TENNENT ET AL.: New species of Epimastidia and Paraduba HERNÁNDEZ ET AL.: New species of Oidaematophorus TROP. LEPID. RES., 24(1): 15-21, 2014 15 A NEW SPECIES OF OIDAEMATOPHORUS (LEPIDOPTERA: PTEROPHORIDAE) FROM CHINGAZA NATIONAL NATURAL PARK IN COLOMBIA Linda C. Hernández1, Luz Stella Fuentes2a, Gonzalo E. Fajardo2b, and Deborah L. Matthews3 1Departamento de Entomología, Centro de Bio-Sistemas Universidad Jorge Tadeo Lozano., Bogotá, Colombia, [email protected]; 2Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas e Ingeniería, Universidad Jorge Tadeo Lozano., Bogotá, Colombia, [email protected], [email protected]; 3McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, [email protected] Abstract - Oidaematophorus espeletiae, sp. nov., is described from the Chingaza páramo in Colombia. The life history, external characters of the adult, male and female genitalia, final instar larva, and pupa are described and illustrated. This moth species is widely distributed in the páramo. Larvae cause damage in meristem leaves of frailejones (Espeletia spp., Asteraceae). Identification and continuing studies of this moth are important to determine its potential role in the reported death of numerous frailejones in the area. The hosts, Espeletia grandiflora and E. uribei are some of the keystone species of the páramo ecosytem. Resumen - Se describe Oidaematophorus espeletiae, sp. nov del páramo de Chingaza, Colombia. Se describen e ilustran la historia de vida, caracteres externos del adulto, genitalia de macho y hembra, último instar larval, y pupa. Esta polilla se encuentra ampliamente distribuida en el páramo. Las larvas ocasionan daños en las hojas del meristemo de los frailejones (Espeletia spp., Asteraceae). La identificación y futuros estudios de esta polilla son importantes para determinar su rol potencial en la mortalidad de estas plantas. Los huéspedes Espeletia grandiflora y E. uribei, son algunas de las especies fundamentales del ecosistema de páramo. Key words: Chingaza, Colombia, Espeletia, frailejones, genitalia, life history, larvae, Neotropical, páramo, pupae INTRODUCTION commonly referred to as frailejones, have thick trunks and succulent pubescent rosette leaves, as well as marcescent leaves. Tribe Oidaematophorini is difficult to subdivide into genera The meristem leaves are especially pubescent, an adaptation and species, especially with regards to Adaina Tutt (1905), for temperature extremes, UV exposure, and defense against Hellinsia Tutt (1905), and Oidaematophorus Wallengren herbivores (Cross 2001, Holt 2001). (1862). The latter genus contains 43 species (Gielis 2003) and In this study a new species of the genus Oidaematophorus is characterized by scale bristles on the mid legs at the base of is described and illustrated, including larvae and pupae collected spur pairs, forewing veins R2, R3, R4, R5 separate and R1 absent, from Espeletia in Calostros brook, Chingaza National Natural forewing Cu1 arising from the posterior angle of the discal cell, Park (Cundinamarca, Colombia), and some aspects of its life and Cu2 from the cell. Males possess asymmetrical valvae with history and distribution are presented. spines and saccular processes and the female genitalia have a bell or widened funnel-shaped antrum and the bursa copulatrix MATERIALS AND METHODS is without signa (Gielis 1993, 2011). This genus is distributed worldwide with most species Larvae and pupae were collected along Calostros Brook in found in the Neotropical and Nearctic Regions (Matthews Chingaza. Specimens were reared in the entomology laboratory 2008). Larvae of Pterophoridae have different habits and forms, of the Bio-Sistemas Center, Jorge Tadeo Lozano University e.g., “solitary feeders” when there is only one larva per plant, (Chia-Colombia) at an average temperature 14±0.5 C°, relative foliage and flower feeders, and stem borers. The majority of humidity of 80%, and photoperiod of 12:12 h light: dark. species feed on the angiosperm families Asteraceae, Lamiaceae, Larvae were fed with Espeletia leaves and adults with a 10% Fabaceae, and to a lesser extent, Solanaceae, Rosaceae, honey solution. Boraginaceae, and others (Matthews and Lott 2005, Matthews Genitalia dissections were prepared following the 2008, 2010). Known hosts of the genus Oidaematophorus methodology of Clarke (1941). Illustrations of dissections and belong to the Asteraceae and Boraginaceae (Matthews and Lott slide preparations were prepared using a Nikon AW100 camera 2005). and KOZO Stereo Microscope. Descriptions and identifications Pterophorid larvae can cause serious damage in different are based on comparison with known reference specimens, families of plants. In Espeletia Mutis ex Humb. & Bonpl. genitalia preparations on slides, and