Ethmia submissa Busck 1914

Ethmia submissa Busck, 1914c:57; 1934:167

A Caribbean species similar in forewing pattern to E. elutella but with reduced gray clouding and the dorsal and terminal patches dark purple rather than the bronzy or coppery purplish of E. elutella and E. janzeni.

MALE.–Length of forewing 7.0–8.6 mm. Head: Labial palpus moderately elongate, not exceeding base of antenna; second segment curved, length about 1.25 times eye diameter, third segment short, less than 0.5 the length of second; smooth scaled, white, second segment with scattered gray exteriorly. Antenna with basal portion of shaft slightly dilated, width about 0.2 eye diameter; dorsal scaling dark gray. Scaling of front and crown white, front at times lightly tinged with brownish. Thorax: Collar and tegula white, notum steel blue gray, white at margins. Underside sordid whitish, prothoracic and mesothoracic tibiae and tarsi marked with steel gray exteriorly; hind tibial brush rather short, white. Forewing: Length about 3.2 times width; costa slightly, evenly curved from base to apex; termen moderately strongly angled back; tornal angle a broad curve to dorsum. Pattern similar to E. elutella, the white ground color more extensive, the gray clouding restricted to a series of more or less well-defined spots on costal half except on a broad white area along distal one-third of costa; two or three gray spots in dorsal half near base; dorsal blotch deep metallic purple, containing some bluish white scaling not well defined as a zigzag line; terminal blotch restricted to a deep gray subterminal band tinged with purplish and a broad metallic purple scale row at base of fringe extending to tornus. Fringe lighter gray, white below tornus. Underside mostly pale brownish or ochreous brown, including the broad subcostal fringe. Hindwing: Subcostal pinch fold lined (on dorsal surface of wing) with non-overlapping, black scales, each of which is about 0.6 mm in length; otherwise similar to E. janzeni; costal hair pencil dark ochreous. Ground color white, becoming pale brownish toward margins; fringe and underside white, specialized subcostal scaling of upper side visible. Abdomen: Dorsal scaling pale brownish, second and third terga not distinctly ochreous (as they are in elutella and janzeni); scaling of underside and genitalia cream-white. Genitalia as in Figure 102 (drawn from plesiotype, Puerto Rico, JAP prep. no. 1254; two preparations examined); similar to E. janzeni, saccular angle of valva somewhat more produced, the two spines of fultura (present in elutella and janzeni) lacking.

FEMALE.–Length of forewing 8.0–8.7 mm. Essentially as described for male; eye only slightly smaller; basal area of antenna not dilated, diameter of shaft about 0.75 that of male. Hindwing costal area simple; not appreciably darker than male (as in elutella). Genitalia as in Figure 221 (drawn from plesiotypes, Jamaica, JAP prep. nos. 2383, 2733; two preparations examined); similar to E. elulella, plate subtending ostium asymmetrical, extending further into base of ductus, its dentate patch as in elutella.

TYPE DATA.–“Cuba; E. A. Schwarz and W. Schaus”; holotype female in U.S. National Museum. The species was described from four females; the type and another female, collected by Schaus, bear additional handwritten data which may read “Tanamo” and one other word. One specimen, collected by Schwarz, is labeled “Caymas.”

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION.–Cuba (Santiago; Baracoa); Jamaica (Kingston; Portland Parish; Port Antonio); Puerto Rico (“Lares”).

FLIGHT PERIOD.–Evidently multivoltine, February and March (Jamaica), April, May, July (Puerto Rico), November, December (Cuba).

FOOD PLANT.–Unknown.

REMARKS.–This and the two preceding closely related species have all been taken at lights.

Ethmia fritillella Powell, new species

A moderately large Ethmia in southern Brazil, having brown forewings checkered with shining white.

