Varifula Razowski, 1995

Brown, John W., 2024, New genera and species of tortricid moths from Chile and Argentina (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), Zootaxa 5551 (1), pp. 51-90 : 60

Varifula Razowski, 1995

Varifula : Razowski 1995: 279; Brown 2005: 601; Razowski and Pelz 2010: 21.

Proeulia (in part): Brown 1989: 519; Powell et al. 1995: 145.

Type species. Tortrix fulvaria Blanchard, 1852 .

Remarks and Diagnosis. The type species of Varifula , T. fulvaria , had lingered in “ Tortrix ” since its original description by Blanchard in 1852 until Brown (1989) transferred its putative synonym, Oenectra dives Butler, 1883 , to Proeulia . Brown (1989) could not confirm the species synonymy (which was based on the card file at the NHMUK), and indicated that its assignment to Proeulia was provisional because several features of the male genitalia (i.e., a spined transtilla, weakly dentate gnathos, and absence of cornuti) were fairly divergent from those of other Proeulia , either representing autapomorphies for the species, or evidence that a new genus was required for dives . The holotype of dives is a female, and a single male (NHMUK) was associated by facies. Powell et al. (1995) followed that generic assignment, but retained fulvaria and dives as separate species. After examining a few additional specimens from Chile, including both sexes, Razowski (1995) proposed the synonymy of the two and described the monotypic genus Varifula to accommodate fulvaria and its synonym dives .

Razowski (1995) concluded that the shape of the gnathos and transtilla in the male genitalia ( Razowski 1995: figs. 11, 12), and the absence of a ventral plate in the corpus bursae of the female genitalia ( Razowski 1995: fig. 16) were apomorphies for the genus. He further distinguished it from the related Proeulia by the presence of a small patch of tiny cornuti in the vesica; in Proeulia the vesica usually harbors one to six very long cornuti. Razowski and Pelz (2010) subsequently described a second species in the genus ( V. trancasiana ) from a single female, based on similarities of the female genitalia to those of V. fulvaria . However, the discovery of the male of V. trancasiana provides convincing evidence that the two species are not congeneric, and a new genus is described for the latter species above. Since the work of Razowski and Pelz (2010), a long series of V. fulvaria has become available for examination (NHMD). Based on that material, I redescribe Varifula below, and add a new species.

Redescription. Head: Vertex rough-scaled, with scales directed anteriorly, a pair of somewhat fan-shaped scale patches subdorsally at posterior margin of head; scales of upper frons rough, scales of lower frons shorter, more appressed to surface of frons; antenna about 0.5 length of forewing, weakly serrate, with one row of scales per flagellomere, sensory setae ca. 0.6 times width of flagellomere in male, shorter and sparser in female; ocellus tiny; chaetosemata present; labial palpus with scaling expanded distally on second segment, third segment long, exposed, combined length of all segments 4‒5 times diameter of compound eye.

Thorax: Dorsum smooth-scaled, metathoracic tuft absent. Legs unmodified, without hairpencil or other male secondary scales. Forewing length ca. 2.6 times width, expanded apically; costa evenly convex throughout, male costal fold absent; termen straight, slightly oblique; all veins present and separate, chorda absent, M-stem present, R 4 to costa, R 5 to termen. Hindwing with all veins present and separate; CuP weak at margin; M 3 and CuA 1 connate; frenulum with one bristle in male, three in female.

Abdomen: Male genitalia ( Fig. 25 ) with tegumen moderately broad, somewhat rounded-triangular; vinculum simple, V-shaped; uncus long, rod-like; socius long, pendant, densely covered with setae; gnathos long, with arms joined distally into long, pointed, terminal plate, with or without spines ventrally; transtilla with large, folded, median plate, densely and minutely spined; valva moderately narrow, either slightly attenuate distally or parallel-sided, sacculus a sclerotized margin of venter, restricted to basal 0.4‒0.5 of venter of valva; juxta an irregularly shaped plate; phallus short, stout, with strong, long process apically, vesica with small, nearly inconspicuous patch of tiny, aciculate, non-deciduous cornuti. Female genitalia ( Fig. 44 ) with papilla analis simple, ca. 4 times as long as wide; apophyses slender, anteriores ca. 1.2 times length to posteriores; sterigma simple, evenly sclerotized throughout, ostium large; ductus bursae long, ca. 1.33 times as long as corpus bursae, with a few weakly sclerotized longitudinal lines, antrum well defined, cup-shaped, occupying posterior 0.35‒0.40 of ductus; corpus bursae round, signum lacking.

Distribution and biology. Varifula is apparently endemic to Chile, recorded from the provinces of Aconcagua, Cauquenes, Chiloé, Coquimbo, Maule, Petorca, Santiago, and Valparaiso. The early stages are unknown.

Figures

FIGURES 21‒28. Male genitalia of tortricid species from Chile and Argentina. 21. Terifrona fronteria, USNM slide 145,517. 22. Transtilliana biloba, USNM slide 154,846. 23. Vargasia karsholti, Horak slide GP 733. 24. Hamiamia trancasiana, USNM slide 92,490. 25. Varifula fulvaria, USNM slide 154,848. 26. Varifula geomops, USNM slide 68,492. 27. Proeulia hasta, furca attached to phallus, USNM slide 154,802. 28. Proeulia hasta, furca in situ, USNM slide 81,233.

FIGURES 39‒44. Female genitalia of tortricid species from Chile and Argentina. 39. Argentiliana basipallida, USNM slide 154,800. 40. Terifrona fronteria, USNM slide 145,518. 41. Transtilliana biloba, USNM slide 154,847. 42. Vargasia karsholti, JWBrown slide 1216. 43. Hamiamia trancasiana, USNM slide 92491. 44. Varifula fulvaria, USNM slide 88,471.