Passadena mistralae Cepeda, 2018

Cepeda, Danilo E., 2018, Contribution to the knowledge of Chilean Phycitinae (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae): new species of Passadena Hulst, 1900, and Ragonotia Grote, 1888, from northern Chile, Insecta Mundi 654, pp. 1-12 : 2-3

Passadena mistralae Cepeda , new species

Diagnosis. ( Fig. 1–6 ). Larger than other species of Passadena , in both sexes. Forewing 11–15 mm (n = 12). Forewing whitish to ash gray, antemedial line an interrupted, dark band. Cell with two dark spots. Postmedial line a band dark zigzagging toward the distal third. Abdomen with tergites 2–4 covered with dense golden-yellow scales. Phallus with two cornuti and abundant microspines in vesica. Signum with groups of acute, elongated spines. This new species can be differentiated from Passadena flavidorsella (Ragonot) and Passadena argentina Neunzig and Goodson by the following characters: forewing pattern, phallus with two cornuti, corpus bursae dorsally covered by several spines, and signum with groups of elongated spines acute.

Passadena mistralae , n. sp., is included in this genus based on the following features: haustellum well developed and ocelli present; forewing with 11 veins, R 2 from cell, R 3+4 and R 5 stalked for more 1/2 their lengths, M 1 from bellow upper angle of cell, M 2 and M 3 connate, CuA 1 from lower angle of cell, CuA 2 from before lower angle of cell, male without costal fold or sex-scaling and raised scales; hindwing with 8 veins, Sc+R 1 and Rs fully separated, M 1 not fused with Rs at base, M 2 and M 3 stalked for over 1/2 their lengths, CuA 1 fused at base with M 2 + M 3, CuA 2 from slightly before lower angle of cell; eighth abdominal segment of male with pair of ventrolateral scale tufts. All these features are in agreement with the redescription proposed by Heinrich (1956) and with the description of P. argentina Neunzig and Goodson (1992) .

Description of female holotype. Forewing 13.0 mm, right wing. Head with frons, vertex and occiput covered by elongated whitish-grey scales, few scattered dark scales. Antenna filiform, with scape and flagellomeres dorsally covered by whitish scales. Ventral flagellomeres finely and densely ciliate. Labial palpus porrect, twice as long as maximum diameter of eye, covered by elongated whitish scales, with few scattered black scales; third segment elongated ( Fig. 5–6 ). Maxillary palpus simple, with elongated whitish scales pointing upwards. Thorax, tegulae and scutellum covered with whitish scales, with few scattered black scales. Forewing ( Fig. 1–4 ) whitish ash gray; antemedial line interrupted by longitudinal band of black scales; cell with two black postmedial spots at Rs and M1; postmedial line dark and zigzagging; termen with six black marginal spots. Hindwing broad and triangular, opaque whitish, M2+3 and CuA1 divergent in more than half of their lengths; termen sub–fringe with scales dark and fringe with whitish elongated scales. Abdomen with tergites 2–4 covered with dense golden-yellow scales.

Female genitalia. ( Fig. 7–12 ). Papillae anales simple. Eighth segment sclerotized. Apophyses anteriores and posteriores subequal in length. Ductus bursae short and broad, with patch of dense micro-spines near ostium bursae. Corpus bursae with dorsum partially sclerotized by spines fused at their bases, with some spines isolated; signum formed by three groups of elongated acute spines, with one group larger than other two. Ductus seminalis attached to corpus bursae near junction of ductus bursae and corpus bursae.

Male. Forewing 11–13 mm (n = 2). As described in female, except scape dorsally covered with dark-brown scales; labial palpus porrect, covered with dark-brown scales, also with a few scattered whitish scales, without tufts basally, with third segment small and acute; maxillary palpus covered with elongated brown scales pointing upwards; thorax, tegulae and scutellum covered with ash-gray scales, also with few scattered whitish scales.