MALE.–Length of forewing 11.0 mm. Head: Labial palpus moderately strongly upcurved, not quite reaching base of antenna; length of second segment 0.87 eye diameter, of third 0.7 eye diameter; smooth scaled, white, blotched apically on second segment and most of third segment distally, blackish. Antenna not dilated, width of shaft near base 0.18 eye diameter; scape scaling white, marked with shining deep blue dorsally; of shaft white at base, becoming dark brown after first few segments. Scaling of tongue and lower front white, a broad, transverse, median band of deep steel blue between eyes, crown, and occipital tufts white. Thorax: Dorsal scaling white, marked with deep steel blue: base of tegula, a pair of spots between tegulae, a large blotch across the width of notum before scutellum. Underside white, tinged with brownish; trochanters bright ochreous exteriorly; tibiae and tarsi dark brownish, reflecting bluish exteriorly. Forewing: Moderately narrow, length 3.5 times width; costa gently, evenly curved; termen strongly angled back, fringe broad around tornus, giving a concave appearance to dorsum. Ground color brown, reflecting shining purplish, extensively marked with shining white: basal half more or less uniformly checkered with eight large spots; distal half with three small spots at and beyond end of cell, surrounded by four large blotches at upper corner of cell below costa, on tornus, on costa just below apex and a subterminal one above tornus. Fringe white tinged with brown below apex, preceded by a blue-black terminal line. Underside brown; margins white. Hindwing: Slightly broader than forewing; subscostal area with a narrow pinch-fold from near base to about end of cell, enclosing a thin, white hair pencil; costa slightly concave before apex, latter blunt, termen broadly curved to dorsum. Ground color white at base, pale brownish beyond, becoming dark brown in apical area; fringe white. Underside similar, darker, mottled with white in apical area. Abdomen: Dorsal scaling dark brown except second segment with modified, short, ochreous scaling; ventral whitish, genital dark ochreous. Genitalia as in Figure 104 (drawn from holotype, JAP prep. no. 1942; one preparation examined); similar to E. elutella, basal processes shorter, valva apex more strongly curved, fultura plate elongate, with two apical spurs.

FEMALE.–Unknown.

TYPE.–Holotype male, Brazil, Nova Teutonia, Santa Catharina, 300–500 m (27°11′ S, 52°23′W), August 1963 (F. Plaumann); unique, in U.S. National Museum.

REMARKS.–As indicated below, this may be the male of cupreonivella, which is known only from a single female.

Ethmia epilygella Powell, new species

A Brazilian species closely related to the preceding one, with white forewings heavily blotched with shining bronzy brown.

MALE.–Length of forewing 10.0–10.3 mm. Head: Labial palpus moderately elongate, reaching base of antenna; second segment not strongly curved, length 1.15–1.20 eye diameter; third segment nearly straight, 0.75 as long as second; scaling dark brown, reflecting bluish, irregularly blotched with white, more so ventrally and interiorly. Antenna slightly dilated, width of shaft near base 0.21–0.22 eye diameter; scape white, deep metallic blue posteriorly, dorsal scaling of shaft limited to a few segments, white, becoming brown. Scaling of tongue, front and crown white, a dark steel bluish, transverse bar between eyes. Thorax: Dorsal scaling white, marked with dark steel blue: base of tegula, two pairs of large spots on notum, posterior pair perhaps joined. Underside whitish intermixed with brownish; legs marked with dark brown, reflecting bluish, bright ochreous basally to base of femora. Forewing: Length 3.3 times width; costa very slightly curved, termen slightly convex, not strongly angled back. Ground color white, about half to more than half suffused with shining bronzy brown; most contiguous in basal half along costal area, and dorsal area except a bar on dorsal margin at base, a spot at about middle and one at tornus; white otherwise restricted to a series of connected blotches along Cu fold, followed beyond cell by a large blotch covering most of terminal area; in extreme cases, the white spots in part separated, especially those in outer half of wing. Fringe whitish, brownish below apex. Underside brown, the white spots of upper side showing through. Hindwing: Slightly broader than forewing; subcostal area with a narrow pinch fold nearly to end of cell, enclosing a whitish hair pencil; apex acute, termen broadly curved to dorsum. Ground color whitish, becoming pale brownish in distal half. Fringe white. Underside similar, darker. Abdomen: Dorsal scaling brown, except second segment with short ochreous scaling; ventral and genital scaling whitish, genital tinged with pale ochreous. Genitalia as in Figure 103 (drawn from paratype, JAP prep, no. 1940; one preparation examined); similar to E. fritillella, uncus notched, gnathos with dual anterior dentate development; basal processes more elongate; valva with deeper apical notch and elongate sacculus apex; fultura plate smaller, with irregular dentation.

