Tetracis mosesiani (Sala)

Ferris, Clifford D. & Schmidt, Christian, 2010, Revision of the North American Genera Tetracis Guenée and Synonymization of Synaxis Hulst with Descriptions of Three New Species (Lepidoptera: Geometridae: Ennominae), Zootaxa 2347, pp. 1-36 : 17-18

Tetracis mosesiani (Sala)

( Figs. 35–38 , 93 , 108 , 124 , 140 )

Synaxis mosesiani Sala , [1971]. Synaxis mosesiani Sala ; a new Synaxis from southern California. Journal of Research on the Lepidoptera 9(3): 185–190. Holotype ♂, Carnavon Way, Los Angeles, L[os] A[ngeles] County, California [LACM].

Diagnosis: Tetracis mosesiani and T. jubararia are easily confused. The antennae in mosesiani are basically filiform, but when rotated slowly under magnification a serrate outer margin can be seen. The antennae in jubararia are similar, but very slightly wider with longer ventral setae. The differences are subtle. Reliable separation of Tetracis mosesiani from T. jubararia is only by genitalic characters. The dome of the everted vesica in mosesiani is setose, while covered with widely-separated small nodules in jubararia . The DFW of jubararia often exhibits a dark elongate patch within the MB (absent in mosesiani ) and a submarginal diffuse dark band (rare, but occasionally indistinct in some mosesiani ).

Description: Adults ( Figs. 35–38 ): FWL: 17–23 mm. Antenna pale ochreous dorsally, nearly filiform with serrate outer margin, narrower in females. Palpi moderately slender, decurved, about 2x eye width, brownish-tan, darker dorsally and at tips. Head, thorax, abdomen, legs brownish-tan to orange-tan (females), varying in hue across individuals. Legs and ventral abdomen flecked with scattered brown scales. Wings: Base color generally tan (males) and orange-tan (females). FW apex falcate. AM and PM lines brown; PM line with pale outer edge and slightly concave at vein M3; MB colored as rest of wing, or only very slightly darker. DHW with poorly-developed median line that fades out toward upper margin. Small dark discal spots on FW but may be obsolete on HW. Ventrally paler with dorsal markings lightly repeated; wing surfaces irrorated with dark scales. Male genitalia ( Figs. 98 , 108 ): Uncus of medium width, slightly decurved, tapering to bluntly pointed tip. Dorso-caudal margin of gnathos concave with a robust narrow tapering upcurved spine at either side. Robust furca from middle of anellus tapers to rounded apex, enlarging only slightly before apex. Valve moderately broad with even margins, tapering to rounded apex with a triangular apical projection at the dorsal margin. Aedeagus with ring of dense spinules at posterior end at base of vesica; everted vesica with setose patch on dome giving a hirsute aspect. Female genitalia ( Figs. 124 ): A/P = 0.5. Long unsclerotized tubular ductus bursae expanding slightly at junction with corpus bursae, obscuring junction (ca. 2x length of corpus bursae). Corpus bursae ovoid with small oval dentate signum located at middle. Note: Apparently the female specimen that Sala dissected ([1971]:188, fig. 6) was deformed or the bursa copulatrix had not expanded; the corpus bursae is not as Sala illustrated.

Material examined: 53 specimens with 10 dissections.

Biology: Partial description by Sala. The larval host is Lonicera hispidula Douglas. With respect to the early stages, Sala stated (p. 189): “These are known for the species, but will be described in detail in a subsequent publication.” Publication never occurred. Adults from October to early December.

Distribution ( Fig. 140 ): Coastal California from near sea level to 3000’ (915m). Specific state/county records are: UNITED STATES: CALIFORNIA. Alameda, Los Angeles, Marin, Mendocino, Monterey, Orange, San Bernardino, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Ventura. from near sea level to 3000’ (915m).

Figures

FIGURES 27 – 41. Tetracis adults: 27 – 29. T. fuscata, 27 – 28. Albany Co., WY, 29. Mesa Co., CO; 30 – 34. T. pallulata, 30. British Columbia, 31, 34. Curry Co., OR, 32. Plumas Co., CA, 33. Clark Co., NV; 35 – 38. T. mosesiani, 35 – 36, 38. Monterey Co., CA, 37. Los Angeles Co., CA; 39 – 41. T. j. jubararia, 39. Coos Co., OR, 40 – 41. Alameda Co., CA.

FIGURES 87 – 94. Tetracis male genitalia with aedeagus removed and aedeagus with vesica everted. 87. T. crocallata. 88. T. cachexiata. 89. T. cervinaria. 90. T. australis. 91. T. fuscata. 92. T. pallulata. 93. T. mosesiani. 94. T. j. jubararia. Aedeagus enlarged relative to remaining structures.

FIGURES 102 – 117. Tetracis male genitalia, domes of everted vesica. 102. T. crocallata. 103. T. cachexiata. 104. T. cervinaria. 105. T. australis. 106. T. fuscata. 107. T. pallulata. 108. T. mosesiani. 109. T. j. jubararia. 110. T. j. sericeata. 111. T. montanaria. 112. T. barnesii. 113. T. formosa. 114 – 115. T. hirsutaria. 116 – 117. T. pallidata.

FIGURES 118 – 124. Female genitalia with enlarged view of signa. 118. T. crocallata. 119. T. cachexiata. 120. T. cervinaria. 121. T. australis. 122. T. fuscata. 123. T. pallulata. 124. T. mosesiani.

FIGURES 140 – 142. Tetracis distribution maps. 140. T. mosesiani. 141. T. jubararia. 142. T. barnesii.

FIGURES 95 – 101. Tetracis male genitalia with aedeagus removed and aedeagus with vesica everted. 95. T. j. sericeata. 96. T. montanaria. 97. T. barnesii. 98. T. formosa. 99. T. hirsutaria (arrow points to deciduous setae). 100 – 101. T. pallidata. Aedeagus enlarged relative to remaining structures.