Nasusina inferior Hulst

Ferris, Clifford D., 2004, A new species of Nasusina Pearsall from Colorado (Lepidoptera: Geometridae: Eupitheciini), Zootaxa 467 (1), pp. 1-9 : 2-3

Nasusina inferior Hulst

( Figs. 1–2 , 9–13 , 21 )

Gymnocelis inferior Hulst, 1896:264 . Nasusina inferior, Barnes and McDunnough, 1918:141 ; pl. 25 fig. 7 adult.—Complete diagnosis and description by McDunnough, 1949:688–89; fig. 12 adult; fig. 19A male and female genitalia.

General description of pertinent characters: Forewing length (base to apex): 9–10 mm. Head: The male antennae are finely and evenly ciliate, the palpi are short and bushy. Body: Abdominal segment II has a black band (both sexes). Wings (both sexes): Forewing light smoky brown in color, moderately narrow with pointed apex; the discal dot is prominent. Numerous fine cross lines exist, which are sharply angled below the costa, thence oblique inwardly and essentially parallel to the outer margin until intersection with the inner margin. A pale and irregular st. line traverses the darker marginal area. The hindwings are slightly paler than the forewings and marked by numerous darker lines and bands of varying widths ( Figs. 1–2 ). Male genitalia ( Figs. 9–13 ) [4 specimens dissected]: Hair pencils on abdominal segment IX well developed (not illustrated). Ventral plate (eighth sternite) on abdominal segment VIII is partially bifurcated distally and tapers from base to apex. McDunnough (1949:689) described the aedoeagus as follows: “Vesica armed with two small, dentate, apically situated pieces of chitin [arrows in Fig. 11a, b ] and a long, twisted piece down the left side, more or less attached to an obscure end piece; a spiculate band runs through the center of the apical half.” Female genitalia ( Fig. 21 ) [4 specimens dissected]: McDunnough described the corpus bursae as either sack shaped or almost globular depending upon the degree of inflation. In ventral view, the ductus seminalis arises proximally on the right side and curves clockwise over the front of the corpus bursae. At the base of the ductus bursae there is a narrow band of robust spines; otherwise the proximal portion of the bursa is membranous and slightly strigate. Most of the lower portion is covered dorsally and ventrally by two large spinose patches, separated by narrow membranous bands on either side and at the fundus. The spines in these patches are long and well developed proximally, but diminish in size gradually toward the fundus.

Type material. Holotype male in collection of Rutgers University, New Brunswick , New Jersey. Type Locality: California.

Material Examined. All specimens collected by R. A. Leuschner. CALIFORNIA: LAKE CO. Anderson Springs, Cobb Mtn., 20 May, 1955 (2♀) . LOS ANGELES CO. Mt. Lowe , 25 May, 1957 (1♀) ; Pasadena­Eaton Canyon, 23 March, 1984 (1♂); Red Box Station on Angeles Crest Highway , 29 April, 1979 (1♂) . RIVERSIDE CO. Aguanga, 25 April, 1993 (1♂); Pinyon Flats above Palm Desert, 14 April,1962 (1♂) SAN BERNARDINO CO. 4 mi. S. Big Bear City, 26–28 June, 1998 (1♂) ; Crestline near Lake Arrowhead , 24 April, 1965 (1♀) . SAN LUIS OBISPO CO. Morro Bay , 2 April, 1960 (1♂) .

Biology. Unknown.

Flight period. March through June, based on material in the author’s collection.

Distribution. Southern California.

Figures

FIGURES 1–4. Adults. 1, Nasusina inferior, male, California, Los Angeles Co. Pasadena­Eaton­ Canyon; 2, N. inferior, female, California, Lake Co. Cobb Mtn., Anderson Springs; 3, N. vallis, male, Holotype, Colorado, Mesa Co. John Brown Canyon; 4, N. vallis, female, paratype, Colorado, Mesa Co. John Brown Canyon.

FIGURES 5–9. Adult structures. 5, Nasusina vallis, male, head and frons, dorsal view; 6, N. vallis, male, labial palpus; 7, N. vallis, male, leg showing hind tibial spurs; 8, N. vaporata, male, leg showing hind tibial spurs; 9, N. inferior, male, leg showing hind tibial spurs.

FIGURES 10­13. Male genital structures of Nasusina inferior. 10, genitalia less aedoeagus; 11 a, b, lateral views of aedoeagus (arrows point to sclerites described in text); 12, a, b lateral views of incompletely everted and uninflated vesica; 13, 7th and 8th (top) abdominal sternites (digitally enhanced image).

FIGURES 20­21. Female genitalia. 20, Nasusina vallis, a, ventral view, b, dorsal view; 21, N. inferior, a, ventral view, b, dorsal view.