FEMALE.–Length of forewing about 9.6 mm. A single damaged specimen examined. Generally similar to male but more extensive white scaling than any male in the small sample available. Labial palpus slightly shorter, third segment 0.68 as long as second. Antenna not dilated, width of shaft basally 0.16 eye diameter. Hindwing costal area simple. Genitalia not examined.

TYPES.–Holotype male and allotype female: Brazil, Nova Teutonia, Santa Catharina (27°11′ S, 52°23′ W), August 1963 (F. Plaumann); deposited in U.S. National Museum. Two male paratypes: one same data, one same data except September, 1963; in California Insect Survey and U.S. National Museum.

REMARKS.–It is possible that one of the two preceding species is E. cupreonivella, the type of which I have not seen. Except for the larger size, the description of cupreonivella matches the type of fritillella fairly well, but Walsingham’s figure indicates sufficient difference in superficial appearance to warrant provisional separate treatment of the three until genital features of cupreonivella are known.

Ethmia cupreonivella (Walsingham)

Psecadia cupreonivella Walsingham, 1880:77

Ethmia cupreonivella.–Meyrick, 1914:28.

A Brazilian species similar to E. fritillella; known only from the female type, which I have not examined. The following is based on the original description.

MALE.–Unknown.

FEMALE.–Length of forewing 13.2 mm. Head: Labial palpus slender, second segment purplish above, third segment more than half the length of second, purplish, extreme tip white, scaling of tongue and head white. Antenna pale grayish brown, scape slightly thickened dark purplish. Thorax: Dorsum and patagia white. Femora of forelegs orange-ochreous beneath, tibiae and tarsi grayish brown beneath, white above. Mid and hind legs with base only of femora orange-ochreous, tibiae and tarsi spotted with purplish brown. Forewing; Glossy cupreous violet with large shining snow-white spots and blotches: six spots on the basal half and middle of wing (three upon and three below the cell) well defined and separate, others along costa and apical third of wing contiguous to anal angle more or less blended and irregular; a white spot on the middle of base blended with another at base of dorsal margin; above it, on costa and beyond on median vein, shades of dark glossy blue, which are also on lower half of apical margin above anal angle. Costa, except extreme base, white. Fringe white, tinged around apex with grayish brown at tips. Hindwing: Pale grayish brown, rather whitish, not quite transparent towards base. Abdomen: Grayish brown, whitish beneath; anal tuft orange-ochreous. Genitalia not examined.

TYPE DATA.–Brazil, Rio do Espirito Santo; unique female in British Museum.

REMARKS.–If the size given by Walsingham (expanse 28 mm) is correct, I doubt that fritillella, which is superficially very similar, is the male of this species. I have not located the type locality. There is a Rio do Espirito Santo in Bahia, but it seems more likely that the source of a specimen described in 1880 would have been the mouth of some river on the coast of the state of Espirito Santo. In either case the site is likely to be a considerable distance from the interior of Santa Catharina, the type locality for fritillella and epilygella.

THE CHALCODORA COMPLEX

This complex has the southernmost distribution of New World Ethmia, and as a consequence is the most poorly represented in the material available for study. Ethmia chalcodora Meyrick, 1912, from Argentina was the first species of this group to have been described. It has been taken subsequently in Paraguay but is known only from females. E. ungulatella Busck, described in 1914 from Panama, has been found to range northward to Mexico and is the only species of the complex which has been taken at more than one locality subsequent to the original description. Two additional South American species were described by Meyrick in 1930 and 1931 on the basis of unique specimens. In accumulating material for the present study, none of the described South American species have turned up other than in Meyrick’s material, while two undescribed species are represented by a short series, with single males from Bolivia, Brazil and Argentina. In addition, three females from Venezuela and Brazil are referable to two more species, both probably distinct from any previously known form. Thus, most of the species are each known only from a single collection.

It is evident that the preliminary state of knowledge covering New World Ethmia is the most pronounced in this complex. Further collecting in South America will probably reveal the Chalcodora complex to be a large and diversified assemblage of species.