published illustrations by (Asteraceae), essential native plants in the trophic structure Gielis (2011), including those of a similar species, Hellinsia of the páramo, Salinas et al. (2013) reported that larvae of conjunctus (Zeller, 1877) [1♂ lectotype, genitalia slide BM Oidaematophorus are borers of meristem leaves and cause a 18704 (National Museum of Natural History, London), 1♂ partial loss of tissue, as well as withering of the leaves, but paralectotype, genitalia slide CG 3132 (Naturalis, Leiden)], do not directly cause mortality in plants. Espeletia species are from Bogotá, Colombia (Gielis 2011). part of the flora that characterizes the páramo ecosystem, the The holotype and paratypes are deposited in Chía, most species-rich zone located in the transition altoandino- Centro de Bio-Sistemas, Jorge Tadeo Lozano University subpáramo. Approximately 100 Espeletia species are found in [CIAA] and preserved larvae and pupae at the McGuire the northwestern Andes (Fagua and Gonzalez 2007). Espeletia, Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity, Florida Museum of 16 TROP. LEPID. RES., 24(1): 15-21, 2014 HERNÁNDEZ ET AL.: New species of Oidaematophorus Natural History, University of Florida [MGCL]. General setal cream at base and light chestnut at tip of scale tuft; tarsomeres chestnut, basal nomenclature and specific terminology used in describing the segment flecked with cream scaling medially.Mesothoracic coxa cream at base of scales to dark chestnut at tip; femur chestnut and tibia dark brownish with immatures follow that of Stehr (1987) and Matthews (2006). cream stripe along anterolateral margin and cream posterior internal margin with light chestnut at tip of scales; tibia with one pair of unequal spurs and Oidaematophorus espeletiae, Hernández, Fuentes, with medial and terminal scale tufts at base of spurs; tarsomeres I-V cream Fajardo & Matthews, sp. nov. (Figures 1-5, 7-8, 13, 14-15) ventrally and I-II chestnut dorsally. Metathoracic leg with coxa and tibia as on midleg; femur chestnut along anterolateral margin and cream on posterior internal margin; tibia with one pair of spurs: proximal pair longer with medial Diagnosis. The maculation of the new species differs slightly from that of spur slightly longer than lateral spur; distal spurs longest; spurs light gray at Hellinsia conjunctus in that the forewing has a triangular/oblique dash basad of base and black at tip with terminal scale tuft light gray with cream; tarsomeres the cleft that is not contiguous with the costal dash, and dark spots scattered on cream, faint light chestnut at base. Forewing length 3.0 - 4.0 mm, mean (n=12, the dorsum of the second lobe. Similarly, the cell area basad of the triangular/ Holotype= 4.0 mm); cleft origin at about 2/3 from wing base; dorsal surface oblique dash is gray whereas in H. conjunctus it is white with black spots. The gray at base and apically cream with black scales scattered along anal margin contrast between the fore- and hindwings is also greater in O. espeletiae, which including second lobe; costa with transverse black dash basad of apex (between has no dark scale tuft on the tip of the first lobe of the hindwings. R2 and R3); cleft base with diffuse black triangular dash; with longitudinal light The male genitalia of O. espeletiae (Fig. 4-5, 7) are distinguishable from gray line on fringes; cell light gray until middle of wing; fringe cream on second the aforementioned species based on the length and curvature of the left valve lobe (Cu1 and Cu2) with spots scattered along the lobe, with gray scales at wing and saccular process (Fig. 6-7). The saccular process extends laterally from base; fringe scales filiform, light chestnut along posterior margin and distally on a thickened base near the juncture of the tegumen and vinculum. The curved both lobes. Hindwing trilobed, cream dorsally, chestnut ventrally; fringe scales portion of this spine-like process extends over about 3/4 of the valve length. chestnut. Abdomen variable (Fig. 1, 3), dark chestnut, with diffuse variable Its apex is hooked in contrast to that of H. conjunctus (Fig. 6) which is simply cream, lateral lines with dark spots and cream, midventral line with dark spots. pointed and straight. In addition, in O. espeletiae the base of the saccular Male genitalia (Figs. 4-5, 7). Uncus well-developed, sclerotized, strongly process has a small hump, the right valva is more slender, and both valvae have curved and slender. Tegumen bilobed. Valvae asymmetrical, both with distinct distinct folds in the middle. fold in middle (Fig. 4); left valva elongated, broader, slightly swollen, with Description (male, female). Based on the holotype (male) (Fig. 1) and curved, spinose saccular process in middle; spine of saccular