Male genitalia. ( Fig. 13–17 ). Uncus triangular with wide base covered by an abundant short micropilosity. Gnathos narrow, with pointed apex. Juxta U-shaped, with setiferous lateral arms. Valva longer than wide, costa thickened to tip of valva; fibula present, longer than wide; lateral U-shaped structure posterior to fibula, pointed dorsally, rounded ventrally. Sacculus wide and sclerotized. Vinculum longer than wide, saccus posteriorly subtruncate. Phallus thick with two cornuti subequal in length, vesica armed with several acute microspines. Eighth sternum broad, rounded. Eighth tergum narrow, arch-shaped.

Host plant. Unknown.

Intraspecific variation. Specimens vary in the color of the forewing (whitish to ash gray). In male genitalia there are slight differences in the shape of the uncus, U-shaped structure of the valva, and the valva itself. The female genitalia vary in the quantity of spines forming the signum.

Etymology. The name honors Chilean Gabriela Mistral (1889–1957), the first Latin American woman awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature.

Distribution. Present in two localities of Huasco Province, Region of Atacama. According to Morrone (2015), this distribution belongs in the Central Chilean Sub-region, Province of Coquimbo.

Remarks. This new species includes a lateral U-shaped structure posterior to the fibula, pointed dorsally, rounded ventrally, that could be analogous to the “clasper” of P. flavidorsella Ragonot , the type species (see Heinrich 1956). Passadena mistralae n. sp. is morphologically very similar to its Argentinean congener, especially in the form of the uncus, gnathos, valva, costa, microspines of the phallus and spines on the corpus bursae.

Material examined. 12 specimens. Holotype ♀, Chile, Huasco province , Caleta Los Bronces 28°38′S. 71°16′W., 200 m., 21.IX.2017, J.F. Campodonico leg. UV trap ( MEUC); 1 Paratype ♂ Chile, Huasco province , Caleta Los Bronces 28°38′S. 71°16′W., 200 m., 21.IX.2017, J.F. Campodonico leg. UV trap ( MEUC); 1 Paratype ♂ Chile, Tamarico, Huasco province , 28°21′S. 71°46′W., 568 m., 22.IX.2017, J.F. Campodonico leg. UV trap ( MEUC); 2 Paratypes ♀ Chile, Huasco province , Caleta Los Bronces 28°38′S. 71°16′W., 200 m., 21.IX.2017, J.F. Campodonico leg. UV trap ( MEUC); 2 Paratypes ♀ Chile, Tamarico, Huasco province , 28°21′S. 71°46′W., 568 m., 22.IX.2017, J.F. Campodonico leg. UV trap ( MEUC); 3 Paratypes ♀ Chile, Tamarico, Huasco prov., 28°21′S. 71°46′W., 568 m., 22.IX.2017, J.F. Campodonico leg. UV trap ( USNM) 2 Paratypes ♀ Chile, Huasco province, Caleta Los Bronces 28°38′S. 71°16′W., 200 m., 21.IX.2017, J.F. Campodonico leg. UV trap ( ZMUC).

Figures

Figures 1–6. Passadena mistralae n. sp. habitus. 1) Holotype female. 2–3) Female paratypes. 4) Male paratype. 5) Head of female. 6) Head of male. Scale: 1.0 mm.

Figures 7–12. Passadena mistralae n. sp. female genitalia. 7) Eighth abdominal segment and ductus bursae. 8) Corpus bursae. 9) Dorsal spines of corpus bursae. 10–12) Intraspecific variation of signum. Scale: 0.25 mm.

Figures 13–15. Passadena mistralae n. sp. male genitalia. 13) Genitalia without phallus. 14) Uncus and gnathos. 15) U–shaped structure of valva. Scale: 0.25 mm.

Figures 16–17. Passadena mistralae n. sp. male genitalia. 16) Phallus 17) Micro–spines on vesica. Scale: 0.25 mm. 18–21) Ragonotia campodonicoi n. sp. 18) Holotype female. 19) Head of female. Scale: 1.0 mm. 20) Female genitalia. 21) Ductus bursae. Scale: 0.5 mm.