Pseudopostega texana Davis & Stonis 2007

Pseudopostega texana

ADULT. Figure 207. Length of forewing 2.5–3.0 mm. Small, mostly white moth with a small, broadly triangular, dark brown costal spot at distal three-fifths of forewing and as many as 3 dark brown, subapical costal and 1 tornal strigulae. Male genitalia with minutely furcate gnathos (Figure 364). Papillae anales of female consisting of a pair of small, short lobes divided to base (Figure 475).

Head: Vestiture white. Scape white, sometimes with dark brown suffusion along anterior edge. Flagellum golden cream, ~63–67-segmented. Maxillary palpus white. Labial palpus white with brown suffusion laterally.

Thorax: White; anterior margin of tegula dark brown. Forewing mostly white with a small, slender, dark brown costal spot at distal three-fifths; a few light brown scales sometimes evident at basal one-third of dorsal margin; a small, black apical spot present; area immediately basal to spot often slightly suffused with pale brown; a maximum of 3 dark brown, subapical costal strigulae consisting of a short, often absent, basal, costal strigula (1) beyond costal spot; a prominent, terminal strigula (3) extending from costa and curving slightly around apical spot to termen; a less distinct subterminal, costal strigula (2) terminating near apical spot, and a similar tornal strigula extending from apical spot to tornus; terminal cilia brown along terminal strigula, then becoming white around tornus; venter of forewing light brown to gray. Hindwing and cilia light brown both dorsally and ventrally. Legs mostly white, with lateral surfaces of fore- and midlegs dark brown and lighter brown on hindlegs.

Abdomen: Brown dorsally; white to cream ventrally and laterally.

Male Genitalia: Figures 364, 365. Socii a pair of small rounded, setose lobes, widely separated by a distance ~0.6× length of cucullar lobe; caudal rim of uncus deeply concave, broadly V-shaped. Vinculum broad; anterior margin narrowly rounded to slightly concave. Gnathos triangular, broad at base, tapering to short, slender, minutely furcate, caudal apex; anterior margin slightly convex; basal fold produced and deepest at midventer, becoming extremely narrow laterally (Figure 364). Valva with elongate cucullar lobe ~0.6× length of genital capsule, bearing pectinifer consisting of ~26–33 blunt spines; distal apex of cucullar lobe undeveloped, rounded; pedicel moderately stout, width ~0.18× length of cucullar lobe; valva elongate, length along sacculus ~0.85× length of genital capsule; saccular lobe moderately broad, tapering to setose, rounded apex; basal process of valva short, acuminate; costal process of valva relatively long and slender, exceeding length of basal process by ~0.35× length. Juxta not developed.

Female Genitalia: Figure 474, 475. Abdomen tapering to a moderately broad, subacute, slightly cleft apex. Each posterior apophysis fused most its length, slender, elongate. Papillae anales consisting of a pair of small, short lobes divided to base and bearing numerous, moderately long setae, the longest ~0.33 as long as posterior apophyses; length of each lobe ~1.2× width (Figure 475). Vestibulum broad, membranous without spicules; ductus bursae moderately broad, with elongate zone of relatively indistinct spicules, a few of which are arranged in short rows of 2–3 spicules. Corpus bursae broadly oval, with a faint, irregular U-shaped band of numerous, relatively elongate, blunt, external tubercles partially encircling most the length of bursa (Figure 474). Spermathecal duct ~0.8–0.9× length of bursa copulatrix; membranous outer canal narrow; inner canal long, sinuous, terminating in ~1–2 convolutions; vesicle a relatively large, bilobed tube.

LARVA AND PUPA. Unknown.

HOLOTYPE. ♂; USA: TEXAS: San Patricio Co.: R[ob] and B[essie] Welder Refuge, 14–15 Jul 1985, J. E. Gillaspy, slide USNM 32471 (USNM).

PARATYPES. USA: TEXAS: Cameron Co.: Sabal Palm Sanctuary: 1 ♀, 19–20 Apr 1998, E. C. Knudson (USNM). Hidalgo Co.: Santa Ana Nat. Wildlife Refuge: 6 ♂, 3 ♀, 6 Sep 1992, 1 ♂, 8 Oct 1991, E. C. Knudson, slides USNM 32492,32493, 32844, 32847 (TLS, USNM).

HOST. Unknown.

FLIGHT PERIOD. Adults have been collected in April and July to early October.

DISTRIBUTION. (Map 15) Rio Grande Valley of southern Texas and probably south into Mexico.

ETYMOLOGY. The species name is derived from the general type locality, Texas.

DISCUSSION. The broad, triangular base of the male gnathos of P. texana is similar to that more characteristic of the triangularis group, but on the basis of a bifurcate, although much reduced, caudal lobe, this species has been included in the divaricata group. This species also differs from other members of the group by the presence of a moderately well developed basal fold on the gnathos. The papillae anales of the female consists of a pair of short, rounded lobes minutely separated at their bases.

Pseudopostega texana is a moth of the family Opostegidae. It was described by Donald R. Davis and Jonas R. Stonis, 2007. It is known from the Rio Grande Valley of southern Texas, probably south into Mexico.

The length of the forewings is 2.5–3 mm. Adults have been recorded in April and from July to early October.