La florenciae, Landry & Léger, 2024

La florenciae sp. nov.

Figs 9, 10 View Figs 9-14 , 44, 45 View Figs 44-46 , 56 View Figs 56-60

Material examined: Holotype: ♂, ‘ ECU[ADOR]., GALAPAGOS | Floreana, Punta | Cormoran , 21.iv.1992 | M[ercury]V[apour]L[ight], leg[it]. B. Landry’; ‘HOLOTYPE | La | florenciae | Landry & Léger’; ‘ MHNG | ENTO | 00085358 ’. Deposited in MHNG .

Paratypes: 4 ♂, 9 ♀ from the Galápagos Islands. – Floreana : 4 ♂ (two dissected, MHNG-ENTO-85359 and 85713 ), 9 ♀ (two dissected, MHNG-ENTO-85360 and 85714 ), same data as holotype. Deposited in CDRS and MHNG.

Etymology: Dedicated to Florence Marteau, graphic designer at the MHNG, for her fantastic work on the plates of this manuscript and several others by BL.

Diagnosis: Apart from apparently being a strict endemic to Floreana Island, this species can be recognized from the other greyish-brown species by the usually complete median and subterminal transverse fasciae on the forewing, the lack of a clear longitudinal white streak, and the more uniform greyish-brown background. The male genitalia differ from those of the other species in the short costal projections of the valva, only reaching slightly beyond the middle of the cucullus, the apically narrower outer projection of the costal process of the valva, and the phallus with smaller and weak lateral projections. In the female genitalia, the triangular plate of the ostium bursae contrasts with the larger rounded plate of La grisea sp. nov.

Description: Male (n=5) ( Fig. 9 View Figs 9-14 ). Head with frons slightly rounded, not projecting; with mixture of palegreyish brown scales with paler brown tips to pale grey to white, but mostly white on fronto-clypeus undercover. Antenna laminate, with flagellomeres slightly wider than long; with scape and flagellomeres pale greyish brown and white. Maxillary palpus medially mostly white, laterally dirty white at apex with greyish brown towards base. Labial palpus mostly greyish brown with scales paler at tips, white medially and along ventral edge. Haustellum scales white. Forewing length: 6.5-7.0 mm (holotype: 7.0 mm); wingspan: 14.0-15.0 mm (holotype: 15.0 mm). Forewing length to width ratio in holotype: 2.82. Thorax and wings with colour and pattern as illustrated ( Fig. 9 View Figs 9-14 ). Prothoracic leg coxa mixed pale greyish brown and white; femur dark greyish brown laterally, white medially; tibia greyish brown laterally, white medially; tarsomeres mostly as tibia, laterally with white ring on distal three and medially progressively greyer on distal three. Meso- and metathoracic leg coxa white suffused with light greyish brown towards apex; femur, tibia and tarsomeres white, with greyish brown spot at base of distal four tarsomeres laterally. Abdomen dorsally as shown; ventrally paler, whitish grey. Intersegmental membrane VII-VIII around genitalia narrowly sclerotized, with narrow, pointed scales of medium length.

Male genitalia (n=2) ( Fig. 45 View Figs 44-46 ). Uncus short, bulky, about half as long as tegumen dorsal roof, with short apical point. Gnathos short, about as long as uncus, with apex rounded and slightly bent downward. Tegumen rather short and bulky, with lateral arms of medium width. Valva with cucullus narrow, slightly wider at mid-length, with short and broad mediobasal projection apically blunt; costal process with projections slightly curving dorsally and medially; median projection thin, pointed, with rather sparse, short setation at base; lateral projection slightly wider, flat, narrowing to narrowly rounded apex and slightly curving medially, both of equal lengths reaching slightly beyond mid-length of cucullus. Juxta indistinct, lightly sclerotized at base. Vinculum very narrow medially, enlarging laterally into elongate triangles. Pseudosaccus short, broad, diamond shaped. Phallus short, about 835 µm (n=1), slightly enlarging towards apex; coecum penis short, about 20% of whole shaft length; apex broadly rounded, with lateral projections simple and very short, apically with short pointed tip directed backwards; margin of opening v- or broadly u-shaped, with long wrinkles; vesica without cornuti.

Female (n=9) ( Fig. 10 View Figs 9-14 ). Head with frons as male’s. Antenna filiform, with flagellomeres more abundantly scaled than in male. Forewing length: 6.5-7.5 mm (wingspan: 14.0-16.0 mm). Forewing length to width ratio (n=1): 3.0. Frenulum with 2 fused acanthae.

Female genitalia (n=2) ( Fig. 56 View Figs 56-60 ). Papillae anales rather small, with more thickly sclerotized area wider at bases of posterior apophyses, then strongly reduced in width dorsally, with apical margin straight although slightly irregular on account of conical bases of marginal setae. Posterior apophyses straight, short, reaching basal margin of segment VIII. Tergite VIII forming a narrow ring. Anterior apophyses straight, short, about as long as length of segment VIII. Ostium bursae triangular with more thickly sclerotized margins. Ductus bursae very short, wide, unsclerotized. Corpus bursae elongate, rather wide at base, pear shaped.

Biology: Unknown except that the moths are attracted to light and that all known specimens have been collected near the seashore.

Distribution: Presently known from the island of Floreana only.