Phyllodonta alajuela Sullivan

Sullivan, J. Bolling, 2014, The Phyllodonta latrata (Guenee) species group in Costa Rica (Geometridae, Ennominae), ZooKeys 421, pp. 3-19 : 8-12

Taxon classification Animalia Lepidoptera Geometridae

Phyllodonta alajuela Sullivan sp. n. Figs 11-15, 18

Type material.

Holotype male: Costa Rica, San Ramon Reserva Biol. Alberto M. Brenes Estacion Biol. (10.22°N, 85.62°W), Alajuela Province, 850 m, 7-11 February 2005, J. Bolling Sullivan (07-CRBS-365, JBS-3303) (INBio). Paratypes: 4♂, 1♀: 2♂, same data as holotype (JBS-5401, 5407), 1♂, 1♀, Costa Rica, Upata. Estacion San Gerardo (10.89°N, 85.38°W), Alajuela Province, 550 m, 17-21 July 2006, J. Bolling Sullivan (JBS-5410, 07-CRBS-366,1205 (barcoded twice), JBS-3314). 1♂, Costa Rica, Upata Bijagua, Alberque Heliconias (10.43°N, 85.01°W), 800 m, Alajuela Province, J. Bolling Sullivan (JBS-3310).

Etymology.

The species is named for the province where the holotype and paratypes were taken. It has also been taken in Guanacaste province.

Diagnosis.

Maculation does not seem to distinguish this species. It is best characterized by barcode data and the genitalia. To date it has been found below 1200 m and with no other member of the Phyllodonta latrata complex. In the male, the distal sides of the socii are usually straight and the vesica is armed with cornuti at the end of the most prominent pouch (distal side of socii swollen in Phyllodonta esperanza , both Phyllodonta esperanza and Phyllodonta intermediata have unarmed vesicas). The female has a broadened collar on the ductus bursae (narrow in Phyllodonta esperanza )and the signum on the corpus bursae is almost round with equal-sized spines around it (crescent shaped in Phyllodonta esperanza , peanut shaped in Phyllodonta intermediata ).

Description.

Male. (Fig. 11) Head -labial palps warm brown, slightly porrect. First segment upcurved, second segment similar in length and tufted slightly over third segment, which is 1/3 as long and angled ventrally. Tongue developed. Eyes hemispherical, large, ocellus present. Frons brown, slightly pointed with scaling directed anteriorly. Scape cream proximally, brown laterally and distally. Cream color extends along dorsal edge of antennae to tip. Antennal segments oblong with minute setae at base of each segment. Interantennal area warm brown, lighter onto collar. Thorax and Abdomen–Vertex brown, fine scaling extending onto thorax, most scales expanding to three pointed tip, a few black tipped. Tegulae brown, abdomen with closely appressed scaling, gray brown dorsally, warm brown ventrally. Legs finely scaled, warm brown, tibia on first two legs with 3 evenly spaced white spots dorsally, proximal smallest, distal largest, tarsal spines prominent (0-2-4). Wings–forewings warm brown with prominent antemedial and postmedial lines that undulate, in both cases forming two outward bulges. Antemedial bulges separated by cleft. Both lines black edged with lighter grayish scales proximally. Black scaling distal to reniform at costa and forming a diffuse line paralleling antemedial line. Reniform spot small, black, and forming center of a gray circle. Wings long, outer margin truncated at costa with a distinct notch medially, forewing length 24.1 mm (23.5-25.0 mm, n=6). Hindwing with prominent postmedial line, margin with submedial notch. Underside of wings warm brown, forewing with postmedial line prominent, medial line visible, antemedial line absent. White blotch subterminal at notch, larger black blotch proximal to it. Small discal spot present. Hindwing underside with prominent PM line, prominent discal spot, small yellow line of scales distal to PM line on both wings. Cream streak from wing base widening to anal angle. Male Genitalia (Figs 13-14) (6 dissections) -uncus unsclerotized, over half length of socii with terminal setae. Socius triangular shaped not swollen at base and curving distally toward tip. Well-defined tegumen with triangular gnathos, rounded at tip with small setae. Juxta narrow basally forming a pocket and widening toward transitilla lobes, which widen medially. Costa well sclerotized tapering to tip of valva. Valva broad with two ridges bearing setae. Subcostal ridge well developed with prominent setae, tapering slightly and meeting a broader submarginal ridge that broadens to half width at valve tip. Saccus vee-shaped and usually indented slightly at basal point. Aedeagus partially sclerotized distally, a band of striations at tip. Ductus inserts sub-basally. Vesica tubular with two outpockets distally, most prominent from left side and terminating with a patch of 10 or more moderately long cornuti. A row of small cornuti at base of vesica and variable in appearance, sometimes absent. Vesica slightly longer than aedeagus. Female. (Fig. 12) - similar to male but larger, gray-brown ground color, cross lines usually more prominent, forewing length 27 mm, n=1. Gray circle around reniform more distinct. Undersides similar to male but more gray brown. Female Genitalia (Figs 15, 18) (1 dissection) - Anal papillae with setae, distally truncated in shape with anterior apophyses shorter than posterior apophyses. Anal plate not sclerotized, forming a broad funnel. Ductus bursae short with narrow sclerotized collar at posterior end; collar ends form obvious abutment. Accessory bursae striated, widening significantly to form nipple at midpoint and weakly defined striations continuing onto bursae. Corpus bursae almost round. Signum circular with two or three rows of short spines radiating from fovea.

