Erechthias ascensionae, Davis, Donald R. & Mendel, Howard, 2013

Davis, Donald R. & Mendel, Howard, 2013, The genus Erechthias Meyrick of Ascension Island, including discovery of a new brachypterous species (Lepidoptera, Tineidae), ZooKeys 341, pp. 1-20 : 7-8

Erechthias ascensionae sp. n. Figs 5, 17, 24, 25

Ereunetis species.- Robinson and Kirke 1990: 133.- Robinson 2009: 51.

Diagnosis.

Female unknown.

Adult (Fig. 5). Head: Scales very slender with bidentate apices; scales of frons partially raised and directed forward, light brown strongly irrorated with dull white; scales of vertex erect or mostly so, especially over occipital tufts, and mostly directed forward; color similar to frons with most scales with dull white apices,. Labial palpus with scales slightly appressed dorsally, mostly dull white with light brown bases to scales; venter of labial palpus with a dense brush of long, slender, erect, brown scales usually with white apices, and a lateral series of ~ 5-7 long, dark bristles; 2-3 bristles also arising laterally from basal segment. Antenna nearly as long as forewing; scales smoothly appressed, dark brown dorsally, paler, more white ventrally; scape dark brown irrorated with white scales and with a row of white scales bordering distal margin; scales of scape and pedicel moderately broad; flagellum without cilia and with a single row of more slender scales completely encircling each segment.

Thorax: Forewing (Fig. 17) length 5-6 mm. Dorsum and tegula similar to head in color but with broader scales; thorax mostly pale cream ventrally. Forewing predominantly pale whitish cream, irrorated with scattered dark brown scales; 2-3 small patches of dark brown scales usually present on basal half of forewing along costal and dorsal margins and 2 patches within discal cell; fringe mostly light brown irrorated with dull white. Hindwing and fringe uniformly pale grayish brown; frenulum a single stout spine in male, not examined in female; M1 and 2 stalked ~ 0.6 their length. Fore and midlegs mostly light grayish brown dorsally and whitish cream ventrally with prominent dark brown banding on tibia and tarsomeres; hindleg generally paler in color.

Abdomen: Pale grayish brown dorsally, whitish cream ventrally. Eighth segment without coremata.

Male genitalia (Figs 24, 25): Segment 10 mostly sclerotized, fused to tegumen; uncus lobes minute, with caudal margin bifid. Tegumen a relatively narrow dorsal ring, with extended medium lobe fused to uncus. Vinculum broad, U-shaped, anterior margin broadly rounded, ~ 0.7 × the length of valva. Valva simple; cucullus broad with rounded apex; costal margin densely setose. Juxta well developed as an elongate U-shaped pouch. Aedeagus slender, nearly as long as valva; vesica with numerous, minute spiculiform cornuti; base of aedeagus relatively deeply divided.

Female unknown.

Etymology.

The species name is derived from the genitive case of the type locality (Ascension).

Holotype.

♂, ASCENSION ISLAND: [Specific locality unknown] 4 Sept. 1958, E.A.G. Duffey, B.M. 1958-760, digital image captured, (BMNH).

Paratypes.

ASCENSION ISLAND: Same data as holotype: 6 ♂, BMNH genitalia slide ♂, 5854, BMNH wing slide 30835, (BMNH, NMNH).

Distribution

(Fig. 1). Ascension Island.

Biology.

Unknown; larvae are most likely plant detritvores or lichenivorous.

Remarks.

The species nearest to Erechthias ascensionae , both morphologically and geographically, is Erechthias dracaenura (Meyrick), which is known only from São Tomé, an island located off the western coast of central Africa in the Gulf of Guinea (Fig. 1). The forewing patterns of both species are similar (Figs 5, 6) in possessing a whitish background color irrorated with isolated brown scales and marked with 6-8 scattered, moderately large, darker brown to black spots. The forewings of Erechthias dracaenura generally appear more whitish and less heavily marked than those of ascensionae. The male genitalia of Erechthias ascensionae (Figs 24-25) differ from that of Erechthias dracaenura (Figs 26-27) in the apex of cucullus being more slender and in possessing a more elongate, tapered uncus.