Percnarcha claudiadoblesae 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 : 59-62

Percnarcha claudiadoblesae Metz , new species

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:B843E162-3D36-48D1-AAE0-AD88B16410CF

( Figs. 17–28 )

Etymology. This species is named in honor of Claudia Dobles Camargo, First Lady of Costa Rica and dedicated biopolitical force for Costa Rica’s survival and socioeconomic development as a truly green tropical country that is on its way to becoming bioliterate while being a exemplary tropical country for controlling, mitigating and reducing its contributions to climate change.

Diagnosis. Percnarcha claudiadoblesae can be recognized by having the head, thorax, legs, and forewing scales completely black or dark blue dorsally; a broadly ovate distal uncus in ventral view; the median margin of fused juxta with an acute posteriorly directed extension lateral to phallus; and the costal part of valve apex quickly tapering to blunt point, extreme apex with three long setae directed in line with apex.

Description. Scales predominantly black and pink or orange. Head scales black with blue-green iridescent sheen. Ocellus absent. Compound eye height 1.2X length through the middle, dorsal angle slightly acute. Antenna scales entirely black except a patch of bright white scales dorsally at subapex; pecten absent; in ♂ flagellomeres with numerous long, appressed black setae ventrally to apex; in ♀ flagellomeres with sparse, short erect setae ven- trally. Labial palpus curved well above top of head, second segment rough-scaled, but scales not excessively long, no longer than width of segment; second and third segments gently curved and equal in length; scales black. Maxillary palpus scales black. Pilifer with an apical brush of gold setae. At least 0.5 haustellum with dense cover of black scales basally.

Thorax scales black with blue-green iridescent sheen; except some scales at the base of the forecoxa, apices of all coxae, and extreme apical scales of the tibial spurs shiny white; mid- and hindtibiae with two whorls of longer scales, dorsal scales longer, one at middle and one at tibial apex. Forewing length ♂ 7.6–8.2 mm ( Figs. 17, 19 ), ♀ 8.7–9.4 mm ( Figs. 18, 20 ), narrow length 7X width at middle, apex rounded. Scales black except on ventral surface with some scales on anterior margin and at base into anal area shiny white. Fringe with compound apices of 5 or more tips. Hindwing ♂ 6.7–6.9 mm, ♀ 7.5–7.8 mm, length 5X width at middle, apex broadly acuminate; scales black except membrane bare of any scales in small elongate patches in middle of cells CuA2, CuP, and anal area. Fringe with compound apices of 5 or more tips. Ventral surface of hindwing as on dorsum except with some shiny white scales basally, ♂ with a single compound frenular seta, ♀ with three separate frenular setae.

Abdomen with orange or pink scales except disc of tergite II and sternite III and terminal 1–3 segments with black scales. Segment VIII differentiated in shape from the preceding segments; tergite VIII a narrow, glabrous strap, with an expanded setose disc in middle; sternite VIII triangular and emarginate anteriorly, base wider than apex, densely setose, apex forked with three flat, posteriorly directed, acute extensions, middle extension slightly shorter. Male genitalia ( Figs. 23–24 ). Tegumen rectangular in ventral view, narrowed apically before uncus creating a “shoulder,” length 3X width at middle, dorsal anterior margin broadly emarginate, emargination extending to point 0.3X length of tegumen and apex broadly rounded, dorsal surface convex and densely setose, ventral surface glabrous with a median channel. Uncus paddle-shaped, apex ovate in ventral view, ventral surface concave, dorsal surface convex, densely setose, less densely setose medially on ventral surface; length 0.4X tegumen length. Gnathos 1.2X longer than uncus; lateral arm fused to tegumen laterally, articulating with median sclerite medially, sinuate; median sclerite base v-shaped, base width in ventral view subequal to uncus base width, sharply tapered to point, in lateral view curved 90 degrees with extreme apex curved more forming short hook. Anal tube completely membranous with a slightly expanded pouch at base of gnathos lacking setae, denticles, or sclerotized supports. Vinculum a short strap, saccus length only 2X length of vinculum, broad, width 2X length, apex broadly rounded. Juxta fused to sacculus, split medially ventrad gonopore, median margin setose with an acute posteriorly directed extension lateral to phallus. Diaphragm lateral and dorsal of phallus setose with no extensions or processes. Valve complex, sacculus flat, not expanded, distinct from rest of valve by sulcus; cucullus digitate, roughly parallel-sided with rounded apex, densely setose with apical patch of dense setae; costal part of valve pyriform, bent ventrally 90 degrees at middle, apex quickly tapering to blunt point, extreme apex with three long setae directed in line with apex. Phallus anterior end laterally expanded, praephallus cylindrical, slightly dorsoventrally flattened, posterior end with a ventral lip and single lateral tooth; ductus ejaculatorius length 2X length of phallus, exiting anteriorly with no caecum, bulla narrow and kidney-shaped. Female genitalia ( Fig. 25 ). Segment VIII sclerotized, glabrous, laterally flattened, dorsum with overhanging knob posteriorly; lamellae antevaginalis in a narrow u-shape surrounding ostium creating a sharp lip; lamellae postvaginalis convex forming a knob posterad ostium extending into a longitudinal mound; anterior apophysis base laterad, base broad, terminus extending to middle of segment VII, apex slightly capitate. Segment IX entirely membranous, length 1.2X length of segment VIII, width equal to posterior width of segment VIII; pheromone gland sac spherical, single-lobed. Papilla analis sclerotized, laterally flattened, triangular in lateral view with point directed posteriorly. Posterior apophysis base laterad papilla, mostly straight, terminus just reaching ostium. Antrum funnel-shaped, terminus extending beyond posterior margin of segment VII. Colliculum not visible. Ductus bursae length equal to length of segment VIII, cylindrical, same width as anterior end of antrum, entirely membranous and lacking texture. Ductus seminalis emerging from dorsum of ductus bursae anterad antrum at a distance equal to 3X width of ductus bursae, width equal to width of ductus bursae at base, with no visible texture, continuing past duct to bulla seminals. Corpus bursae simple, pyriform, 2X longer than widest width, narrower posteriorly, membrane with minute denticles and longitudinal ridges around signum; signum cross-shaped, longitudinal and lateral arms equal in length, longitudinal arms blunt with small teeth on inner surface near apex and around margin, lateral arms broadly rounded with small teeth on inner surface near apex and around margin, signum cut by transverse channel on exterior face with overhung flanges from longitudinal arms.

