The discovery of Megalota in the Neotropics, with a revision of the New World species (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae: Olethreutini) Author Brown, John W. text Zootaxa 2009 2009-11-02 2279 1 1 50 https://biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.2279.1.1 journal article 10.11646/zootaxa.2279.1.1 1175-5326 5307538 10. Megalota simpliciana Brown , new species Figs. 10 , 34 , 56 Diagnosis . Megalota simpliciana is superficially similar to other congeners, but usually can be distinguished by subtle features of the forewing pattern. In fresh specimens there frequently is a small, narrow, pale or white longitudinal streak from the distal edge of the median fascia in the discal cell that is lacking in other species. Also, the narrow, bar-shaped patch from the basal portion of the dorsum of the forewing frequently is interrupted in the middle, isolating a small, dark brown dot near the middle of the basal 0.25 of the wing. The male genitalia are easily distinguished by the following features: an extremely shallow notch at mid-dorsum of the bilobed uncus, the absence of the patches of setae from the valva, and a slightly club-shaped distal end of the basal process of the valva. The female genitalia are easily distinguished by the subquadrate ostium and the short colliculum with a rounded, membranous expansion of the ductus bursae immediately anterad. Description . Head : Vertex dark copper-brown, frons brown; labial palpus mixed pale copper, creamy white, and pale brown. Thorax : Dorsum mostly brown, lighter posteriorly; tegula well defined, pale brown and copper; metascutum with dark copper-brown tuft. Hind tibia in male densely covered by long gray scales concealing hairpencil. Forewing length 6.8–8.1 mm (mean = 7.7); basal 0.3 separated from distal 0.4 by an oblique red-brown median fascia extending from ca. mid-costa to dorsum, broadening slightly toward dorsum, relatively straight, well defined along basal edge, irregularly undulate along distal edge with distinct rounded tooth near middle; basal 0.25 of wing pale pinkish gray-brown with faint indication of basal patch; a small, distinct, dark brown, bar-shaped patch from the basal portion of the dorsum, frequently interrupted in middle, isolating a small, dark brown dot near middle of basal 0.25 of wing; an oblong, slightly arched, redbrown patch extending from mid-termen toward costa, ending bluntly before reaching costa. Fringe orange brown. Hindwing brown, anal margin in male with well-developed fold bearing long, fine dark scales. Abdomen : Dark fuscous. Male genitalia ( Fig. 34 ; 7 preparations examined) with tegumen subrectangular; uncus broad, densely spined, with extremely shallow mid-dorsal notch; socius inconspicuous; valva simple, nearly parallel-sided throughout, rounded apically, with small triangular flange near middle of venter, spiniform setal patches absent; basal process of valva slightly curved near middle with distal end slightly expanded, rounded, with small patch of short spines. Phallus evenly sclerotized throughout, curved, a single small external spine at dorsum apically; vesica with one long, slender cornutus. Female genitalia ( Fig. 56 ; 3 preparations examined) with sterigma subrectangular surrounding ostium, with a distinct, sclerotized band extending dorso-laterad from each posterior corner; colliculum short, sclerotized, about twice as long as wide, with semisclerotized, rounded sac at anterior portion of colliculum, remainder of ductus bursae membranous; corpus bursae large, ovate, lacking spinules, with a stout, shark-finlike signum from a small irregular plate. Holotype . Male , Costa Rica , Cartago , Turrialba , 1–6 Mar 1965 , S. S. & D. D. Duckworth ( USNM ), USNM slide 95,338. Paratypes ( 36♂ , 12♀ ). COSTA RICA : Alujuela : 4 km W Santa Cecilia , 250 m , 25 Feb 1985 ( 1♀ ), D. Janzen & W. Hallwachs ( INBio ) . Area de Conservacion Guanacaste , Sector San Cristobal , Finca San Gabriel , 645 m , 05-SRNP-6729 , 24 Oct 2005 , em: 9 Nov 2005 ( 1♂ ), 05-SRNP-6730, em: 8 Nov 2005 ( 1♀ ), r.f. Croton schiedeanus , C. Cano (USNM) . Guanacaste : Area de Conservacion Guanacaste , Sector Pitilla , Pasmompa , 440 m , 03-SRNP-20903 , 4 Sep 2003 , em: 21 Sep 2003 ( 1♂ ), 03-SRNP-20904, em: 23 Sep 2003 ( 1♀ ), 03- SRNP-20905, em: 11 Sep 2003 ( 1♂ ), 03-SRNP-20978, em: 24 Sep 2003 ( 1♂ ), all r.f. Croton schiedeanus , P. Rios (USNM) . Area de Conservacion Guanacaste , Sector del Oro , Margarita , 380 m , 05-SRNP-21023 , 4 Mar 2005 , em: 15 Mar 2005 ( 1♀ ), r. f. unknown plant, L. Rios ( USNM ) . Cartago : Turrialba , 17–21 Feb 1965 ( 1♂ ), 13–17 March 1965 ( 1♂ ), S. S. & D. D. Duckworth ( USNM ) . Heredia : Est. Biologica La Selva , 50–150 m , 10°26N , 84°01W , UV light , 12 Jan 1993 ( 1♀ ), 18 Sep 1993 ( 2♂ ), 13 Jan 1994 ( 1♂ ), 5 Feb 1996 ( 1♂ ), 12 Feb 1996 ( 1♂ ), 15 Feb 1996 ( 1♂ ), 11 May 1996 ( 1♂ ), 15 May 1996 ( 1♂ ), 9 Dec 1996 ( 1♂ ), 22 Jan 1998 ( 1♂ ), 26 Jan 1998 ( 1♂ ), 4 Mar 1998 ( 1♂ ), 24 Mar 1998 ( 1♂ ), 6 Dec 1998 ( 1♀ ), 9 Dec 1998 ( 3♂ ), 9 Feb 1999 ( 1♂ ), 2 Feb 1999 ( 1♂ ), 18 Mar 1999 ( 1♂ , 1♀ ), 22–29 Jan 2000 ( 1♀ ), 22–23 Mar 2001 ( 1♂ ), 7 Feb 2002 ( 1♂ ), 16-17 Feb 2002 ( 1♂ ), INBio-OET-ALAS (all INBio ) . 11 km SE La Virgen , 10°20'N , 84°04'W , 450–550 m , 23 Feb 2003 ( 1♂ ), INBio-OET-ALAS ( INBio ) . Limón : Sector Cerro Cocori , Finca de E. Rojas , 150 m , 31 Jan–21 Feb 1992 ( 1♂ ), E. Rojas ( INBio ) . Puntarenas : Est. Sirena , Corcovado National Park , Oso Peninsula , 0–100 m , 5–11 Jan 1981 ( 5♂ , 2♀ ), Mar 1991 ( 1♂ ), D. Janzen & W. Hallwachs ( INBio ) . Quepos , P.N. Manuel Antonio , Sep 1992 ( 1♀ ), Dec 1993 ( 1♀ ), G. Varela ( INBio ) . Distribution and Biology . Megalota simpliciana is known from the Costa Rican provinces of Cartago , Guanacaste , Heredia , Limón , and Puntarenas , at elevations below 500 m . Five specimens were reared at Santa Rosa National Park from larvae collected on Croton schiedeanus Schldl. (Euphorbiaceae) ( Janzen & Hallwachs 2007 ). Etymology . The specific epithet refers to the simple valva lacking the ornamentation of most species in the genus.