La grisea Landry & Léger, 2024, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Landry, Bernard
name: Léger, Théo
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Pyralidae
La
La grisea

description: La grisea sp. nov.
Figs 11-14, 46, 57
Material examined: Holotype: ♂, ‘ ECU[ADOR]., GALAPAGOS | Marchena, M[ercury]V[apour]L[ight] | 23.iii.1992 | leg[it]. B. Landry’; ‘HOLOTYPE | La grisea | Landry & Léger’; ‘ MHNG | ENTO | 00085766 ’. Deposited in MHNG.
Paratypes: 5 ♂, 19 ♀ from the Galápagos Islands. – Marchena: 1 ♂, 17 ♀ (one dissected, MHNG-ENTO-85701), 12.iii.1992, M[ercury]V[apour]L[ight] (B. Landry); 4 ♂ (two dissected, MHNG-ENTO-85702 and 85703), 1 ♀, same data as holotype; 1 ♀, Playa Negra, N0018. 089’, W 09030452 [sic], 7.iv.2002, U[ltra]V[iolet]L[ight] (L. Roque). Deposited in CDRS and MHNG.
Additional material examined: 54 ♂, 26 ♀ from the Galápagos Islands. – Fernandina: 2 ♂, North side, 300 m, S00°20.541’, W091°36.815’, 12.i.2002, U[ltra] V[iolet]L[ight] (L. Roque, C. Causton); 2 ♂, SW side, GPS: 352 m elev[ation]., S00°20.503’, W091°36.969’, 10.ii.2005, uvl (B. Landry, P. Schmitz); 7 ♂ (2 dissected, MHNG-ENTO-85736 and 85709), SW side, GPS: 815 m elev., S00°21.270’, W091°35.341’, 11.ii.2005, uvl (B. Landry, P. Schmitz); 2 ♂, SW side, crater rim, GPS: 1341 m elev., S00°21.910’, W091°34.034’, 12.ii.2005, uvl (B. Landry, P. Schmitz); 1 ♂, SW side, crater rim, GPS: 1341 m elev., S00°21.910’, W091°34.034’, 13.ii.2005, uvl (B. Landry, P. Schmitz); 2 ♂, SW side, GPS: 815 m elev., S00°21.270’, W091°35.341’, 14.ii.2005, uvl (B. Landry, P. Schmitz); 1 ♂, zona de vegetacion, 19.vi.1998, B[lack].L[ight].-W[hite].L[ight]. (L. Roque, C. Causton). – Genovesa: 2 ♂, South side, 200 y[ar]ds. from beach, 4-6.ii.1967, in flight trap among Bursera graveolens (I.L. Wiggins). – Isabela: 4 ♂, V[olcán]. Darwin, 200 m, 11.ii.1999, U.V.L. (L. Roque, n°99.16); 1 ♂, V. Darwin, campamento base, 1.iii.2000, BL-WL trap (L. Roque, n°2000-04); 1 ♂, V. Darwin, 300 m s[obre el]n[ivel del]m[ar], 6.iii.2000, BL-WL trap (L. Roque, n°2000- 012); 3 ♂, NE slope Alcedo, near shore, GPS: 9 m elev., S00°23.619’, W090°59.715’, 29.iii.2004, uvl (B. Landry, P. Schmitz); 2 ♂, NE slope Alcedo, GPS: 292 m elev., S00°23.829’, W090°01.957’, 30.iii.2004, uvl (B. Landry, P. Schmitz); 3 ♂ (one dissected, MHNG-ENTO-85685), NE slope Alcedo, near pega-pega camp, GPS: 483 m elev., S00°24.029’, W91°02.895’, 31.iii.2004, uvl (B. Landry, P. Schmitz); 3 ♂, Alcedo, lado NE, 400 m, pega-pega camp, 15.iv.2002, uvl (B. Landry, L. Roque); 5 ♂ (one dissected, MHNG-ENTO-85686), Alcedo, lado NE, low arid zone, bosq[ue]. palo santo, 18.iv.2002, uvl (B. Landry, L. Roque); 2 ♂, 8 ♀ (one dissected, MHNG-ENTO-85687), Tagus Cove, 13.v.1992, MVL (B. Landry); 3 ♂ (one dissected, MHNG-ENTO-85688), 1 ♀, n[ea]r Tagus Cove, 100 m elev., 21.v.1992, MVL (B. Landry). – Pinta: 2 ♂, 1 ♀, Plaja Ibbeston [sic], 13.iii.1992, M[ercury]V[apour]L[ight] (B. Landry); 5 ♀, Plaja Ibbeston [sic], 14.iii.1992, MVL (B. Landry); 1 ♂, 1 ♀, arid zone, 15.iii.1992, MVL (B. Landry); 1 ♂ (dissected, MHNG-ENTO-85715), 400 m elev., 18.iii.1992, MVL (B. Landry); 3 ♀ (one dissected, MHNG-ENTO-85716), ± 50 m elev., 20.iii.1992, MVL (B. Landry); 4 ♀, ± 15 m elev., 21.iii.1992, MVL (B. Landry). – Santiago: 2 ♀, Cerro Inn, 28.iii.1992, MVL (B. Landry); 4 ♂ (2 dissected, MHNG-ENTO-85763 & 85693), Bahía Espumilla, 4.iv.1992, MVL (B. Landry); 1 ♀ (dissected, MHNG-ENTO-85694), N side, GPS: 437 m elev., S00°13.316’, W090°43.808’, 3.iii.2005, uvl (P. Schmitz). Deposited in CAS, CDRS and MHNG.
