Sparganothoides aciculana Kruse and Powell, 2009

Kruse, James J. & Powell, Jerry A., 2009, Systematics of Sparganothoides Lambert and Powell, 1986 (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae: Sparganothini), Zootaxa 2150 (1), pp. 1-78 : 54

29. Sparganothoides aciculana Kruse and Powell , new species

Figs. 36 , 58 , 92

Epagoge vinolenta Walsingham 1913: 212 (in part).

Diagnosis. This species is variable in coloration, resembling some members of the Hydeana Group. However, the parallel-sided apex of the socius/gnathos arms easily distinguish S. aciculana from species of the Hydeana Group, all of which have clubbed apices. Sparganothoides aciculana resembles S. broccusana , but tends to be larger and lacks the small sclerotized crease in the valve of S. broccusana ; also, and apex of the socius/ gnathos is parallel-sided in S. aciculana , never widened as in S. broccusana . Sparganothoides aciculana also lacks male secondary sexual characteristics of the head, which are present in S. broccusana .

Description. Male. Head: Frons brownish yellow, smooth scaled; vertex roughened, yellowish brown to bronzed grayish brown. Labial palpus yellowish white mesally, yellowish brown to bronze grayish brown laterally. Antennal scaling yellowish brown to bronze grayish brown. Thorax: Dorsum smooth scaled, yellowish brown to bronze-grayish brown. Forewing length 8.7–10.2 mm (= 9.7; n = 10). Forewing costal fold ill-defined, represented by narrow, upward rolled portion of costa, extending from base to near mid-wing; forewing ground color yellowish brown to bronze-grayish brown; indistinct brown to dark bronze; grayish brown, transverse strigulae in subterminal and terminal areas; dark brown suffused pretornal patch extending from dorsal margin to discal cell, vaguely angled to apex from discal cell in some specimens; indistinct brown subterminal fascia; wing pattern elements obscured in some specimens by more uniform dark bronze or grayish brown. Fringe brownish yellow with bronze scaling, especially near apex. Hindwing white, with faint grayish brown transverse striae throughout, more dense at apex. Abdomen: Genitalia ( Fig. 36 ; EME slide #5536; Mexico, Mexico, 7 mi WSW Juchitepec, 20 air km WSW Amecameca; n = 10) with uncus long, slender, slightly tapered, gently curved, with very sparse long setae dorsally and patch of short setae ventrally; tegumen slightly raised, triangular at base of uncus; socius broadly rounded posteriorly, basal portion of secondary arms approximately equal in length to apical portion, slender, abruptly curved just before slender, parallel-sided apical portion; transtilla sclerotized, straight, spines short with some scattered larger spines, numerous over most of posterior margin, anterior margin without reinforcement; valva short, subrectangular, without sclerotized crease, sacculus and costa straight, pulvinus absent; phallus pistol-shaped, aedeagus with ventral margin curved, shorter than phallobase, attenuate, more strongly sclerotized apically, attached to juxta by a long process; cornuti with a minute spine near base.

Female. Head, Thorax: Essentially as described for male. Forewing length 10.4 mm (n = 1). Abdomen: Genitalia ( Fig. 58 ; slide #JJK296; SDNHM; Mexico, Jalisco, Nevado de Colima; n = 1) with papillae anales parallel-sided, subtriangular posteriorly; sterigma lightly sclerotized, gently curved; ductus bursae short, slightly widened anteriorly; corpus bursae large, irregularly rounded; signum simple, more than three times as long as wide, weakly curved, rounded at apices.

Type material. Holotype: Male : MEXICO: MEXICO: 7 mi WSW Juchitepec, 2750 m, 20 air km WSW Amecameca, 25.viii.1987, J. Brown & J. Powell ( EME).

Paratypes (14♂, 1♀). MEXICO: MEXICO: 7 mi WSW Juchitepec, 2750 m, 20 air km WSW Amecameca , 24-25.viii.1987 (4♂), J. Brown & J. Powell ( EME). Popocatepetl Park, 8,000 –10,000 ’, [no date] (1♂), W. Schaus ( NMNH). DISTRITO FEDERAL: near Mexico City, viii.[no year] (1♂), viii.1919 (1♂), viii.1921 (3♂), R. Muller ( NMNH). JALISCO: Nevado de Colima, Parque Nacional, 10.7 mi N Hwy 54, 8200’, 17–18.ix.1986 (4♂, 1♀), N. Bloomfield ( SDNHM) .

Immature stages. Unknown.

Distribution. This species is known from the highlands of central Mexico.

Remarks. The specimen from Popocatepetl Park (#6016, NMNH) was included as a paratype of S. vinolenta by Walsingham (1913).

Etymology. The name is derived from the Latin “acicula,” diminutive of “acus” (= needle, and refers to the narrow apices of the socii/gnathos arms.

Figures

FIGURES 31–36. Male genitalia of Sparganothoides; valvae spread, aedeagus removed. 31. S. albescens. 32. S. torusana. 33. S. prolesana. 34. S. polymitariana. 35. S. silaceana. 36. S. aciculana.

FIGURES 57–60. Female genitalia of Sparganothoides. 57. S. silaceana. 58. S. aciculana. 59. S. broccusana. 60. S. cornutana.

FIGURES 79–94. Adults of Sparganothoides. 79. S. probolosana (paratype: Mexico: Durango: 24 mi W La Ciudad). 80. S. licrosana (holotype). 81. S. canorisana (paratype: Mexico: Tamaulipas: Gómez Farias, 1000m, 29–31.vii.1988, V. Becker and M. Solis). 82. S. capitiornata (paratype). 83. S. arcuatana (paratype, copper form: Mexico: Veracruz: 22 km W Cd. Mendoza, 2150m, 13.viii.1987, J. Brown and J. Powell, JAP lot 87H7.6, emerged 12.i.1988). 84. S. arcuatana (paratype, gold form: Mexico: Jalisco: Nevado de Colima, 10.7 mi. N Hwy 54, 8200', 17.ix.1986, N. Bloomfield). 85. S. lentiginosana (USA: FL: Escambia County, Pensacola, 3.v.1962, S. Hills). 86. S. morata (Venezuela: Aragua, Rancho Grande, 1100', 21–25.i.1966, S. and W. Duckworth). 87. S. albescens (holotype). 88. S. torusana (holotype). 89. S. prolesana (holotype). 90. S. polymitariana (holotype). 91. S. silaceana (paratype: Costa Rica: Alajuela: Volcán Poás, 2350m, 25.viii.1987, J. Brown and J. Powell). 92. S. aciculana (holotype). 93. S. broccusana (holotype). 94. S. cornutana (holotype).