Pyrausta insolata Landry 2015, sp. n.
Creators: name: Landry, Bernard
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2015
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Crambidae
Pyrausta
Pyrausta insolata

description: Pyrausta insolata sp. n.
Figs 13-16, 21 a-b, 26
Material examined: 26 ♂, 21 ♀.
Holotype: ♂, ‘ECU[ADOR]., GALÁPAGOS | Pinta, 17.iii.1992 | 400 m elev[ation]., M[ercury]V[apour] L[ight] | leg [it]. B. Landry’; ‘ HOLOTYPE | Pyrausta |
insolata | B. Landry’. Undissected. Deposited in the MHNG.
Paratypes: 25 ♂, 21 ♀ from the Galápagos Island, Ecuador. – Fernandina: 1 ♂ (dissected, slide MHNG ENTO 8631), SW side, GPS: 815 m elev[ation]., S 00° 21.270’, W 091° 35.341’, 11.ii.2005, u[ltra]v[iolet]l[ight] (B. Landry, P. Schmitz); 1 ♂, SW side, crater rim, GPS: 1341 m elev., S 00° 21.910’, W 091° 34.034’, 12.ii.2005, uvl (B. Landry, P. Schmitz); 1 ♂, same data except 13.ii.2005; 1 ♂, [no precise locality], iii.1970 (Perry & de Vries). – Isabela: 3 ♀ (one dissected, slide PYR 372), 3 km N S[an]to Tómas, Agr [iculture]. Zone, 8.iii.1989, M[ercury]V[apour]L[ight] (B. Landry); 2 ♂ (one dissected, slide PYR 353), 1 ♀, 11 km N Puerto Villamil, 9.iii.1989, MVL (B. Landry); 3 ♂ (one dissected, slide MHNG ENTO 8632), 1 ♀, NE slope Alcedo, ca. 400 m up (S) Los Guayabillos camp, GPS: 892 m elev., S 00° 25.208’, W 91° 04.765’, 1.iv.2004, uvl (B. Landry, P. Schmitz); 1 ♂, 1 ♀, NE slope Alcedo, Los Guayabillos camp, GPS: 869 m elev., S 00° 24.976’, W 91° 04.617’, 2.iv.2004, uvl, 4h00-5h30 (B. Landry, P. Schmitz); 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Alcedo, lado NE [side], 400 m [elev.], camp pega-pega, 15.iv.2002, uvl (B. Landry, L. Roque); 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Alcedo, lado NE, 700 m [elev.], camp guayabillos, 16.iv.2002, uvl (B. Landry, L. Roque); 1 ♀, Alcedo, lado NE, 1100 m [elev.], cumbre [summit], caseta Cayot [cabin], 17.iv.2002, uvl (B. Landry, L. Roque); 3 ♀, V[olcan]. Darwin, 630 m elev., 17.v.1992, MVL (B. Landry); 1 ♂, ± 15 km N Pto Villamil, 25.v.1992, MVL (B. Landry); 2 ♂, Sierra Negra, Corazon Verde, xi-xii.1974 (T.J. De Vries, B.M. 1976–58). – Pinta: 1 ♂, 372 m elev., 16.iii.2006, N 00° 34.476’, W 90° 45.102’, uvl (P. Schmitz, L. Roque); 1 ♂, 1 ♀ (dissected, slide MHNG ENTO 8629), 200 m elev., 16.iii.1992, MVL (B. Landry); 2 ♂, 3 ♀, same data as holotype; 1 ♂, 400 m elev., 18.iii.1992, MVL (B. Landry); 2 ♂ (one dissected, slide BL 1248), 400-650 m elev., day (B. Landry). – Santa Cruz: 2 ♀, Tortuga Res[erve]. W S[an]ta Rosa, 6.ii.1989, MVL (B. Landry). – Santiago: 1 ♂, N side, GPS: 437 m elev., S 00° 13.316’, W 90° 43.808’, 3.iii.2005, uvl (P. Schmitz); 1 ♂ (dissected, slide MHNG ENTO 8628), 1 ♀ (dissected, slide MHNG ENTO 8630), NE side, close to caseta, GPS: 686 m elev., S 00°14.177’, W 90°44.619’, 6.iii.2005, uvl (P. Schmitz); 1 ♂, 1 ♀ (dissected, B.M. Pyralidae slide 21186), (James), vii.1970 (B.M. 1970-567, Ref. No. L 159); 1 ♀, (James), Bahia Bucanero, iv.1974 (B.M. 1975-7, Ref. No. L [blank]). Deposited in BMNH, CDRS, CNC, and MHNG.
