lepidopteran species have been described from here over the past 150 years, but few micro-moths. The same is true of the locality for one of the paratypes, the Manu District of Department Cusco .

Figures

FIGURE 5. Tambitnotia peruviana n. sp., male genitalia (phallus in situ), with details a) central close-up, b) posterior end of abdomen (genitalia slide JBH 2827).

FIGURE 6. Tambitnotia peruviana n. sp., female genitalia, with details a) sterigma and ostium; and b) signum (genitalia slide JBH 2908).

FIGURES 1 – 2. Tambitnotia peruviana n. sp. 1. Male holotype (17.4 mm wingspan). 2. Female paratype (19 mm wingspan).

FIGURES 3 – 4. Tambitnotia peruviana n. sp., male, head close-ups (lateral and dorsal views).