La galapagensis 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 galapagensis

description: La galapagensis sp. nov.
Figs 15-20, 47, 58
Material examined: Holotype: ♂, ‘ ECU[ADOR]., GALAPAGOS | Santa Crúz, Los | Gemelos, 27.v.1992 | M[ercury]V[apour]L[ight], leg [it]. B. Landry’; ‘HOLOTYPE | La | galapagensis | Landry & Léger’; ‘ MHNG | ENTO | 00085768 ’. Deposited in MHNG.
Paratypes: 39 ♂, 13 ♀ from the Galápagos Island of Santa Cruz. 3 ♂, NNW Bella Vista, GPS: 225 m elev[ation]., S00°41.293’ W090°19.665’, 18.ii.2005, u[ltra]v[iolet]l[ight] (B. Landry, P. Schmitz); 1 ♀, Finca S[teve]. Devine, 17.iii.1989, M[ercury]V[apour]L[ight] (B. Landry); 1 ♀, Horneman Farm, 220 m, 10.iii.1964 (D.Q. Cavagnaro); 1 ♂, C[harles[D]arwin[R]esearch [S]tation, Base of El Barranco, GPS: S00°44.305’, W90°18.105’, 18.iii.2004, uvl (B. Landry, P. Schmitz); 4 ♂ (one dissected, MHNG-ENTO-85704), CDRS, wall of Invert[ebrate]s. Lab[oratory]., GPS: 11 m elev., S00°44.478’, W90°18.132’, 6.iv.2004, uvl (B. Landry, P. Schmitz); 2 ♂, 1 ♀ (dissected, MHNG-ENTO-85705), agriculture zone, near (NNW) Bella Vista, GPS: 223 m elev., S00°41.297’, W90°19.670’, 7.iv.2004, uvl (B. Landry); 6 ♂ (one dissected, MHNG-ENTO-85707), 2 ♀ (one dissected, MHNG-ENTO-85706), CDRS, Barranco, 20 m elev., 30.iv.2002, uvl (B. Landry); 2 ♂, 1 ♀, Los Gemelos, 4.v.2002, uvl (B. Landry, L. Roque); 1 ♂, Horneman Farm, 220 m, 3.v.1964 (D.Q. Cavagnaro); 2 ♂, 1 ♀, Los Gemelos, 4.v.2002, uvl (B. Landry, L. Roque); 13 ♂ (one dissected, MHNG-ENTO-248655), 3 ♀, same data as holotype; 1 ♂, no precise locality, v.-vi.1970 (R. Perry, Tj. De Vries); 1 ♂, Los Gemelos, vi.1997, MVL (L. Roque); 1 ♂, 2 ♀, Horneman Farm, 200 m, 26.vi.1965 (J. DeRoy); 3 ♂, transition zone, 60 m s[obre el]n[ivel del]m[ar], S00°44’14’’, W090°19’52’’, 19.ix.1996, fluorescent light (L. Roque); 2 ♂, Los Gemelos, Scalesia forest, 580 msnm, S00°37’29.4’’, W090°23’05.3’’, 14.x.1996, fluorescent light trap (L. Roque); 1 ♀, Hacienda Schiess, xi.1974 (no collector). Deposited in AMNH, CAS, CDRS, CNC, MHNG, and NHMUK.
