Varifula fulvaria
Creators: name: Brown, John W.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Tortricidae
Varifula
Varifula fulvaria

description: Varifula fulvaria (Blanchard, 1852)
(Figs. 7, 25, 44)
Tortrix fulvaria Blanchard 1852: 99.
Oenectra dives Butler, 1883: 68.
Proeulia dives: Brown 1989: 319; Powell et al. 1995: 145.
Proeulia fulvaria: Powell et al. 1995: 145.
Varifula fulvaria: Razowski 1995: 279; Brown 2005: 601; Razowski & Pelz 2010: 21
Remarks and diagnosis. The type of Tortrix fulvaria, supposedly deposited in the collection of the NHMUK, is apparent lost. Hence, Razowski's proposed synonym of fulvaria and dives is based on the image of the adult of T. fulvaria in Blanchard (1852) and the female holotype of O. dives (NHMUK) described by Butler (1883). The male genitalia of the specimen illustrated by Razowski and Pelz (2010: fig. 111) match those of specimens in the USNM, but differ slightly from those illustrated for V. fulvaria by Razowski (1995: figs. 11, 12) in his description of the genus. In the latter drawing, the socii are somewhat shorter and more rounded than those of specimens in the USNM.
This species is perhaps the largest Chilean tortricid, and is easily distinguished by the combination of its size and forewing maculation (Fig. 7). It is considerably larger than V. geomops, and the reticulation of the forewing of V. fulvaria is rather faint and less evident than that of V. geomops.
Redescription. Head: Scales of vertex and frons pale yellow ocherous; scales of labial palpus mostly yellow ocherous on outer surface, paler on inner surface; scaling of antenna yellow on dorsum, cream on venter.
Thorax: Dorsum scaling yellow ocherous, with a few scattered brown scales. Forewing length 11.0‒16.0 mm (n = 10), females considerably larger than males; forewing ground colour golden yellow ocherous with faint, scattered, pale brownish specks; basal patch variably defined, pale brown, usually with well-defined oblique outer margin extending from costa, ca. 0.25 from wing base, to hind margin, ca. 0.15 from wing base; median fascia concolorous with basal patch, usually fainter, ill defined, with short, narrow, outward-angled stripe at costa; subapical blotch narrow-subtriangular, with a concolorous roundish spot near end of discal cell; fringe yellow ocherous and brown. Hindwing cream to pale ocherous, variably mottled with pale brown; fringe brown.
Abdomen: Male genitalia (Fig. 25) with rod-like uncus; socius moderately long, slender, pendant, densely clothed in fine hairs; gnathos well defined with pointed terminate plate representing fusion of lateral arms, with small patch of extremely tiny spines; transtilla with subrectangular folded region medially, dorsal surface covered with tiny spines; valva simple, slightly attenuate distally, costa with a small concavity subbasally, sacculus a simple, linear, sclerotized region along venter of basal 0.33 of valva, lacking free distal process; phallus comparative large, robust, rather short; vesica with tiny patch of 10‒12 extremely small non-deciduous cornuti. Female genitalia (Fig. 44) as described for genus.
Types. Holotype (sex unknown) (T. fulvaria), Chile (NHMUK, lost). Holotype female (O. dives), Chile, Valparaiso (NHMUK).
Additional material examined. Chile: Aconcagua Province: Los Molles, ca. 10 km S Pichidangui, 16‒17 Nov 1981 (8♂, 1♀), D. &. M. Davis (USNM). Cuesta, El Melon, ca. 8 km N La Calera, 500 m, 2‒3 Nov 1981 (12♂, 2♀), D. &. M. Davis (USNM). Cauquenes Province: Tregualemu, 11‒12 Dec 1993 (1♂), C. & O. Flint (USNM). Chiloé Province: Chiloé Island, Hueque Trumao, 22 km N Quellon, 26‒27 Dec 1981 (1♂), D. Davis (USNM). Coquimbo Province: Nague, 11 km N Los Vilos, 20 m, 4‒5 Nov 1981 (1♂, 2♀), D. &. M. Davis (USNM). Petorca Province: Zapallar, 27 Nov 1950 (1♂), E. Ross & A. Michelbacher (EME). Santiago Province: N Melipilla, Cta. Ibacache, 27‒28 Mar 1981 (3♂), L. Peña (USNM). Q. El. Cepillo, Aculeo, Coast Range, 26‒28 Mar 1981 (1♂), L. Peña (USNM). Valparaiso Province: Quilpue, 20 Apr 1952 (1♂), L. Peña (USNM).
Distribution and biology. This species is documented from Aconcagua, Cauquenes, Chiloé, Coquimbo, Petorca, Santiago, and Valparaiso provinces, Chile. Adults have been collected in November, December, March, and April. The early stages are unknown.
description: Published as part of Brown, John W., 2024, New genera and species of tortricid moths from Chile and Argentina (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), pp. 51-90 in Zootaxa 5551 (1) on page 61, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5551.1.2, http://zenodo.org/record/14389841