Barcodes.

Twenty eight specimens have been barcoded and exhibit 9 haplotypes that differ from each other by a maximum of 1%. They differ from those of Phyllodonta esperanza by a minimum of 4.8% and from Phyllodonta intermediata by a minimum of 6.3%. The most common haplotype (09-SRNP-36297) is:

AACATTATATTTTATTTTTGGAATTTGAGCTGGAATAGTAGGTACATCTTTAAGTTTATTAATTCGAGCGGAATTAGGAAACCCTGGGTCTTTAATTG GAGATGATCAAATTTATAATACTATTGTAACTGCTCATGCTTTTATTATAATTTTTTTTATGGTAATACCTATTATAATTGGGGGATTTGGGAATTGATTAGTTCCTTTAATATTGGGGGCCCCAGATATAGCTTTCCCACGAATAAATAATATAAGATTTTGATTACTTCCGCCTTCTATTACACTTTTAATTTCTAGAAGAATTGTAGAAAATGGAGCCGGAACTGGATGAACTGTCTACCCTCCTTTATCTTCTAATATTGCCCACGGTGGTAGTTCTGTTGATCTTGCTATTTTTTCATTACATTTAGCTGGTATTTCATCAATTTTAGGGGCTATTAATTTTATTACAACAATTATTAATATACGATTAAATAACTTATCTTTTGATCAAATACCTTTATTTGTTTGAGCTGTAGGAATCACTGCATTTTTATTATTATTATCATTACCTGTTTTAGCTGGAGCTATTACTATATTATTAACTGATCGAAATTTAAATACATCTTTTTTTGACCCTGCTGGAGGAGGAGACCCAATTTTATATCAACATTTATTC

Distribution.

Known from 500 to 1150 m in the provinces of Alajuela and Guanacaste. Moths are probably in flight throughout the year.

Remarks.

Janzen and Hallwachs (2014) have reared this species 62 times. The larvae fed primarily (59 records) on Witheringia solanacea L. Hér. in the Solanaceae . One record may represent a second species on Brugmansia x candida ( Solanaceae ). The present range of Phyllodonta alajuela seems to be limited to the Northwestern provinces of Costa Rica and may extend into Nicaragua. Southward and eastward its range is unknown. Specimens of the Phyllodonta latrata complex from Anchicaya and Calima Dam in Valle Province of Colombia (four dissections) have similar male genitalia, but the basal spines on the vesica are larger; no specimens of it have been barcoded. Species of non-migratory moths common to Colombia and Costa Rica are often distributed in the western lowlands of both countries.