Leichosila talamanca Schmidt, 2009

Schmidt, Christian, 2009, A new genus and two new species of arctiine tiger moth (Noctuidae, Arctiinae, Arctiini) from Costa Rica, ZooKeys 9 (9), pp. 89-96 : 94-95

Leichosila talamanca Schmidt , sp. n.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:7EB77263-5DE4-4AA2-86AE-C02C45C7C0E4 (Figs 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9)

Type material. Holotype male – “ Costa Rica: P[rovincia]. Cartago [locality actually in San José Province] / R. F. Los Santos / Sendero Los Robles / 9° 33’ 25.51 N 83° 47’ 55.47 W / 2400 m, 21-27 March 2004 / J.B. Sullivan & J.D. Lafontaine;” “Databased for CNC / NOCTUOIDEA # / 13709” [green label]; Barcodes of Life Project / University of Guelph / DNA # Noctuoidea / 13709” [blue label] ; HOLOTYPE / Leichosila / talamanca / Schmidt” [red label]; deposited in INBIO . Paratypes – 15 ♁♁, same data as holotype [ INBIO, CNC, JBS] ; 5 ♁♁, Costa Rica, San Jose, Parc national Chirripo, sentier pédestre vers Mont Chirripo Km 4.7, 2310m, 1 V 2005, leg B. Vincent [white label] ; BV 392 to BV 396 [white label]; [ BVC].

Diagnosis. Both Leichosila talamanca and L. wagneri can be easily distinguished from all other New World arctiines by the wing pattern and colour, consisting of a grey to whitish grey ground colour with a pattern of dark grey-black, incomplete forewing bands which are ochre yellow centrally (Figs 1, 2). Leichosila talamanca differs from

mm 0.5

0.5 mm 0.| mm

Figures 6-9. Structural features of Leichosila . 6. L. talamanca , uncus (dorsal view); 7. L. wagneri , uncus (dorsal view); 8. L. talamanca , juxta; 9. L. talamanca , antenna (segments 14 – 18), ventral view (setae and cilia omitted except on segment 14).

L. wagneri in its larger size, paler grey colouration of the wings, and internally by the more triangular uncus (parallel-sided in L. wagneri , figs 6, 7), lack of a basal process on the costal margin of the valve (Fig.3), and a broadly joined pouch-like diverticulum of the vesica that is pointed and conical in L. wagneri (Figs 3b, 4b).

Description. A detailed description is given above in the generic description. Characters specific to L. talamanca are as follows: Male (female unknown). Forewing – length averaging 15.4 mm (14.9-16.1 mm, n = 4); ground colour mouse grey to whitish grey. Hindwing – ground colour mouse grey to whitish grey, with irregular dark-grey subterminal spots, and medial spot. Male genitalia – Uncus triangular in dorsal view; vesica with left diverticulum of two ventro-basal diverticula pouch-shaped and broadly joined to main chamber of vesica (Fig. 3b).

Etymology. This species occurs in montane broadleaf forest of the Cordillera de Talamanca, Costa Rica, hence the name.

Distribution and biology. Leichosila talamanca is known only from two localities in the Cordillera de Talamanca. At the type locality, the habitat is dominated by mature oaks (D. Lafontaine, pers. comm.) within the Talamancan montane forest at 2400 m elevation. Collection dates are for the last week of March and early May.