Pseudopostega clavata Davis & Stonis 2007

Pseudopostega clavata

ADULT. Figure 198. Length of forewing 2.2–2.6 mm. Small, mostly cream to light golden brown moth with forewings usually marked by a small, brown dorsal spot near basal third, an elongate, brown spot on distal third of costa, and 2 slender, brown, subapical costal strigulae, with the outer, more faint strigula extending to tornus; apical spot absent. Male with basal fold of gnathos extended caudally to form a prominent median lobe terminating in a clavate, rounded apex (Figure 348). Papillae anales of female bilobed; lobes short, tuberculate, conical (Figure 469).

Head: Vertex white, occipital area cream. Scape white; flagellum brown, ~38–39-segmented. Maxillary palpus white to cream. Labial palpus white to cream, suffused with dark brown laterally.

Thorax: White ventrally, cream to light golden brown dorsally; anterior margin of tegula white. Forewing mostly cream to light golden brown, becoming paler along base of costal margin and near apex, marked by a small, brown dorsal spot near basal third, an elongate dark brown spot on distal third of costa, 2 slender, brown, subapical costal strigulae, with the outer, more faint strigula extending to tornus; apical spot absent; terminal cilia mostly light brown beyond terminal strigula, becoming white to cream around tornus and along outer dorsal margin; venter of forewing light brown except white over basal discal cell area and terminal cilia. Hindwing and cilia white to cream dorsally and ventrally. Legs mostly cream; foreleg with lateral and dorsal surfaces of coxa, femur and tibia light brown; tarsi partially ringed with dark brown; mid- and hindlegs cream.

Abdomen: Light golden brown dorsally, white ventrally.

Male Genitalia: Figures 348, 349. Socii a pair of moderately large, basally contiguous, rounded, setose lobes; caudal rim of uncus slightly concave. Vinculum broad; anterior margin concave. Gnathos a broad, oval plate; basal fold extended caudally to form a prominent median lobe and terminating in a clavate, rounded apex that slightly surpasses caudal margins of socii; midlateral margins of lobe with elongate, narrow folds; anterior margin of gnathos poorly defined, slightly convex. Valva with a moderately large cucullar lobe ~0.25× length of genital capsule, bearing a pectinifer consisting of a single row of 39–42 blunt spines; terminal apex of cucullar lobe subacute, not extended; pedicel broad, width ~0.3× length of cucullar lobe; valva relatively short, length along sacculus ~0.5× length of genital capsule; saccular lobe broad, gradually narrowing to tuberculate, setose apex; basal process of valva short, strongly tapered, acute, slightly shorter than slender, elongate costal lobe. Juxta rudimentary, with only a faint, slender extension from vinculum.

Map 12. Distribution of New World Pseudopostega lobata species group.

Female Genitalia: Figures 46, 468, 469. Abdomen tapering to a slender, slightly rounded, cleft apex. Each posterior apophysis fused for most its length, relatively long, slender. Papillae anales a pair of small, short, divergent, tuberculate, conical, setose lobes; longest setae about 2/3 the length of apophyses; lobes arising from a narrow basal plate consisting of fused bases of lobes; maximum length of lobes ~0.6× width of basal plate (Figure 468). Vestibulum relatively broad, minutely spiculate caudally. Ductus bursae short, relatively broad, with dense rows of small to large pectinations composed of transverse rows of 2–5 spicules continuing anteriorly into caudal end of corpus bursae. Corpus bursae broadly ovate, with a faint band of numerous, moderately elongate, external tubercles extending over most of length of bursa. Ductus spermathecae elongate, nearly as long as entire bursa copulatrix; membranous outer canal long, slender for entire length; inner canal sinuate, with more than 12 convolutions over most the length of canal; inner canal expanding and dividing distally to form a tightly coiled vesiculum and a more membranous, elongate utriculus.

LARVA AND PUPA. Unknown.

HOLOTYPE. ♂; PUERTO RICO: Cayey, 450 m: 2 Aug 1987, V. O. Becker, slide USNM 32898 (USNM).

PARATYPES. PUERTO RICO: Cayey, 450 m: 11 ♂, 4 ♀, 2 UNK, 2 Aug 1987, V. O. Becker, slides USNM 31938, 32734, 32735, 32760, 32761 (USNM, VOB).

HOST. Unknown.

FLIGHT PERIOD. August.

DISTRIBUTION. (Map 12) Known only from the type locality in southeastern Puerto Rico.

ETYMOLOGY. The species name is derived from the Latin clavatus (clubbed), in reference to the diagnostic, clavate shape of the apex of the greatly enlarged basal fold of the male gnathos.

DISCUSSION. This species is most easily recognized by its suffused brownish forewing color and prominent brown costal spot. It may also be destinguished from its sister species, P. lobata, by the broader apex of the male saccular lobe.

Pseudopostega clavata is a moth of the family Opostegidae. It was described by Donald R. Davis and Jonas R. Stonis, 2007. It is known from south-eastern Puerto Rico.

The length of the forewings is 2.2–2.6 mm. Adults have been recorded in August.