Paragalasa Cashatt, 2013

Solis, M. Alma, Cashatt, Everett D. & Scholtens, Brian G., 2013, New North American Chrysauginae (Pyralidae) described by E. D. Cashatt, ZooKeys 344, pp. 55-71 : 62-63

Paragalasa Cashatt gen. n. Figs 3 , 11-13

Paragalasa Cashatt, 1968, nomen nudum, Solis et al. 1995

Type species.

Paragalasa exospinalis , Cashatt, new species.

Description.

Head. Labial palpus porrect, length approximately equal to head width; maxillary palpus vestigial, two segmented, pilifers moderately developed; proboscis well developed; frons rounded with a tuft produced obliquely; vertex and occiput roughly scaled; ocellus immediately posteriad to base of antenna; chaetosema a row of fine setae along ocular sutura posteriad to ocellus.

Thorax. Forewing long and narrow, costa slightly incurved near middle, apex sub-lanceolate, outer margin rounded; sexually dimorphic: male with a small glandular vesicle at base of costa, discal cell shorter than in female, R1 not reaching costa, posterior angle obtuse; female without a glandular vesicle, R1 intercepting the costa, posterior angle of discal cell acute; both sexes with Sc long, R1 arising from just before end of discal cell; R2 stalked short with R3, R4, and R5, stem arising from anterior angle of discal cell; R3 stalked with R4 and R5; R4 and R5 coincident; M1 separate, arising from anterior angle of discal cell; male with M2 separate, M3 end Cu1 stalked short; Cu2 separate, arising from posterior angle of discal cell; female M2 and M3 stalked short, Cu1 and Cu2 widely separated; 2A and 3A separate at base, anastomosed briefly a short distance from base; retinaculum normally developed. Hind wing frenulum normal; Sc and Rs anastomosed beyond end of discal cell; M1 separate from anterior angle of discal cell; M2 and M3 short stalked from posterior angle of discal cell; posterior angle of discal cell extremely long and slender; Cu1 and Cu2 widely separated. Legs long, midtibia with two scale tufts.

Abdomen. Long and slender, without scale tufts.

Mala genitalia. Uncus moderately broad with apex rounded, slender arms from base modified to articulate with gnathos; tegumen narrow dorsad; pedunculus strongly modified for articulation with gnathal arms; vinculum moderately broad with saccus slightly produced; gnathos slender and aculeate, apex hooked dorsad; valva with sacculus distinct from valva, ventral margin of sacculus rounded; transtilla weak and incomplete; juxta with dorsal margin V-shaped; phallus small, coecum long, apex with microspines, cornutus with spines short and spur-shaped.

Female genitalia. Ovipositor moderately long; papillae anales apex unilobate; anterior apophysis slightly longer than posterior apophysis; lamella postvaginalis triangulate; ostium bursae membranous, antrum lightly sclerotized, inception of ductus seminalis just below antrum; ductus bursae extremely long; corpus bursae small and without a signum.

Remarks.

The venation and genitalia indicate a close relationship between this genus and Negalasa . The male Paragalasa has a small glandular vesicle at the base of the costa on the forewing, but is without a costal spur. The costa is straight. Negalasa and Galasa have a larger glandular vesicle, an incurved costal margin and a costal spur at the end of Sc. The uncus of Negalasa is more narrow and pointed, the tip of the valva is directed acutely mediad, and the phallus has a broadly rounded coecum and cornutus with long spines. The male genitalia of Paragalasa is similar to Galasa except the dorsal margin is V-shaped, there is no process on the sacculus, and the phallus is smaller with a long cylindrical coecum and a small cornutus. The female Paragalasa has the inception of the ductus seminalis just below the antrum. The ductus bursae is extremely long with a small corpus bursae. Negalasa has the inception of the ductus seminalis more sclerotized, nearly two-thirds length from ostium bursae, and a large corpus bursae. The female venation of Paragalasa and Negalasa is identical. The male forewing of Negalasa shows more specialized structures.

Figures

Figures 1 - 4. Male holotypes of adults and labels. 1 Arta brevivalvalis 2 Heliades lindae 3 Paragalasa exospinalis 4 Penthesilea sacculalis baboquivariensis.

Figures 11 - 16. Male, female genitalia. 11 Paragalasa exospinalis holotype male, USA, Arizona, Cochise Co., Paradise, June 8 - 15 [no year given], EDC 395, USNM 107207 12 phallus, data same as previous 13 paratype female, USA, Arizona, Redington, [no collection date on label], EDC 398, USNM 107089 14 Penthesilea sacculalis baboquivariensis holotype male, USA, Arizona, Pima Co., Baboquivari Mts., 15 - 30 Aug 1923, O. C. Poling, Coll., Barnes Collection, EDC 489, USNM 107019 15 phallus, data same as previous 16 allotype female, USA, Arizona, Pima Co., Baboquivari Mts., [days crossed out] Aug 1924, O. C. Poling, Coll., Barnes Collection, EDC 138, USNM 100018.