Tinaegeria romanmacayai Metz, 2020

Metz, Mark A., Hallwachs, Winnie & Janzen, Daniel H., 2020, Four new gelechioid species to honor Costa Rica's conservation of wild biodiversity (Lepidoptera), Zootaxa 4810 (1), pp. 45-64 : 57-59

Tinaegeria romanmacayai Metz , new species

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:96AEB2CF-C06B-4B26-95AF-A79A8D253550

(Figs. 14–16)

Etymology. This species is named in honor of Dr. Román Macaya, in recognition of his proactive and intense support for BioAlfa, the initiating biodiversity inventory of Costa Rica, while simultaneously being the Costa Rican ambassador to the United States.

Diagnosis. Tinaegeria romanmacayai can be recognized by its pattern and coloration making it an apparent mimic of a species of Lampyridae , the half-cordate shaped gnathos halves, and the praephallus being mostly membranous.

Description. Scales in a pattern to resemble a lampyrid when at rest. Head scales dark gray to black iridescent, some scales at hind margin of head beige and pink, some areas rubbed so scale color is ambiguous. Ocellus absent. Compound eye height and length equal through the middle, but dorsal margin sinuate with an obtuse angle dorsally, an obtuse inward angle at a level dorsad antenna, and an obtuse outward angle dorsad antenna. What is left intact of antenna scales entirely black; image of live specimen shows white, subapical scale patch; at least basal half with long and densely packed ventral setae making the antenna appear thicker, seta length 3X width of antenna; pecten absent. Labial palpus curved well above top of head, completely smooth-scaled; scales dark gray laterally, light medially and at extreme base; second and third segments gently curved; second and third segments lengths equal. Maxillary palpus scales light orange. Pilifer scales light orange with an apical brush of orange setae. Visible part of base of haustellum with white scales.

Thorax scales pink dorsally with a broad median, black strip on the dorsum through the metascutellum; a lateral patch of light orange; a broad, black lateral strip through the middle of the pleura; and white scales ventrally. Legs predominantly white-scaled basally and black distally, but scales rubbed so any pattern is mostly lost. Forewing length 8.4 mm (Figs. 14–15), narrow length 5X width at middle, apex rounded. Dorsal scales dark gray to black with coppery sheen, anterior margin and narrow streak through discal cell light orange to beige, extreme base pink bordered by a subapical band of black scales. Ventral surface of forewing dark gray iridescent with lighter scales anteriorly and pink scales basally; scales of retinaculum mostly light orange, with a row of closely associated, posteriorly-directed scales on the base of Sc. Fringe mostly missing, scales dark gray to black. Hindwing 6.9 mm, length 4X width at middle, apex broadly acuminate; dorsal surface with black iridescent scales, scales at anterior margin light orange, basal 1/6 with light orange and pink scales, membrane bare of any scales in small circular patches in middle of cells CuA2, in cell CuP, and anal area. Remaining fringe almost entirely black only a few basal scales pink. Ventral surface of hindwing as on dorsum, anal area with more pink scales, with a single compound frenular seta.

Abdomen with pink scales except caudal margin of tergite VIII and tegumen with dark gray to black scales, ventrally with ivory white scales exposed where pink scales were rubbed; lacking any spines in discs or at posterior margins of tergites. Male genitalia (Fig. 16). Segment VIII similar in shape to the preceding segments, undifferentiated. Tegumen rectangular in ventral view, length 2X width at middle, dorsal anterior margin deeply emarginate, emargination extending 0.5X length of tegumen, emargination in middle wider than tegumen halves at anterior margin, but tapering quickly to sharp apex posteriorly. Uncus bifurcate with symmetrical halves, uncus half straight from base with little or no narrowing or undulation, tip capitate, spoon-shaped with only a slight lateral extension or lip; length 0.6X tegumen length. Gnathos bifurcate with symmetrical halves, each half produced as half-cordate pad of denticles with the point ventrad in ventral view and inner margin emarginate, nearly as broad as long; length 0.6Xlength of uncus. Anal tube completely membranous. Vinculum U-shaped, ventral part longer, lateral area narrowing to articulation with tegumen, saccus not produced. Juxta v-shaped, coming to a blunt point ventrally, lateral arms extending posteriorly and sharply tapered surrounding phallus at diaphragm, length equal to length of uncus. Diaphragm otherwise unadorned. Valve simple, sacculus not extremely expanded or separate from cucullus, with no extensions or processes, valve broader at base then smoothly tapered and parallel-sided out to squared apex, apicodorsal angle slightly pointed, longer than vinculum, tegumen, and uncus lengths combined. Phallus straight, praephallus with sclerotized lateral strip that turns dorsomedially at apex, apex mostly membranous except for lateral strip; not fused to juxta, with membranous attachment to diaphragm; ductus ejaculatorius as long as phallus, exiting ventrally with a very short caecum, with a large, kidney-shaped bulla.