Diagnosis: This species is most similar to Pyrausta insignitalis (Guenée), P. onythesalis (Walker) and P. pseudonythesalis Munroe, but it resembles the former more in habitus by virtue of the predominance of orange colouration. In male genitalia (see Munroe, 1976, pl. J fig. 6 for a photo of the male genitalia of P. insignitalis), the new species differs in the shorter and broader uncus, absence of a thin projection of the clasper, and sclerotized plate before clasper without dorsal projection. In female genitalia the new species differs especially in the wide and singly coiled ductus bursae. In the Galápagos this species is most similar to the other two Pyrausta species recorded and the key presented above will separate the three.
Etymology: From Latin, meaning ‘exposed to the sun’; in reference to the colour of the moths and the fact that the species being present on the equatorial Galápagos archipelago indeed receives a lot of sunshine.
Description: MALE (n=26): Head with frons slightly projecting, apically slightly rounded (not quite flat), orange except for few whitish yellow scales at base of antenna; antennae filiform with ciliation dense, as long as 2/3 width of flagellomeres, with one single longer (2/3 as long as corresponding flagellomere) seta dorsally on about first 10 flagellomeres, scaling orange on scape and pedicel, greyish brown to whitish grey on flagellum; maxillary palpus greyish orange; labial palpus orange, with paler whitish yellow scales ventrally on first segment and burnt orange dorsally on second segment and apically on third; haustellum light orange. Thorax dorsally orange to light burnt orange at collar and bases of patagia, sometimes with light brown, orange in middle and slightly lighter orange on thoracic segment III. Foreleg coxa light golden to light orange; femur as coxa, with orange at tip; tibia greyish brown with light golden laterally and at tip; tarsomeres light golden and greyish brown dorsally. Midleg coxa whitish golden; femur light golden with orange at tip; tibia orange dorsally with light greyish brown at base and dorsally on spurs, light golden elsewhere; tarsomeres light golden with light greyish brown at base of first tarsomere. Hindleg light golden with light orange on tibia dorsally and light greyish brown on tarsomeres dorsally. Forewing length: 6.0- 7.0 mm (holotype 7.0 mm); forewing colour (Figs 13, 14) mostly orange, with dark brown on costa as fine line, complete submedian slightly convex line, sometimes one small spot at base of cell, one distinct straight bar at end of cell usually associated with more or less intense suffusion between bar and terminally bulging section of postmedian line, small triangle on costa at postmedian line, straight subterminal line often with small indentations at CuA 1 and M 1, often fused with terminal brownish black spots at apices of veins to form wider terminal band, sometimes whole wing with heavier suffusion and broad costal band (Figs 15, 16); fringe with basal scales forming pale orange and greyish brown spots alternately or mostly dark greyish brown in darker specimens, longer scales pale greyish brown. Hindwing orange with dark brown markings as small spot in cell, postmedian line, subterminal band often fused with terminal band, and suffusion usually between CuP and 2A up to middle of wing; fringe similar to that of forewing. Abdomen dorsally uniformly orange or with greyish brown on segments I-V in darker specimens, ventrally light golden, with light orange on distal segment in darker specimens.