Additional material examined: 18 ♂, 8 ♀ from the Galápagos Islands. – Pinta: 1 ♂ (dissected, MHNG-ENTO-85717), 1 ♀, N00°34.591’, W90°45.137’, 421 m elev., 17.iii.2006 (P. Schmitz, L. Roque); 2 ♂ (one dissected, MHNG-ENTO-85718), 400 m elev., 17.iii.1992, MVL (B. Landry). – San Cristóbal: 1 ♂ (dissected, BL 1194), pampa zone, 15.ii.1989, MVL (B. Landry); 2 ♂, El Junco, v.1975 (T.J. de Vries). – Santiago: 1 ♂ (dissected, MHNG-ENTO-85697), 2 ♀ (one dissected, MHNG-ENTO-85695), N side, GPS: 527 m elev., S00°13.690’, W090°44.135’, 5.iii.2005, uvl (P. Schmitz); 1 ♂, 1 ♀ (dissected, MHNG-ENTO-85696), N side, GPS: 686 m elev., S00°14.177’, W090°44.619’, 6.iii.2005, uvl (P. Schmitz); 1 ♀, Cerro Inn, 28.iii.1992, MVL (B. Landry); 2 ♂, Aguacate, 520 m elev., 7.iv.1992, MVL (B. Landry); 3 ♂, 2 ♀, Central, 700 m elev., 9.iv.1992, MVL (B. Landry); 4 ♂ (one dissected, MHNG-ENTO-85698), Central, 700 m elev., 9.iv.1992, MVL (B. Landry); 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Aguacate, 520 m elev., 12.iv.1992, MVL (B. Landry). Deposited in CDRS, CNC, and MHNG.
Etymology: The new name derives from the area of occurrence, the Galápagos Archipelago.
Diagnosis: Among the brown cluster of La species in the Galápagos, this one (Figs 15-20) is recognized by its generally larger size, with a wingspan of 14.0- 28.0 mm, versus 11.5-19.0 mm in La wagneuri sp. nov. (Figs 21-26) and 10.5-16.5 mm in La paquitae sp. nov. (Figs 27, 28), and warmer chocolate brown colour of the forewings. La paquitae sp. nov. also differs externally by the longitudinally striped pattern of the forewing. In male genitalia (Fig. 47), the tegumen lateral arms are slightly longer than the dorsal section as opposed to a longer dorsal section in La wagneuri sp. nov. (Fig. 48) and La paquitae sp. nov. (Fig. 49), and the ventral margin is evenly curved towards uncusgnathos connection, while it is conspicuously concave in the other two species; also, the median projection of the costal process of the valva is thinner and curving upwards at midlength as opposed to the thicker process curving upwards at apical third in La wagneuri sp. nov. and La paquitae sp. nov.; the outer projection of the costal process is not narrowing and only slightly curving subapically whereas in La wagneuri sp. nov. it is distinctly narrowing and curving subapically.
Description: Male (n=58) (Figs 16, 17, 19, 20). Head with frons only slightly rounded, not projecting, mostly chocolate brown of various shades, with thin scales behind eyes blackish brown. Antenna laminate, dark brown, darker, blackish brown on scape and basal flagellomeres. Maxillary palpus vestiture expanded apically as feather duster, brown, darker greyish brown at base laterally, lighter medially, with apical scales sometimes tipped white. Labial palpus with 3rd palpomere slightly drooping, vestiture dark greyish brown, sometimes with few dorsal scales tipped white. Haustellum pale whitish brown. Thorax various shades of brown, darker at base of tegulae, paler at tip of tegulae and laterally on segment III. Forewing length: 7.0-9.0 mm (holotype: 9.0 mm); wingspan: 14.0-20.0 mm (holotype: 19.5 mm). Ratio length/ width (n=4): 2.67-2.82. Wings with colour and pattern as illustrated (Figs 16, 17, 19, 20). Prothoracic leg coxa greyish brown; femur blackish brown, with paler fawn scales along ventral margin apically; tibia and tarsomeres greyish brown with paler, dirty white tips. Mesothoracic leg coxa dirty white; femur greyish brown to pale fawn, darker at tip; tibia dark greyish brown, with paler fawn spot postmedially and whitish apically; tarsomeres greyish brown with paler, dirty white tips. Metathoracic leg coxa dirty white medially, greyish brown laterally; femur greyish brown, darker at base; tibia pale greyish brown, darker towards tip, dirty white at tip; tarsomeres greyish brown with paler, dirty white tips. Abdomen dorsally with scales of various shades of brown and greyish brown, paler on two apical segments, ventrally greyish brown, mixed with dirty white.