DNA Barcode BOLD BIN. BOLD: AAK9344 (dx.doi.org/10.5883/ BOLD: AAK9344 ) Specimens examined. Holotype ♂ (USNMENT01441625, 14-SRNP- 100909, USNM slide # 146551), Costa

Rica, Area de Conservacion Guanacaste ( ACG), Guanacaste Province, Sector Pailas Dos , PDL # 10, 788m, 10.76171 ,

-85.32331, 28 Mar 2014, leg. H. Cambronero, S. Rios, light trap. Paratype. 1 ♂ (USNMENT01480156, 14-SRNP-

100830), Costa Rica, Area de Conservacion Guanacaste ( ACG), Guanacaste Province, Sector Pailas Dos , PDL # 8, 788m, 10.7626, -85.3246, 28 Mar 2014, leg. H. Cambronero, S. Rios, light trap .

Female unknown.

Immature stages unknown.

Distribution. Tinaegeria romanmacayai is known from two specimens collected in Costa Rica.

Biology. Unknown. The specimens were collected at light.

Remarks. As is the case with the nocturnal and aposematic distasteful adult Lampyridae , which are hidden in the daytime, we suspect lampyrid mimicry to be effective if this moth is found by a foraging bird.

Genus Percnarcha Meyrick, 1915 ( Gelechiidae : Gelechiinae )

Percnarcha Meyrick, 1915: 212 . Type species: Tinaegeria trabeata Meyrick, 1909 ; 18: [Songo], Bolivia; by original designation.

Meyrick (1915) described the genus Percnarcha in the family Heliodinidae for the species Tinaegeria trabeata Meyrick, 1909 . At the time, the genus Tinaegeria was considered to be in the family Sesiidae (clearwing moths) and Meyrick recognized that T. trabeata was not in that family (Meyrick 1915). Since then, the genus has been placed in four different families ( Becker 1999). Becker (1999) placed the genus in the subfamily Gelechiinae (Gelechiidae) based on wing venation and genitalia. Although the apodemes of sternite II ( Fig. 21 ) are not typical of Gelechiinae , the subfamilial placement of Becker (1999) is not tested here and retained. The confusion over family placement is probably a result of these small moths' mimicry of stinging wasps in the family Braconidae , and wasps in general, since in the daytime it flies like a wasp as well as generally resembling a wasp. All of the species have dark scales with blue iridescent sheen, and patterns of orange, red, or pink scales on the wings and body. They also have distinct patches of white scales on the ends of the antennae and on the underside of the thorax. This coloration, in addition to the way these diurnal moths fly, make them appear quite similar to small wasps that occur in the same rain forest. Until now, the genus was represented by four described species occurring in South America ( Brazil, Argentina, and Bolivia) ( Becker 1999). Members of the genus have narrow wings with species-specific patterns of black and yellow, orange, or pink scales. The hindwing has bare membrane similar to sesiid moths. Male and female genitalia are typical of Gelechiidae , the male having separate valve components and the juxta fused with the sacculus base and the female having a pheromone gland sac and rhomboid-shaped signum.

Figures

FIGURES 17–28. Percnarcha claudiadoblesae Metz, new species. 17, adult dorsal view ♂ holotype (USNMENT01328585, 04-SRNP-56459); 18, adult dorsal view ♀ paratype (USNMENT01328579, 03-SRNP-20878); 19, adult dorsal view ♂ para- type (USNMENT01328512, 10-SRNP-4852); 20, adult dorsal view ♀ paratype (USNMENT01328534, 10-SRNP-4854); 21, abdominal segment II ♂ holotype (USNMENT01328585, 04-SRNP-56459, USNM slide # 146544); 22, genital capsule ♂ holotype (USNMENT01328585, 04-SRNP-56459, USNM slide # 146544); 23, abdominal segment VIII ♂ holotype (USN- MENT01328585, 04-SRNP-56459, USNM slide # 146544); 24, phallus ♂ holotype (USNMENT01328585, 04-SRNP-56459, USNM slide # 146544); 25, genitalia ♀ paratype (USNMENT01328579, 03-SRNP-20878, USNM slide # 146545); 26, larva in situ (15-SRNP-30729-DHJ721915); 27, larva in situ (15-SRNP-30729-DHJ721918); 28, larva in situ (15-SRNP-30729- DHJ721917). Measure bars. FIGS 17–20 = 5.0 mm; FIGS 21–25 = 0.2 mm.