A taxonomic review of Eucalantica Busck (Lepidoptera, Yponomeutidae) with descriptions of six new species
Author
Sohn, Jae-Cheon
Author
Nishida, Kenji
text
ZooKeys
2011
118
75
96
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.118.956
journal article
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.118.956
1313-2970-118-75
Eucalantica costaricae Sohn & Nishida
sp. n.
Figs 3
-41019-
2033
Type material.
Holotype ♂ - COSTA RICA: Cartago, El Guarco, Macizo de la Muerte, Sector de la esperanza,
9°46'14" N
;
83°47'59"W
, alt. 2600m, February 2002, R Delgado, BN-INB0003434063, GSN [SJC 640] (INBIO). Paratypes (5♂2♀) - COSTA RICA: 2♂, San
Jose
, Cerro de la Muerte, Villa Mills, La Georgina,
9°34'N
;
83°43'W
, alt. 3000m, 20 February 1999, K Nishida (USNM & UCR); 1♀, San
Jose
, Cerro de la Muerte,
Estacion
Biologica
de la UCR,
9°34'N
;
83°45'W
, alt. 3050m, 2 February 1999, K. Nishida (BMNH). 1♂, Cartago, Cerro de la Muerte, Georgina,
9°34'N
;
83°45'W
, alt. 3000m, 23-25 May 1985, J Powell & PA Opler (INBIO); 1♂, ditto (EMEC); 1♂, ditto, 20 June 1988, J Brown & J Powell (EMEC); 1♀, Cartago, Villa Mills,
9°34'N
;
83°43'W
, alt. 3000m, 3-4 July 1999, J Powell (EMEC).
Diagnosis.
This new species is superficially indistinguishable from some variants of
Eucalantica polita
. In such cases, examination of genitalia is necessary for reliable identification.
Eucalantica costaricae
differs from
Eucalantica polita
by the lack of lateral projections near the apex of the uncus in the male genitalia and in having a signum in the corpus bursae of the female genitalia.
Description
(Fig. 10). Forewing length 6.5-8mm (mean=7.48mm, n=9); posterior suffusion and dorsal patch absent; in majority of individuals, black spots scattered on distal and posterior half; fringes entirely white. In some specimens, all forewing pattern elements are lost except a discal spot. Hindwing anterior margin 3
x
longer than the maxium width; fringes entirely white.
Male genitalia.
(Figs 19, 20) (5 preparations examined). Uncus (Fig. 19a) linguiform apically; socii lunate, as long as saccus, long hairy dorsally, with four terminal spines in a row, third spine from tip longest, followed by second, fourth, and first in order of length (Fig. 19b). Tegumen subtriangular, 1.5
x
broader than uncus; subscaphium (Fig. 19d) appressed to tegumen. Valva obovate, 2.5
x
longer than socii, costa slightly incurved at basal 1/3; arched setose area above saccular base (Fig. 19c). Saccus very slender, as long as socius. Aedeagus (Fig. 20) attenuate in distal half, as long as and slightly wider than saccus, bent medially; carina slender, triangular; a zone of minute spinulate cornuti in distal half of aedeagus.
Female genitalia.
(Fig. 33) (2 preparations examined). S8 sclerotized; minute thorns on semicircular area above S8 humps. Apophysis posterioris 2.5
x
longer than
apophysis
anterioris excluding basal Y-fork; longer branch of Y-fork 5
x
longer than shorter branch. Ductus bursae as long as corpus bursae; antrum in posterior 1/7 of ductus bursae, cup-shaped, with minute thorns on internal wall (Fig. 33a); bulla seminalis 2/3 as large as corpus bursae. Corpus bursae ellipsoid; signum as a small, scobinate disc (Fig. 33c).
Distribution.
Costa Rica (high elevations of Cerro de la Muerte of the Talamancan Mountain Range in Cartago and San
Jose
Provinces).
Habitat.
The adult specimens have been collected exclusively from the high elevation forests of Cerro de la Muerte where oaks are dominant below 3,300m (Zuchowski, 2007). See
Nishida et al. (2002)
for more details about the habitats. The second author (KN) observed one individual of this species resting on the underside of a leaf of
Vaccinium floribundum
Kunth (Fig. 1). Given the host association of
Eucalantica polita
with another
Vaccinium
, this plant is likely the larval host of
Eucalantica costaricae
.
Etymology.
The new species is named after Costa Rica, where the type locality is situated.
Figures 1-4. Generic characteristics of
Eucalantica
. 1 head of
Eucalantica polita
(lateral view) 2 wing venation of
Eucalantica polita
(gray shade - pterostigma) 3 abdominal segment II-IV of
Eucalantica costaricae
sp. n. 4 abdominal segment VIII of
Eucalantica costaricae
sp. n. Abbreviations: AP = apodeme; CO = coremata; LP = labial palpus; HA = haustellum; PL = pleural lobe; PS = pterostigma; S8 = eighth sternite; SS = spiniform setae; T8 = eighth tergite; TR = transverse ridge; VN = venula.