Alara cultellus Zelazny, 2011

Zelazny, B. & Webb, M. D., 2011, 3071, Zootaxa 3071, pp. 1-307 : 21-22

Alara cultellus Zelazny , sp. nov.

( Figs. 10, 133)

Description. Forewings 2.0 times longer than wide, length: male 2.7–3.7 mm (mean = 3.1, n= 6), female 2.8–4.1 mm (mean = 3.3, n= 23). Colour stramineous to light brown, antennae, and fore legs darker brown; occasionally (but not in holotype) a faint red mark above eyes; some males (but not holotype) with facial carinae, antennae, mesonotum, forewing base and forewing veins tinted with red; in males abdomen bright red, genitalia reddish brown (in one paratype abdomen stramineous); in females abdomen usually red to reddish brown, but sometimes stramineous, tinted with orange. Forewings strongly infuscated, heavily powdered; veins infuscated, tinted with red, turning red to orange-red near the costal and apical margins; margins red to orange. Hindwings infuscated; outer margins red; veins reddish brown. Antennae elongated; rostrum slightly surpassing tip of abdomen. Forewings with Sc+R fork in basal third; Ms1 branched distad of its middle. Male genitalia with pygofer narrow. Genital styles broad, slightly pointed at the end; proximal dorsal process short and slender, base of distal dorsal process broad, connected by a finely serrated ridge to the proximal process. Aedeagus short, stem slightly widening before apical part; apical part wedge-shaped in side view, dorsal side with a broad impression, the apical margin obliquely cut off, leaving a sharp, pointed tip on the left side. In one paratype from Maprik tip of aedeagus slightly rounded ( Fig. 133t).

Etymology. The species name is a Latin noun ( cultellus = a small knife) used in apposition.

Type material. Holotype ♂ (forewing 3.7 mm, body 2.2 mm), INDONESIA: WEST PAPUA; labels: 1) NEW GUINEA: NETH./ VOGELKOP; Bomberai / 700–900m, VI-7-59 2) Palm 3) J.L. Gressitt / Collector ( BPBM) . Paratypes. Same location as holotype , 5–9. VI .1959 , 6 ♂ (fw. 3x2.9, 3x3.6) 3 ♀ (fw. 3.1, 3.2, 4.1), J.L. Gressitt and T. C. Maa, ginger; INDONESIA: WEST PAPUA: Fak Fak, S. coast of Bomberai , 10–100m, 3 + 11. VI .1959 , 3 ♀ (fw. 3.1, 3.6, 3.7), Gressitt, ginger; Kebar Val. , W of Manokwari, 550m, 4–31.I.1962, 1 ♀ (fw. 3.9), S.+ L. Quate, light trap; INDONESIA: PAPUA: Bodem, 100m, 11 km SE of Oerberfaren, Sarmi District , 7–17. VII .1959 , 6 ♂ (fw. 3.1) 6 ♀ (fw. 2.9, 3.0), Maa; Waris, S. of Hollandia , 450–500m , 1–17.VIII.1959, 1 ♀, Maa, sweeping; Ifar (E end of Cyclops Mts ), 150m , 18.X.1957, 2 ♀ (fw. 3.1, 3.2), Gressitt; Nabire, S Geelvink Bay , 70 m , 7. VII .1962 , 2 ♀ (fw. 2x3.3), Gressitt, alpinia; NW: Oransbari , NW of Geelvink Bay, + 3m , 12.II.1963, 1 ♀ (fw. 3.1), R . Straatman, swept in for. veg.; PAPUA NEW GUINEA; PAPUA : Brown R ., 10m, nr. Port Moresby , 5.X.1958, 1 ♂ (fw. 3.0), Gressitt, alpinia; SE: Central distr. , 3.2 to 6 km S. Vanapa R ., Brown Road, 200m, 22–26. V .1965 , 2 ♂ (fw. 2.9), Yian-Min Huang + W.A. Steffan; Mt. Bosavi , 900m, 11. V .1973 , 1 ♀, Gressitt, alpinia; NE: Maprik , 160m, 15.X.1957, 2 ♂ (fw. 3.0, 3.5) 2 ♀ (fw. 2.9, 3.1), Gressitt; W. Highlands, Baiyer R ., 1150m, 19.X.1958, 1 ♀ (fw. 3.2), Gressitt, alpinia; Wewak , 2–20m , 11.X.1957, 1 ♀ (fw. 3.1), Gressitt; Busu R ., E of Lae , 100m , 14.IX.1955, 1 ♀, Gressitt; Dreikikir, Sepik Distr., 350m , 23. VI .1961 , 2 ♀ (fw. 2.8), J.L. + M. Gressitt; Wau , Morobe Distr., 1200m, 7. VII .1961 , 1 ♀ (fw. 3.8), J. Sedlacek, Malaise trap (all BPBM); Kokoda , 1200 ft (400m), V .1933, 1 ♂ (fw. 2.7), L.E. Cheesman ( BMNH); NEW IRELAND ( SW), Gibingil Pl'n , 2m , 16. VII .1956 , 1 ♀ (fw. 3.3), Gressitt, alpinia ( BPBM) .

Distribution. Islands of New Guinea and New Ireland.

Diagnosis. Because of colour variation and colour differences between the sexes, Alara cultellus is difficult to separate externally from A. fulva Zelazny and A. castanea Zelazny from the Philippines, as well as from A. cheesmani sp. nov. also from New Guinea. The males can be easily recognized by the wedge-shaped apical part of the aedeagus and its obliquely cut off apical margin.