Ethmia berndkerni Phillips

Phillips-Rodriguez, Eugenie, Powell, Jerry A., Hallwachs, Winnie & Janzen, Daniel H., 2014, A synopsis of the genus Ethmia Huebner in Costa Rica: biology, distribution, and description of 22 new species (Lepidoptera, Gelechioidea, Depressariidae, Ethmiinae), with emphasis on the 42 species known from Area de Conservacion Guanacaste, ZooKeys 461, pp. 1-86 : 23-24

Taxon classification Animalia Lepidoptera Depressariidae

Ethmia berndkerni Phillips sp. n. Figures 20, 65, 110, 158

Diagnosis.

Ethmia berndkerni is externally very similar to Ethmia duckworthi , and Ethmia ehakernae . It is distinguished by the unique shape of the basal processes and the disposition of spines on the apex of valva in male genitalia and by the smaller and unornamented signum in the female genitalia.

Description.

Male: FW length 7.5-9.8 mm (n = 5). Head: Labial palpus elongated surpassing base of antenna, black with white bands at apical half of II segment and at middle and apical of III segment; proboscis, front and crown whitish with scatter black scaling, occipital black tuft at mid-dorsum. Thorax: Dorsal scaling gray, collar white, narrow black line at base of tegula, paired blackish spots close to apices of tegula, dark area in scutellum divided by white, one small spot at middle thorax; underside whitish, foreleg and midleg whitish with black rings at tibia, hind leg light brown with whitish rings near tarsus. FW ground color light brown with indistinct dark brown/black elongated markings, a defined big spot at costa before apex; posterior half base without such markings; three big and distinct dark spots at posterior half 0.3 × from base, one at medial area, and one above tornus; terminal line composed of eight blackish dots from before costa to tornus. HW ground color light brown becoming darker at apex; costa with short whitish modified scales on 0.5 × from base, not a defined brush. Abdomen: Dorsal and ventral scaling light brown, genitalia scaling pale yellow to whitish. Genitalia (Fig. 65) with uncus and gnathos absent; apex of valva produced into a lobe with a “plume” with dense setation, base of this lobe with shorter setae transversely directed to setae; four long spines below apex, one pair inwardly directed, the other parallel to valve axis; a short sacculus projection below spines; basal process shaped like a sickle.

Female: FW length 8.8-10.8 mm (n = 6). Head and thorax: As described for male, except for unmodified HW. Abdomen: Genitalia (Fig. 110) with posterior apophyses long; sterigma sclerotized bilobed; antrum sclerotized and elongated, ductus bursae wide near antrum, becoming narrow anteriorly; signum small unornamented located at posterior half of corpus bursae.

Holotype.

Male: 11-SRNP-101561, DNA Barcoded, Costa Rica: Guanacaste: Sector Pitilla, Estación Pitilla, 675 m 1.iv.2011, S. Ríos & H. Cambronero. Deposited in INBio. Paratypes: Costa Rica: Alajuela: P.N. Volcán Tenorio, Albergue Heliconias, 700-800 m 1M 1.ii.2000, 1F 20.x.2000, 1F 7.x.2000, 4M 1F 21.ii.2001 Gladys Rodríguez. Cartago: Monumento Nal Guayabo, 1100 m, 1M 1.vii.1994, G. Fonseca. Guanacaste: Tierras Morenas, ZP Tenorio, Alto Masis 900 m, 2M 1F 1.viii.1996, 3M 1F 1.xi.1996, G. Rodríguez. 4km E Casetilla Rincón Nat. Pk. 750 m 1F 6.vi.1981, 1M 27.xii.1981 D.H. Janzen. Estación Pitilla, 9km S Sta Cecilia 700 m, 1M 20.xi.1987, 3M 1F 10/18.v.1988, 1F 1.6.1988, D.H Janzen & W. Hallwachs, 1F 10.ix.1990, 1F 1.iv.1991, 1F 1.vi.1991, 1M 1F 19.v.1993, Petrona Ríos, 1F 1.vii.1991, 1F 1.iv.1991, 1F 19.v.1993, 1M 3F 1.v.1991, 1M 27.vii.1992, 1F 19.vi.1993, 1F 1.xi.1990, C. Moraga; 1F 1.v.1989 GNP BIodiv. Inv. Sector del Oro, Sendero Manta 610 m, 1F 16.xi.2009 R.Franco & F.Quesada. Sector Pitilla, Estación Pitilla 675m, 1F 01.iv.2011 S. Ríos & H.Cambronero, 5F 2.iv.2011 H.Cambronero & S. Ríos; Sendero Memo 774 m 1F 3.iv.2011 H. Cambronero & S. Ríos. Limón: Tortuguero, Sector Cerro Cocori, Finca de E. Rojas, 150 m 1F 1.viii.1993, E. Rojas. Puntarenas: Cerro de Oro, 200m, 1F 26/30.v.1995, E. Phillips; Bosque Esquinas, 10m 2F 1.iv.1994, M. Segura, 2F 1.v.1994, J. Quesada. Corcovado Nat. Pk. 10 m, 5/14.viii.1978, D. H. Janzen. Estación Piedras Blancas, 0-100 m, 2F 12. v– 16.vi.2002, M. Moraga, 1F 17.iv.2001, J. Jimenez, 1M 17.iv.2001, B. Espinoza. Los Charcos, 1 km E Banegas, 50 m 1F 6.x.2010, E. Phillips. Estación Esquinas 200 m 1F 1.iv.1993, 2M 1F 1.ix.1993, J. Quesada, 2F 1.x.1993, 1F 1.xii.1993, 1M 1.ii.1993, 2M 1.x.1993, 3M 2F 1.xi.1993, M. Segura. Fila Esquinas, 35 km S Palmar Norte, 2M 2F 7.i.1983 Janzen& Hallwachs. Rancho Quemado, 200 m 1F, 1.i.1991, 2M 2F 1.viii.1991, 2M 1.xi.1991, 4F 4M 1.xii.1991, 3M 1.ii.1992, 1M 1.iii.1992, 1M 21.iii.1992, 1F 1.vi.1992, Freddy Quesada. Río Rincón Albergue Cerro de Oro, 150 m 1F 26.v.1995, Angela Maroto (BMNH, INBio, EME, USNM).

Distribution and biology.

Ethmia berndkerni has been found in Costa Rica (Fig. 158) in the foothills of the Cordillera de Guanacaste, from 150-800 m, north Caribbean lowlands at 200 m, in middle elevations in Cordillera Volcánica Central (1000-1500 m) and Península de Osa (200 m). It occurs in ACG rain forest.

Food plant records.

Ethmia berndkerni has been reared from larvae feeding on Boraginaceae : Bourreria costaricensis .

Etymology.

Ethmia berndkerni is named in honor of Bernd Kern of Vaesterhaninge, Sweden for being one of the two motors, fuel and drivers of Childrens Rainforest Sweden for three decades of life blood, bone and muscle for the Eternal Childrens’ Rainforest of Monteverde, Costa Rica, and for two decades of support of ACG rain forest land purchase for permanent wildland conservation.