Pseudopostega fumida Davis & Stonis 2007

Pseudopostega fumida

ADULT. Figure 146. Length of forewing 2.1 mm. Small, predominantly glossy gray moth with a largely white head and forewing with a small indistinct, fuscous costal spot near distal third, two fuscous, subapical costal strigulae, and a small fuscous apical spot. Gnathos of male genitalia with broad, rectangular base abruptly narrowing to elongate, slender caudal lobe; basal fold triangular,

Map 5. Distribution of New World Pseudopostega spatulata species group.

relatively indistinct from ventral view (Figures 278, 279). Female unknown.

Head: Vestiture white except cream frontal tuft. Scape white; flagellum glossy pale brown, ~32-segmented. Maxillary and labial palpi glossy pale brown.

Thorax: Coppery grayish brown, glossy. Forewing coppery grayish brown, with small fuscous spot on distal third of costa; two fuscous, subapical costal strigulae present; strigula 1 terminating at small fuscous apical spot; strigula 2 less developed; cilia brown; venter of forewing brown. Hindwing and cilia brown both dorsally and ventrally. Legs mostly brownish gray.

Abdomen: Color not observed.

Male Genitalia: Figures 278, 279. Socii consisting of a pair of stout, elongate, rounded, setose lobes broadly separated a distance ~0.75× length of cucullar lobe; caudal rim of uncus shallowly concave. Vinculum gradually narrowed anteriorly; anterior margin subtruncate. Gnathos with broad, laterally thickened, rectangular base abruptly narrowing to elongate, slender, acute caudal lobe; anterior margin of gnathos relatively membranous, truncate; basal fold triangular, relatively short and indistinct from ventral view (Figure 278). Valva with a relatively large cucullar lobe ~0.3× length of genital capsule, bearing a pectinifer consisting of a single row of 32–34 slender, blunt spines; distal apex of cucullar lobe well developed, terminating in a conical tuberculate, setose apex; pedicel short and broad; width ~0.3× length of cucullar lobe; length of valva along sacculus ~0.6× length of genital capsule; saccular lobe moderately stout, short, subacute; basal process of valva long, acute, exceeding length of costal process. Juxta poorly developed as a rudimentary, sinuous rod.

FEMALE, LARVA AND PUPA. Unknown.

HOLOTYPE. ♂; BELIZE: CAYO DISTRICT: S. of Teakettle Village, Pook’s Hill Nature Reserve: 28–29 Apr 1998, secondary tropical forest, R. Puplesis, slide AD 0447 (VPU).

HOST. Unknown.

FLIGHT PERIOD. April (unique record).

DISTRIBUTION. (Map 5) Known only from the type locality in secondary, tropical forest of central Belize.

ETYMOLOGY. The specific name is derived from the Latin fumida (smoked-colored, darkened), as suggested by the unusual dark color of the moth.

DISCUSSION. This species is easily recognized by the combination of its unusually dark grayish wing color and pale head. The caudal lobe of the male gnathos is long, slender, and dorsally recurved more than any other member of the spatulata group.

Pseudopostega fumida is a moth of the family Opostegidae. It is only known from secondary, tropical forest in central Belize.

The length of the forewings is about 2.1 mm. Adults are glossy gray with a largely white head. Adults have been collected in April.