Spheterista hoihoi, Austin Daniel Rubinoff & nov, 2024

Spheterista hoihoi , sp. nov.

Figs. 2G, H View Figure 2 ; 6B View Figure 6 ; 8C View Figure 8 , 9D View Figure 9 Diagnosis. Spheterista hoihoi (Kauaʻi) is most likely to be confused with Spheterista hakeaiki Austin and Rubinoff (Oʻahu), but can easily distinguished by its much larger size (5.7–10.2 mm in S. hoihoi , 4.5–6.2 mm in S. hakeaiki and the color of the median and postmedian fascia: black in S. hoihoi , reddish-brown in S. hakeaiki . In the male genitalia, the arms of the uncus of S. hoihoi are shorter and slightlycurved (longer and nearly straight in S. hakeaiki ). We could find no clear differences in the female genitalia, which are very uniform across Spheterista .

Type material. Holotype: Kauaʻi: ♂, Nā Pali-Kona Forest Reserve , Mohihi- Waialai [Waiʻalae]; 22.217 [22.117?], -159.601; 1050m; 16–17 x 2017; W. Haines, C. Gillett; MV light sheet / DNA extraction KA0129 / KAA diss. #0400 ( UHIM) . Paratypes (6♂♂, 6♀♀). Kauaʻi: 1♂, Kōkeʻe Camp ; 3600 ft [1097 m]; 9 iv [19]61; D. F. Hardwick / KAA diss. #0862 ( CNC) . 1♀, Nā Pali-Kona F[orest] R[eserve], Kalalau Lookout; 17 viii [20]06; D. Rubinoff, J. Eiben; UV light trap / DNA extraction KA0079 / KAA diss. #0358 ( UHIM) . 1♂, Kōkeʻe State Park , Nuʻalolo Trail; 4 x 1973; K. and E. Sattler / BM genitalia slide 21342 ( NHMUK) . 1♀, Kōkeʻe State Park , Kaunuohua Ridge; 4000 ft [1219 m]; 30 viii 1973; K. and E. Sattler ( NHMUK) . 1♂, same as previous except 6 ix 1973 ( NHMUK) . 1♂, Kōkeʻe State Park , Kahuamaʻa Flat; 4000 ft [1219 m]; 3 ix 1973; K. and E. Sattler ( NHMUK) . 1♂, Kōkeʻe State Park , Kaluapuhi Trail; 4000 ft [1219 m]; 11 x 1973 K. and E. Sattler ( NHMUK) . 1♂, 2♀♀, Kōkeʻe State Park , Kauaikinanā (Mohihi Road); 3500 ft [1167 m]; 25 ix 1973 K. and E. Sattler ( NHMUK) . 2♀♀, Kōkeʻe; 6 vii 1937; E. C. Zimmerman; light trap ( NHMUK) .

Description. Male (n=7). Head. Scales on frons moderate, pure white on dorsal half; short, sparse or absent on ventral half, similarly white. Scales on vertex pure white. Labial palpus approximately 2× width of compound eye, porrect; lateral surface with scaling on first segment pure white, second segment predominantly dark gray, white scales restricted to dorsal and ventral edges, apical half; terminal segment pure white. Ocellus separated from compound eye by approximately width of ocellus. Scape pure white; sensillae moderate, approximately width of flagellomere; dorsal scales of flagellum entirely dark brown or black. Thorax. Dorsum with scaling entirely pure white except for black patch at posterior edge and at base of tegulae. Lateral surface of foreleg with scaling on coxa white, remainder of leg with scales shining light brown, tarsal segments occasionally darker brown to black; midlegs concolorous; hindlegs without white coxa, entirely pale brown to straw yellow. Dorsal surface of FW ( Fig. 2H View Figure 2 ; FWL: 5.7–8.6 mm) with ground color pure white; basal fascia black with white patch at base, widest medially, reddish-orange along costa; median fascia black, incomplete, often only present from costa to midpoint of cell, occasionally present as a second segment along anterior portion of cell; subapical blotch present, black; small triangular black patch present near termen; short black streak often present along midpoint just before fringe; faint gray strigulae present throughout FW; fringe gray; costal fold absent. Dorsal surface of HWgray, strigulaewell-developed;fringe gray. Ventral surface of FW gray with strigulae apparent, small white patches present along costa. Ventral surface of HW similar to dorsal surface but strigulae more contrasting. Abdomen. Vestiture of abdomen pale grayish brown. Genitalia ( Fig. 6B View Figure 6 ) with uncus bifid, arms widely separated at base, lateral margins slightly concave, curved apicoventrally, setae absent; socii large, sickle-shaped, with long hair-like setae on surface; arms of gnathos, thin, joined medially, forming a small posteriorly-directed process, largely obscured by an unusual finger-like process originating from between the arms of the uncus; tegumen robust, inflated; labides well-sclerotized, separate, dorsolaterally directed, with minute spinules; valvae subtrapezoidal; dorsomedial surface with very long, hair-like setae; sacculus well-developed,confluentwithsaccularmargin at base before extending into disc of valva beyond; vinculum moderate; juxta large, plate-like, somewhat diamond-shaped, with V-shaped dorsomedial notch; phallus pistol-shaped, gently downcurved, slightly bulbous at base; caulis obsolete; three slender, spine-like cornuti present.

Female (n=6). Similar to male except averaging larger ( Fig. 2H View Figure 2 ; FWL: 8.4– 10.2 mm), sensillae minute; and without reddish-orangescalingalongbaseofcosta. Genitalia ( Fig. 8C View Figure 8 ) with papillae anales thin, long, fused distally, evenly roughened on ventral surface; apophyses posteriores approximately length of S7; apophyses anteriores approximately 0.9× length of S7, slightly wider than apophyses posteriores; ovipositor telescopic; sterigma thin, bowl-shaped; ostium small,ring-like;colliculum not observed; ductus bursae slender, widening slightly near corpus bursae, approximately 1.5× length of S7; corpus bursae small, scarcely differentiated from ductus bursae, elliptical, membranous, without signum.

Biology. Unknown. Other species of Spheterista areknowntofeedasleaf-tiers, leaf-rollers, stem-borers, and fruit-feeders on various species of native Araliaceae . Potential hosts include Cheirodendron spp. and Polyscias spp.

Distribution. Spheterista hoihoi is endemic to Kauaʻi, where it is known from Kōkeʻe State Park and the northern portion of the Alakaʻi Swamp at elevations from 1050–1219 meters.

Etymology. From Hawaiian “hoʻihoʻi” meaning “to send back” or “to repatriate,” indicating our strong desire to have insect specimens collected in Hawaiʻi but deposited in museum collections in the continental U.S. and Europe returned to Hawaiʻi where they can be more easily studied by entomologists working on the native Hawaiian insect fauna.

Conservation Status. Unknown. Spheterista hoihoi was apparently never collected by Perkins or Kusche in their surveys of Kauaʻi. It has only been found a handful of times in the past 50 years, indicating that it may have always been a rare species, even though it is known from a fairly wide area, especially throughout much of Kōkeʻe State Park. Determining its host plant would greatly benefit the conservation prospects of this species.

Comments. Although the UHIM holotype ( Fig. 9D View Figure 9 ) is not in as good condition as any of the NHMUK paratypes, we elected to designate it as the primary type so that it can remain in Hawaiʻi, where it will be accessible to entomologists working in Hawaiʻi in the future. We figure two NHUMK specimens ( Fig. 2G, H View Figure 2 ) that are in exceptional condition .