Male genitalia (n=8) (Fig. 47). Uncus variable in length (0.6-0.7 length of tegumen dorsally), slightly downcurved and pointed apically. Gnathos variable in length in conjunction with uncus, narrow with downward-bent apical bulge and dorsomedial cleft apically, or bulkier without a pronounced apical bulge and dorsomedial cleft. Tegumen medium-sized, with lateral arms of medium width, equal in length or slightly shorter than dorsal section, with partial extension of sclerotization midventrally. Valva with cucullus narrow, apically rounded, slightly wider at base; with short and broad mediobasal projection apically rounded, with thickened apical margin; costal process with projections clearly differing in length; thin median projection shorter, pointed, curving in basal half, with few, mostly short setae at base laterally; outer projection flat, longer, slightly wider than cucullus, slightly curving subapically, with apex blunt. Vinculum of medium width laterally; basal margin medially straight. Pseudosaccus slightly longer than wide, with short, flat crest. Phallus of medium length and girth, 1.3 mm long (n=1), sometimes shorter and bulkier, nearly parallel-margined medially, with narrower coecum penis 0.25 length of whole phallus, sometimes slightly asymmetrical; apex mediumly rounded; lateral projections well developed, with short spine on apical pair of projections; median margin of opening with deep narrow cleft, with short wrinkles anteriorly; vesica without cornuti.
Female (n=21) (Figs 15, 18). Head with frons as male’s. Antenna filiform, with scaling more abundant than in males. Forewing pattern reduced, as shown. Forewing length: 7.5-12.0 mm (wingspan: 16.0-28.0 mm). Ratio length/width (n=2): 2.87-3.14. Frenulum with two fused acanthae, often appearing as one.
Female genitalia (n=4) (Fig. 58). Papillae anales small, with more thickly sclerotized area about twice as wide at bases of posterior apophyses, narrower ventrally, distinctly produced submedially, i.e., ventrally from middle, with short to medium-length setation along distal margins. Posterior apophyses short, reaching anterior margin of segment VIII, straight, thin, slightly enlarged before base. Tergite VIII a narrow ring. Anterior apophyses shorter that posterior apophyses, with wider triangular base, subapically curved. Ostium a large squarish plate with apical margin slightly produced medially, or not, also with a small squarish or tongueshaped lamella postvaginalis. Ductus bursae rather wide and short. Corpus bursae an elongate simple sac only slightly widening and with short subapical extension.
Biology: Unknown except for the attraction to lights by the moths and that the species occurs at a wide range of elevations, nearly from sea level to the pampa zone, above 700 m.
Distribution: Presently known from the Galápagos islands of Pinta, San Cristóbal, Santa Cruz, and Santiago.
Remarks: Because of the morphological variation observed in this species, the type series is restricted to Santa Cruz Island, from where the largest series of specimens also comes. The variation in size and forewing pattern and colouration of the specimens of the type series mostly covers that of the other specimens studied. In wingspan some females reach a much larger 27.0-28.0 mm with respect to others and to the more evenly sized males. In pattern, two specimens from San Cristóbal have the median fascia more distinctly made of two dark brown lines contrasting with a paler background colour (Fig. 19). In male genitalia, within the type series, specimen MHNG-ENTO-85704 has bulkier uncus, gnathos, and phallus than those illustrated (Fig. 47) although both specimens were collected on the grounds of the Charles Darwin Research Station. Beyond the type series the uncus, gnathos and phallus of the specimens dissected are more similar to those illustrated, with the coecum penis narrower and directly in the middle in the San Cristóbal specimen dissected. The outer projection of the costal process of the valva may differ slightly in having a narrower apex, e.g., in a specimen from Santiago Island, but not in the second specimen dissected from that island.
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 373-375, DOI: 10.35929/RSZ.0129, http://zenodo.org/record/15085298