DNA Barcode BOLD BIN. BOLD:AAI9186 (dx.doi.org/10.5883/BOLD:AAI9186)

Specimens examined. Holotype ♂ (USNMENT01328585, 04-SRNP-56459, USNM slide#146544), Costa Rica, Area de Conservacion Guanacaste ( ACG), Guanacaste Province, Sector Pitilla, Sendero Nacho , 710m, 10.98445, - 85.42481, 26 Nov 2004, leg. Calixto Moraga, ex. Machaerium floribundum . Paratypes. 1 ♀ (USNMENT01480154, 15-SRNP-30729), 1 ♂ (USNMENT01480155, 15-SRNP-30730) Costa Rica, Area de Conservacion Guanacaste ( ACG), Guanacaste Province, Sector Pitilla, Sendero Nacho , 710m, 10.98445, -85.42481, 26 Nov 2004, leg. Ca- lixto Moraga, ex. Machaerium salvadorense ; 1 ♀ (USNMENT01328579, 03-SRNP-20878, USNM slide # 146545), Area de Conservacion Guanacaste, Sector Pitilla, Estacion Pitilla , 10.98931, -85.42581, 675m, 31 Aug 2003, leg. Petrona Rios, ex. Machaerium salvadorense ; 2 ♂♂ (USNMENT01328486, 10-SRNP-4853; USNMENT01328512, 10-SRNP-4852), 1 ♀ (USNMENT01328534, 10-SRNP-4854) Area de Conservacion Guanacaste, Sector San Cris- tobal, Tajo Angeles , 10.86472, -85.41531, 540m, 29 Aug 2010, leg. Osvaldo Espinoza, ex. Machaerium cobanense ; 1 ♂ (USNMENT01328459, 10-SRNP-4990) Area de Conservacion Guanacaste, Sector San Cristobal, Tajo Ange- les, 10.86472, -85.41531, 540m, 01 Sep 2010, leg. Elda Araya, ex. Machaerium cobanense .

Immature stages not examined first hand. Larva as in images ( Figs. 26–28 .)

Distribution. Percnarcha claudiadoblesae is known from specimens collected at just a few locations in Costa Rica, but likely occurs throughout the range of the known food plants.

Biology. The larva uses silk to tie mature leaves of rain forest treelets Machaerium salvadorense , Machaerium floribundum , and Machaerium cobanense (Fabaceae) . Instead of chewing off entire leaf pieces, the larva distinctively scrapes off the upper green cells of the leaf while hidden below adjacent leaves silked on top of the one being fed on.

Remarks. No specimens of these moths have been collected in ACG light traps at the same localities they have been collected in Malaise traps suggesting they may not be active at night.

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.