Poresta, SCHAUS, 1901

33. PORESTA SCHAUS, 1901 View in CoL

Poresta Schaus 1901 . Trans. ent. Soc. Lond.: 277. Type species: Edema lanassa Druce, 1890 . Proc. zool. Soc.: 509.

Adults. ( Figure 3J View FIGURE 3 , 11I View FIGURE 11 ) Head: male and female antennae filiform; antennal tufts present; third segment of male and female labial palpi long. Thorax: male prothoracic leg with double scent pocket (rarely single). Wings: males 34 to 40 mm, females 40 to 44 mm; forewing with accessory cell present; hindwing with Sc-Rs stalked. Male terminalia ( Figure 7H View FIGURE 7 ): eighth tergite with midplate; antecosta of eighth sternite m-shaped or nearly curved; caudal margin usually indented and with hair-like androconia. Valvae with SSO well-developed somewhat squared saccularly; costa is a sclerotized rod that extends nearly to valve edge. Uncus with a characteristic shape, triangular ending distally in a membranous, setose apex; socii flattened, short and sclerotized. Costulae present, shape fingerlike; juxta usually flat and oval or slightly concave and triangular.Aedeagus callosum foot-like, distiphallus often curved, slightly enlarged distally, lacking ornamentation; vesica with deciduous cornuti. Female terminalia: Papillae anales membranous with long and short setae; posterior apophyses long and narrow. Eighth tergite caudal edge straight or with pronounced, setose lateral prominences; anterior apophyses long and narrow. Eighth sternite caudal edge with a bifid midventral prominence; ostium bursae wide; edge a U or V shape. Ductus bursae-sclerotized, dorso-ventrally flattened. Corpus bursae membranous, with sclerotized shield having one or more invaginations; one signum present.

Diagnosis. The presence of a tripartite uncus and the fingerlike costulae can be found in the three species of the genus. Forewing color pattern usually with a large amount of white or grey overlaid on green, which gives a silvery or lichenous appearance to the moths ( Weller 1989), species that we transfer to this genus (below) are darker overall but bear otherwise similar maculation and markings, most notably the greenish ground color and the triangular white spot near the discal cell. Sexual dimorphism is somewhat noticeable in this genus as well with female white markings being larger.

Comments. Sexual dimorphism can be found in the wing pattern of P. lanassa , females have a green ground color with a white spot near the discal cell while males have a yellow transverse line intersecting this spot, the line extends from the base to apex of the wing. Host plant records include Callichlamys latifolia ( Bignoniaceae ) (ACG database). Another species, formerly placed in this genus, is transferred below to a new genus, Pseudhippia gen. n. (see section at the end). The other two species of Poresta are less variable, but still have some degree of sexual dimorphism, particularly in the size of the white discal marking which is larger in females.

As part of our review of all genera of Nystaleinae , it became immediately clear that two species, one each currently classified in Didugua and Gopha , belong instead to Poresta . The first of these, Poresta albipuncta (Schaus) , comb. n. is transferred from Didugua to Poresta after our examination of the female lectotype and a series of corresponding males and a female from the USNM. Male genitalia in particular, display the characteristic uncus shape, fingerlike costulae, and flattened socii seen in P. lanassa , differing primarily in terminally narrower valvae. Externally, P. albipuncta is less variable than P. lanassa , and shows darker coloration overall with a more obvious, and distinct white marking on the forewing. Poresta albipuncta comb. n. is extremely similar to the other species that we transfer to Poresta : P. niveigutta (Schaus) , comb. n.. We examined the male lectotype of P. niveigutta in the USNM, and while we were unable to dissect it, it is remarkably similar to males of P. albipuncta , so much so that we originally considered that both names may be synonymous. However, given that P. niveigutta was described from French Guiana and P. albipuncta from São Paulo, Brazil, they potentially represent distinct species and we decline synonymy until genitalia of both can be compared. Nonetheless, Poresta is the most appropriate generic placement for both of these species given the available external data we have for both species and the male genitalia of P. albipuncta .

Distribution. Costa Rica, Panamá, and throughout much of South America.

Species included (3).

Poresta albipuncta (Schaus, 1901) , comb. n.

Poresta lanassa (Druce, 1890) *

Poresta niveigutta Schaus, 1905 , comb. n.