Etymology: The specific epithet is derived from the general colouration of the known specimens, which is Medieval Latin for grey.
Diagnosis: This species includes the specimens of the grey-brown complex of species of La that show a white longitudinal streak medially on the forewing from the base to its interruption at the transverse postmedial fascia (Figs 11-14), as opposed to the lack of such streak in La florenciae sp. nov. (Figs 9, 10). White scales on veins in the continuity of the white streak are often also present on the veins beyond the postmedian fascia in contrast to the generally more uniformly grey background forewing colour of La florenciae sp. nov. In La grisea sp. nov., the postmedian fascia, when visible, is also more oblique, at 45° from the costa whereas in La florenciae sp. nov. this fascia is almost at right angle from the costa. The subterminal fascia of La grisea sp. nov. is generally weakly marked, often inconspicuous, and almost never reaching the dorsal margin whereas it is usually complete, nicely contrasting, and reaching the dorsal margin in La florenciae sp. nov. The male genitalia (Fig. 46) differ from those of A. florenciae sp. nov. (Fig. 45) notably in the comparatively longer tegumen dorsal roof, in the shape of the outer projection of the costal process of the valva, which is almost equal in girth from base to apex whereas is noticeably narrowing subapically in La florenciae sp. nov., in the shape of the phallus with a longer coecum penis than in La florenciae sp. nov., and in the noticeably bigger and stronger claw-like lateral projections of the phallus. The female genitalia (Fig. 57) differ from those of La florenciae sp. nov. (Fig. 56) mainly in the shape of the ostium bursae, which is broadly rounded in La grisea sp. nov. and triangular in La florenciae sp. nov.
Description: Male (n=60) (Figs 11, 12, 14). Head with frons rounded, slightly produced, grey brown with white around antennal bases. Antenna laminate, with flagellomeres slightly wider than long; scape greyish brown dorsally, white ventrally; flagellum mostly pale greyish white on basal ca 10 basal flagellomeres and then annulated greyish white and greyish brown to dark brown. Maxillary palpus dark greyish brown at base laterally, and white scaled medially, with longer apical scales pale greyish brown with white tip, projecting as fan. Labial palpus porrect with slightly decumbent third segment; vestiture appressed, laterally mostly greyish brown and paler tipped, white ventrally and medially on two basal segments. Haustellum white. Thorax with scales of various shades of greyish brown with paler tips. Forewing length: 5.5-6.5 mm (holotype: 6.0 mm); wingspan: 13.0-15.0 mm (holotype: 14.5 mm). Ratio length/width (n=4): 3.01. Wings with colour and pattern as illustrated (Figs 11, 12, 14). Prothoracic leg coxa pale greyish brown; femur blackish brown laterally, white and pale greyish brown medially; tibia blackish brown laterally, white medially; tarsomere I dark greyish brown laterally, paler greyish brown medially; tarsomeres II-V equally dark greyish brown laterally and medially. Mesothoracic leg coxa white; femur white medially with greyish brown at tip and sometimes base and elsewhere; tibia dirty white, with lateral spur dark greyish brown and about 0.25 shorter than medial spur; tarsomere I as tibia; following tarsomeres greyish brown all around. Metathoracic leg coxa and femur as in mesothoracic leg; tibia and tarsomeres slightly paler than on mesothoracic leg, with tibial spurs subequal in length, the laterals slightly shorter, and darker. Abdomen dorsally pale greyish brown, darker posteriorly on first three tergites; ventrally mostly dirty white, sometimes with posterior half slightly greyish brown. Intersegmental membrane VII-VIII around genitalia broadly sclerotized, with narrow, pointed scales of medium length along apical margin.
