Arcutelphusa talladega, Lee & Brown, 2008

Lee, Sangmi & Brown, Richard L., 2008, Revision of Holarctic Teleiodini (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), Zootaxa 1818, pp. 1-55 : 33-34

Arcutelphusa talladega , sp. nov.

Description (Fig. 62). Wingspan: 8.5–10.0 mm. Head light brown, scales with pale apices. Antennal scape and pedicel dark brown, flagellomeres alternating dark brown and off-white, with off-white limited to bases of flagellomeres in some specimens. Labial palpus with second segment dark brown, ringed with white at 2/3 length and apex; third segment dark brown ringed with white at base, middle, and apex. Base of tegula and anterior area of mesonotum dark brown, remainder of thorax light brown. Legs dark brown, except ringed with off-white at apices of tibia and tarsomeres 1 and 2 of foreleg, at middle and apex of tibia and apices of all tarsomeres of midleg, and base, middle, and apex of tibia and apices of all tarsomeres of hindleg, dorsal surface of hindtibia with setiform scales in both sexes. Forewing lanceolate, with tufts of erect scales, ground color light brown, subbasal fascia dark brown; median and postmedian fasciae dark brown, confluent or partly separated by light brown scales; apical fourth of wing with scattered dark brown scales. Hindwing brownish gray with slightly emarginate termen and pointed apex. Abdomen light brown.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 49 ): as for description of genus.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 50 ): as for description of genus.

Diagnosis. Imagos are superficially similar to Pseudotelphusa fuscopunctella (Clem.) but differ by having the transverse median fascia confluent with the postmedian fascia on the forewing. Arcutelphusa talladega can be distinguished from other Teleiodini by having the costal part of the valva sickle shaped and strongly bent at its middle.

Type material. Holotype. ɗ, United States of America, Alabama, Clay Co., Talladega Natl. Forest , 33°27’15”N 85°50’30”W, 16 May 1998, R.L. Brown and J. MacGown, genitalia slide MEM 965. Deposited in USNM.

Paratypes. United States of America, Alabama: Houston Co., Madrid, 3 May 1986, J.R. MacDonald (2Ψ), Ψ whole body slide MEM 2297. Mississippi: Winston Co., Tombigbee Natl. Forest, 33°10’20”N 89°03’55”W, 20 Apr 1999, R.L. Brown and J. MacGown (7ɗ, 3Ψ), ɗ whole body slide MEM 2296, Ψ genitalia slide MEM 966; MS., Winston Co., Tombigbee Natl. Forest, 33°10’31”N 89°02’38”W, 3 May 1999, J. MacGown (3ɗ). Deposited in MEM and USNM.

Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the type locality, which is derived from the Creek Indian word meaning “border town” ( Jemison 1959).

Hosts. Unknown.

Figures

FIGURES 49 – 50. Arcutelphusa talladega, sp. nov. 77, Male genitalia. a, tegumen (t). b, phallus (p) and valva, costal part (vc), saccular part (vs). c, vinculum (vi). 78, female genitalia, corpus bursae (cb), ductus bursae (db), ostium bursae (ob), and signum (s). Scale bar: 0.5 mm.