Ethmia notomurinella Powell, new species

An Argentine species related to E. chalcodora but with the dorsal and terminal forewing markings gray.

MALE.–Length of forewing 8.1 mm. Head: Labial palpus moderately elongate; second segment curved, length about equal to eye diameter, third segment slightly curved, length 0.75 that of second; smooth scaled, white with a few grayish scales exteriorly. Antenna dilated, width of shaft basally about 0.25 eye diameter; dorsal scaling whitish basally, becoming gray distally. Scaling of front white, a few scales tipped with grayish, remainder of head scaling white. Thorax: Collar and tegulae white except dark gray at base; dorsal scaling (damaged) apparently white laterally, dark gray medially and on scutellar area. Underside white, coxae tinged with ochreous; prothoracic and mesothoracic tibiae and tarsi gray (these two legs lacking on one side of holotype). Forewing: Length about 3.2 times width; costa slightly curved from base to apex, a little more strongly so near base; termen moderately strongly angled back, tornal angle broadly curved to dorsum. Ground color white; dark, steel gray basal spots as in chalcodora on basal one-third, in cell, and dorsad of cell, distally obscured by mouse gray suffusion as follows: costa narrowly at base, broadly towards middle, beyond middle extending into cell and continuous to area of dorsal blotch (slightly darker, steel gray on fold), white ground interrupting gray costa before terminal area; termen gray, preceded by several ill-defined spots in terminal area. Fringe gray except white at tornus. Underside brownish gray, whitish along dorsal margin; Sc with a rather broad fringe directed into cell. Hindwing: Costal area with a subcostal pinch-fold, enclosing a pale ochreous hair pencil; costal margin slightly concave before apex; termen evenly curved to dorsum. Ground color white, pale ochreous basally, brownish at distal margins; fringe white. Underside whitish tinged with pale brownish, costal and apical areas brown. Abdomen: Dorsal scaling brownish except basal two terga golden-ochreous. Underside and genital scaling cream-white. Genitalia as in Figure 105 (drawn from holotype, JAP prep. no. 1822; one preparation examined); valva deeply notched apically; fultura plates well developed, elongate; basal processes short.

FEMALE.–Length of forewing 8.1–8.4 mm. Essentially as described for male; eye smaller, diameter about 0.9 that of male, labial palpus and antenna shaft basally about as large as in male. Hindwing costal area simple, basal ochreous scaling lacking. Abdomen with ochreous lateroventral genital tufts arising from sclerotized ridges on VII sternite flanking sterigma. Genitalia (Figures 224, 225, drawn from paratopotype, JAP prep. no. 2264; one preparation examined); anterior apophyses short, thin; sterigma without lateral lobes; signum an elongate, transverse, dentate fold, as in E. delliella and bittenella.

TYPE.–Holotype male and allotype female: Argentina, Rio Seco, Cordoba, August 29, 1962 (P. Koehler); deposited in Bavarian States Museum, Munich. Two female paratypes: same data, in Bavarian States Museum and California Insect Survey collections.

REMARKS.–This species is superficially similar to E. chalcodora and E. chalcogramma, while the valva and secondary sexual features of the male, together with the female genitalia, suggest that E. notomurinella may represent, with E. bittenella, a link between the Kirbyi and Cypraeella groups. The scale-bearing, curving ridges of the seventh sternite in the female are unique. Among New World species, only phylacis possesses what appears to be homologous structures.

Ethmia ungulatella Busck

Ethmia submissa is a moth in the family Depressariidae. It is found in Cuba, Jamaica and Puerto Rico. It has also been recorded from southern Florida in the United States.

The length of the forewings is 7–8.7 mm (0.28–0.34 in). It is similar in forewing pattern to Ethmia elutella, but has reduced gray clouding and the dorsal and terminal patches are dark purple rather than the bronzy or coppery purplish of E. elutella and Ethmia janzeni. The ground color of the hindwings is white, becoming pale brownish toward the margins. Adults are on wing in February and March (in Jamaica), in April, May and July (in Puerto Rico) and in November and December (in Cuba). There are multiple generations per year.