Male genitalia (n=5) (Figs 21 a-b). Uncus stout, about 1.6 X length of tegumen dorsally, flattened and straight in lateral view, with dorsal margin apically down-turned, with lateral margins gently converging to mediumly rounded apex, with 1-2 long setae dorsolaterally near middle, apical third covered with medium-length to short thickened setae decreasing in size towards apex. Subscaphium with narrow, lightly sclerotized ventral margin reaching apex of uncus. Tegumen short, dorsally with more thickly sclerotized teguminal ridges diverging apically and basally, H-shaped, with more thickly sclerotized horizontal bar present, forming basal margin, with scale-less area between teguminal ridges 3/5 length of latter; laterally with more thickly sclerotized ventral margin slightly concave, with scaled area between it and teguminal ridges square, more thickly scaled toward dorsoapical margin. Valva of medium width, with dorsal margin slightly humped at connection with transtilla, then slightly concave; medially bare and thickly sclerotized band along costa narrowing to 1/3 of length of valva, then parallel-sided until ending at 3/4 length of valva, with some moderately long thin setae and scales on dorsal edge; ventral margin not distinctly straight at base, subbasally broadly rounded, then straight to midlength and slightly convex to rounded apex; medially with few short thin scales at base; laterally, next to ventral margin, and all along ventral margin with short to long setae; clasper a simple, short, triangular sheet with dorsal margin produced and rounded, medially covered with short to long thickened setae decreasing in length toward apex; sclerotized plate before clasper broadly rounded, not projected dorsally beyond dorsal angle of clasper, adorned with 8-10 moderately long setae; sacculus unmodified. Transtilla thin, unsclerotized medially. Diaphragma ventrad from transtilla with patch of about 6-10 medium-length setae on each side. Juxta short, shaped like inverted human pelvis. Vinculum narrow, with short, laterally compressed saccus with blunt apical margin. Phallus a slightly curved, short tube about 20% longer than tegumen + uncus, basal 1/3 thickly sclerotized only ventrally; coecum penis short, rounded; vesica with a long, thin, curved cornutus about 3/5 length of phallus, one thicker, stiletto-like cornutus about half as long, and about 5 additional thin cornuti also about half as long; ductus ejaculatorius forming one coil.
FEMALE (n=21) (Figs 15, 16): Antenna thinner than that of the male. Wings usually with more dark brown scaling than those of males, sometimes with dark brown and also sometimes burnt orange scaling completely obscuring orange areas. Forewing length: 6.0-7.0 mm.
Female genitalia (n=3) (Fig. 26). Papillae anales short, slightly convex, abundantly setose, with short to moderately long setae, the latter mostly along basal margin; cuticle covered with spinules, with laterobasal sclerotized band narrow, wider near bases of posterior apophyses, not connecting either ventrally or dorsally; posterior apophyses short, slightly thicker at base, about as long as width of papillae anales. Segment VIII short, with sclerotized section a narrow band of nearly equal length ventrally and dorsally, 2 X length of sclerotized band of papillae anales at level of apophyses, ventrally not connected in middle, with few medium-length setae mostly along apical margin laterally and dorsally, covered with spinules; anterior apophyses almost 2 X length of posterior apophyses, with dorsal, triangular enlargement at about 2/5. Membrane unspecialized around ostium bursae, covered with spinules. Ductus bursae with short, membranous and spinulose funnel-shaped antrum, followed by equally short sclerotized incomplete (open dorsally) colliculum devoid of spinules, followed by enlarging membranous section forming one twist, 4 X as long as first two sections, almost 4 X as wide as colliculum, adorned with elongate sclerotized and wrinkled outgrowth decreasing in size from base to middle, lightly spinulose. Ductus seminalis connecting between second, sclerotized section of ductus bursae and next. Corpus bursae short, circular, not much wider than ductus bursae, about half as long as ductus bursae, lightly spinulose; signum a small, square plate with short spines projecting inside, with or without depression in middle; without accessory sac.
Biology: Unknown except that moths are attracted to light and that the species seems to prefer habitats situated at mid to high elevations (200-1341 m), up to the top of the islands in two cases.
Distribution: Galápagos islands of Fernandina, Isabela, Pinta, Santa Cruz and Santiago; presumably endemic.
Remarks: The vesica of two dissected males had no cornuti while another had seemingly lost only the 5 shorter and thinner cornuti.
description: Published as part of Landry, Bernard, 2015, The Pyraustinae (Lepidoptera, Pyralidae s. l.) of the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador, pp. 55-70 in Revue suisse de Zoologie 122 (1) on pages 65-68, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.14577