Pseudopostega fasciata Davis & Stonis 2007

Pseudopostega dorsalis fasciata

ADULT. Figure 192. Length of forewing 2.4–2.9 mm. Small, mostly white moth with white forewings marked by an oblique, dark fuscous fascia extending from basal fourth of dorsal margin to basal 0.4 of costal margin; subapical costal area mostly fuscous with 2–3 indistinct strigulae and a small white apical spot. Male genitalia similar to P. dorsalis dorsalis; gnathos with slender, attenuated caudal lobe and broadly triangular basal lobe. Papillae anales of female similar to P. dorsalis dorsalis, bilobed, lobes short and usually truncate.

Head: Vestiture white. Scape white; flagellum light golden brown, ~66–69-segmented. Maxillary palpus white. Labial palpus white, with brownish suffusion dorsally.

Thorax: Entirely white. Forewing white, with an oblique, dark fuscous fascia extending from basal fourth of hind margin to basal 0.4 of costal margin; subapical costal area mostly fuscous with 2–3 indistinct strigulae; strigulae 1 and 2 nearly confluent, with 2 enlarging slightly to form an indistinct black apical spot; a distinct, small white apical spot immediately distad of black spot; terminal cilia mostly light fuscous becoming paler and more grayish brown around tornus and along dorsal margin; venter of forewing dark brown except for short, basal white patch. Hindwing and cilia grayish brown dorsally and ventrally. Legs mostly white to cream; foreleg with lateral and dorsal surfaces fuscous; midleg dark fuscous dorsally on terminal three tarsomeres; hindleg cream with light grayish suffusion dorsally on tarsomeres 2 and 3.

Abdomen: Fuscous dorsally, white to cream ventrally.

Male Genitalia: Similar to P. dorsalis dorsalis.

Female Genitalia: Similar to P. dorsalis dorsalis.

LARVA AND PUPA. Unknown.

HOLOTYPE. ♂; COSTA RICA: ALAJUELA: Reserva San Ramón, 800 m: 12 Nov 1999, K. Nishida, slide USNM 32791 (USNM).

PARATYPES. COSTA RICA: ALAJUELA: Finca San Gabriel, 2 km SW Dos Rios, 600 m: 1 UNK, May 1989, GNP Biodiv. Survey, (USNM). CARTAGO: Turrialba, 600 m: 2 ♂, Jul 1981, V. O. Becker, slides DRD 4243, USNM 31802 (USNM, VOB). HEREDIA: Estación Biológica La Selva, 50–150 m., L/06/091: 1 ♀, 10 Jan 1994, INBio-OET, slide USNM 32818 (USNM); L/04/176: 1 ♀, 6 Mar 1996, INBio-OET, DNA voucher D-195, slide USNM 32163 (USNM). Finca Murillo, 9 km NE Vara Blanca, 1500 m: 1 ♂, 9 Apr 2005, K. Nishida, 15/L/00/052 trap, slide USNM 33209 (USNM). GUANACASTE: Estación Cacao, Lado SO Volcán Cacao, P. N. Guanacaste, 1000–1400 m: 1 UNK, May 1991, C. Chaves (INBIO). Estación Pitilla, 9 km S Santa Cecilia, P. N. Guanacaste, 700 m: 1 ♂, 19 Sep–22 Oct 1990, P. Rios & C. Moraga, slide DRD 4265 (INBIO).

HOST. Unknown.

FLIGHT PERIOD. Adults have been collected from May to July and September to November.

DISTRIBUTION. (Map 9) Currently known only from Costa Rica from elevations of 50 to 1500 m.

ETYMOLOGY. The subspecies name is derived from the Latin fasciatus (banded) in reference to the prominent, dark brown band extending obliquely across the forewing.

DISCUSSION. As discussed under the preceeding nominal subspecies, the species P. dorsalis is currently believed to consist of two, partially sympatric subspecies based on their markedly different forewing patterns and identical male genitalia. Pseudopostega dorsalis fasciata differs from P. dorsalis dorsalis by possessing a dark fuscous fascia extending obliquely across the forewing, thus more resembling the adults of P. saltatrix and P. latifurcata apoclina. Male genital morphology readily distinguishes all three species. The small, elongate white spot in the cilia at the apex of the forewing of P. dorsalis fasciata further associates this subspecies with the nominal subspecies and helps to distinguish it from the superficially similar, much more widespread P. saltatrix.