Male genitalia (n=13) (Fig. 46). Uncus short, bulky, slightly longer than half as long as tegumen dorsally, with short apical point. Gnathos short, slightly longer than uncus, apically narrowly rounded and slightly bent downward. Tegumen rather short and bulky, with lateral arms of medium width. Valva with cucullus narrow, with basal half slightly wider; with short and broad mediobasal projection apically rounded; costal process with projections subequal in length, reaching beyond middle of cucullus, slightly pointing upward and medially; thin median projection pointed, with few, mostly short setae at base; outer projection flat, of nearly equal girth from base to apex, narrowing from about half of length, curving subapically, apically rounded or appearing blunt depending on angle of view. Vinculum narrow medially, enlarging laterally into rather broad-based elongate triangles. Pseudosaccus medium sized, diamond shaped. Phallus short, about 780 µ (n=1), gradually enlarging slightly towards apex, more evidently so postmedially; coecum penis of medium length, slightly more than 20% of whole shaft length; apex broadly rounded; lateral projections strong, claw-like, pointing directly backwards; margin of opening broadly rounded, with mostly short wrinkles; vesica without cornuti.
Female (n=55) (Fig. 13). Head with frons as in male. Antenna filiform, with flagellomeres more abundantly scaled than in male. Forewing pattern as in males. Forewing length: 5.0- 7.5 mm; wingspan: 12.0-17.0 mm. Ratio length/width (n=2): 3.35. Frenulum with 2 fused acanthae, also often with thin white scales from frenulum base, reaching half of frenulum length at most.
Female genitalia (n=4) (Fig. 57). Papillae anales 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 short, slightly curved, reaching beyond basal margin of segment VIII. Tergite VIII a narrow ring. Anterior apophyses straight, short, about as long as posterior apophyses. Ostium a broad rounded plate, uniformly sclerotized, with small notch medially on apical margin. Ductus bursae wide, very short, indistinct from base of corpus bursae. Corpus bursae widening to form elongate pouch.
Biology: Unknown apart from the light attraction of the moths and their presence from the seashore to 1341 m, the crater rim on Fernandina.
Distribution: Galápagos islands of Fernandina, Genovesa, Isabela, Marchena, Pinta, and Santiago.
Remarks: On account of the variation observed in the morphology of this species in the genitalia and to a lesser extent in external characters, the type locality is restricted to Marchena Island, from which a sample of both sexes was obtained, as opposed to the sample from Fernandina, for example, from which only males could be examined. The variation observed in external features is expressed most conspicuously in the darker specimens found on Fernandina (Fig. 11) and also Isabela at Tagus Cove. Specimens from other islands (Figs 13, 14) are like the type series. In male genitalia there is variation especially in the shape of the outer projection of the costal process of the valva, which may be wider medially in specimens from Fernandina, and in the shape of the phallus, which may have a longer coecum penis and a more evenly widening shaft postmedially. In female genitalia, the main variation occurs at the apical margin of the ostium plate, which may have a more pronounced median dent, or none at all.
The brown cluster of species
The ground colour of the moths separates them from those with a greyish-brown colouration. The male genitalia have the outer projection of the costal process of the valva reaching the tip of the cucullus or subequal to it, nearly parallel-margined with a blunt or slightly rounded apex and with minute setae on the inner side at apex and sometimes also along the dorsal margin and medially; the phallus also usually has a short additional sclerotized projection at the base of the lateral extensions on each side and it is not as broadly rounded apically than in the grey-brown cluster of species. The intersegmental membrane VII-VIII around the genitalia is sclerotized mainly laterally, with a narrow band set with long, thin scales. In the female genitalia, the apical margin of the papillae anales is produced medially whereas it is straight in the greyish brown species. The three species described here in this group can be separated based on external characters and island of occurrence, but the genitalia show only few diagnostic characters. One specimen of this group of species has been collected on the island of Santa Fé (Tourist trail, 28.v.1992, leg. B. Landry; MHNG); it is too rubbed to identify based on external characters, and the genitalia characters of the median costal projection of the valva point to La wagneuri sp. nov. whereas the tegumen with the dorsal section longer that the lateral arms point to La galapagensis sp. nov.
description: Published as part of Landry, Bernard & Léger, Théo, 2024, Taxonomic revision of the Crambinae (Lepidoptera, Pyralidae sensu lato) of the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador, pp. 357-387 in Revue suisse de Zoologie 131 (2) on pages 369-371, DOI: 10.35929/RSZ.0129, http://zenodo.org/record/15085298