Ethmia linda Busck 1914

Ethmia linda Busck, 1914c:255.–Amsel, 1956:293, pl. 57

A small, widespread Neotropical Ethmia having the white forewing marked by about ten black dots.

MALE.–Length of forewing 7.0–7.3 mm. Head: Labial palpus elongate, well exceeding base of antenna; second segment moderately curved, length 1.15–1.20 eye diameter; third segment slightly curved, 1.0–1.1 as long as second; smooth scaled, white, second segment exteriorly with ill-defined dark scaling on basal half and a distinct black preapical band, third with some blackish near apex. Antenna slightly dilated, width of shaft near base 0.21–0.24 eye diameter, dorsal scaling entirely white. Scaling of tongue, front, and crown white, a large, black middorsal spot on posterior half of head. Thorax: Dorsal scaling white, collar and tegulae dark basally, four black spots on notum, a large pair adjacent to tegulae distally and a smaller pair at sides of scutellum. Underside white, prothoracic and mesothoracic tibiae and tarsi marked with pale brown; hind tibial fringe rather sparse but elongate. Forewing: Length about 3.0 times width; costa evenly curved, apex blunt, termen moderately strongly angled back, tornal angle distinct. Ground color white, faintly tinged with grayish on costal half. Markings as distinct, black, round spots about 0.5 to 0.75 eye diameter, as follows: one in cell at base contiguous with a black shade on basal half of costa, a second spot just beyond base in subcostal area, a row of three dots upwardly oblique from dorsal area at basal one fifth towards midcosta, the first below Cu followed by two in cell, a second, almost parallel, row of four spots from dorsal area at basal one-third to costa before apex, the first just above dorsal margin, second adjoining Cu before end of cell, third adjoining end of cell and fourth before apex; a single spot in tornal area beyond end of cell and sometimes one just below and beyond the preapical area; a row of small, black dots around termen at base of fringe nearly confluent to form a line; fringe white. Underside dark brown with scattered white scales in subcostal and dorsal areas and a pale area of reduced scaling below Sc beyond retinaculum; fringe pale. Hindwing: About as broad as forewing; costal area with a broad pinch-fold from base to beyond end of cell, bearing a fringe of whitish hair scales externally while enclosing a thick brush of distally broadened white scales; costal margin nearly straight, apex blunt, termen moderately strongly angled back. Ground color brown, usually dark at least distally; fringe whitish. Underside whitish, indistinctly brownish in costal area. Abdomen: Dorsal scaling of basal two segments dull ochreous, remainder shining grayish; underside whitish, genital scaling whitish, dorsolateral tufts ochreous. Genitalia as in Figure 167 (drawn from plesiotype, Guatemala, JAP prep. no. 1218; four preparations examined); uncus absent, basal processes enlarged, valva with a cucullus lobe preceded by a deep cleft, bearing the apical “plume,” distal margin with a pair of broad, flat, bladelike setae, vesica with a lightly sclerotized, ill-defined apical plate.

FEMALE.–Length of forewing 7.0 to 7.3 mm. As described for male in external features, except as follows: eye slightly smaller, labial palpus as large as in male, antenna not dilated, width of shaft about 0.75 that of male. Hindwing costal area simple, ground color darker. Second tergite of abdomen only lightly tinged with ochreous scaling. Genitalia with sterigma simple, only lightly sclerotized, base of ductus with a short, sclerotized sleeve; ductus membranous with only one loop; signum variable, with one large and two or three smaller or only a single, flat inner tooth (Figures 280–281, drawn from plesiotype, Veracruz, JAP prep. no. 2592; three preparations examined).

TYPE DATA.–Caracas, Venezuela; type female in U.S. National Museum.

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION.–Venezuela to southern Mexico (eastern Oaxaca, Veracruz, and Yucatan).

FLIGHT PERIOD.–March (Yucatan), July (Veracruz and Oaxaca), August and October (Guatemala), November (Venezuela).

FOOD PLANT.–Unknown.

Ethmia joviella Walsingham

Ethmia linda is a moth in the family Depressariidae. It is found from Venezuela to southern Mexico (eastern Oaxaca, Veracruz and Yucatán).

The length of the forewings is 7–7.3 mm (0.28–0.29 in). The ground color of the forewings is white, faintly tinged with grayish on the costal half. The ground color of the hindwings is brown, usually dark at least distally. Adults are on wing in March (in Yucatán), in July (in Veracruz and Oaxaca), in August and October (in Guatemala) and in November (in Venezuela).