Ptychocroca apenicillia Brown and Razowski

Brown, John W. & Razowski, Józef, 2003, Description of Ptychocroca, a new genus from Chile and Argentina, with comments on the Bonagota Razowski group of genera (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae: Euliini), Zootaxa 303, pp. 1-31 : 6-7

Ptychocroca apenicillia Brown and Razowski , new species

Figs. 1 , 16 , 28

Diagnosis. Based on our sample (n = 26), P. apenicillia appears to be a moderately variable species in both facies and male genitalia. Although more than one species may be involved, continuous variation is present in specimens from the same locality, suggesting a single, variable species. The forewing pattern can be either well defined (with the typical black­and­white contrasting pattern) or variably obscured with gray overscaling, and the venter of the valva can be weakly to moderately sinuate. The latter may be partially an artifact of slide mounting. Males of P. apenicillia are distinguished from males of congeners by the absence of the hindwing hairpencil.

Description. Male forewing ( Fig. 28 ) without tuft of upraised scales at base of costa. Male hindwing without hairpencil in fold of vein CuP, but with small patch of cream scales adjacent to vein. Male genitalia ( Fig. 1 ) with uncus, socii, and gnathos as described for the genus. Transtilla with moderate medial lobe. Valva widest near middle immediately beyond distinct rounded excavation near mid­venter, triangular in distal 0.33; ventral margin variably undulate. Aedeagus as described for genus; vesica with larger cornuti near middle and smaller cornuti in distal 0.25. Female genitalia ( Fig. 16 ) with sterigma bearing large, dorsally rounded, mesal portion, strongly sclerotized along dorsal edge; invaginated, membranous area anterad of sterigma with a pair of shallow, sublateral, V­shaped pockets; antrum well defined, with narrow split ventrally and patch of irregular sclerotization in anterior portion.

Holotype, ɗ, Chile, Aconcagua Province, 38 km E Los Andes, 13 Dec 1982, R. Brown (USNM).

Paratypes. Chile: Aconcagua Province: Same data as holotype (4ɗ, 5Ψ) (MEM). Los Molles, ca 10 km S Pichidangui, 25 m, 15–17 Nov 1981 (5ɗ), D. and M. Davis (USNM). 10 km E San Felipe, 14 Dec 1982 (1ɗ, 2Ψ), R. Brown (MEM). Río Blanco, 10 Mar 1968 (5ɗ, 1Ψ), Flint and Peña (USNM). San Felipe, “Inst. Padag,” [no date] (1ɗ) (USNM). Coquimbo, 1 Jul–19 Oct 1883 (2ɗ), Walker (BMNH). Santiago Province: Santiago, 28 Feb 1987 (1Ψ), R. L. Zuparko (UCB).

Distribution and biology. Ptychocroca apenicillia is known only from Aconcagua and Santiago provinces in Chile. Nothing is known of the early stages. The capture of two males from “ 1 July–19 Oct ” is somewhat unusual for the genus, as most species appear to fly from November to February.

Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the absence of the hindwing hairpencil.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 3. Male genitalia of Ptychocroca; valvae spread, aedeagus removed (to left of capsule). 1, P. apenicillia; 2, P. nigropenicillia; 3, P. keelioides.

FIGURES 16 – 21. Female genitalia of Ptychocroca and Haemateulia. 16, P. apenicillia; 17, P. nigropenicillia; 18, P. keelioides; 19, P. lineabasalis; 20, P. galenia; 21, P. crocoptycha;

FIGURES 28 – 35. Adult males of Ptychocroca. 28, P. apenicillia; 29, P. nigropenicillia; 30, P. keelioides, 31, P. lineabasalis; 32, P. crocoptycha; 33, P. crocoptycha; 34, P. galenia; 35, P. s i m p l e x.