Carposina brevinotata

CARPOSINA BREVINOTATA sP. nOV., MEDEIROS & OBOYSKI (FIGS 2 A, 3A, 4A)

Holotype: French Polynesia: Society Islands: Moorea: Mt Mouaputa, 800 m, S17.52654 W149.80339. 15.ix.2009. ♂. PT Oboyski. PTO-904.61. Essig Museum of Entomology, Berkeley (EMEC).

Paratypes: French Polynesia: Society Islands: Tahiti: Mt Marau, 1189 m, S17.60822 W149.5511. 26.iv.2010. 1♂. PT Oboyski. Moorea: Mt Mouaputa, 800 m, S17.5265 W149.8034. 15.ix.2009. 3♂. PT Oboyski. Mt Rotui, ridge trail, 822 m, S17.50740 W149.84012. 5.ix.2008. PT Oboyski. Mt Tohiea ∼ summit, 1190 m, S17.55076 W149.82277. 24.ix.2009. 5♂, 1♀ (slide PTO- 914.43♂). PT Oboyski, A Yang. Mt Tohiea ∼ summit, 1120 m, S17.55191 W149.82112. 23.ix.2009. 2♂, 1♀. PT Oboyski. Mt Tohiea trail, 940 m, S17.55337 W149.81860. 26.ix.2009. 1♂, 1♀ (slide PTO-918.65♀). PT Oboyski. BMNH; BPBM; EMEC; UHIM.

Localities of additional material examined (not part of the type series): French Polynesia: Society Islands: Huahine, Avea Baie ridge, 75m, UVL, 19.VII.2015, PT Oboyski. Moua Tapu, 400m, UVL, 21.VII.2015, PT Oboyski. EMEC.

Diagnosis: A distinctive wing pattern among the known French Polynesian Carposina, with dark black spots against a light brown background (Fig. 2 A). The male genitalia are remarkably unornamented compared with other Polynesian Carposina, with the gnathos barely developed (Fig. 3 A).

Description ( N = 17) (Fig. 2 A): Wing expanse 11– 15 mm. Head light cream colour. Haustellum unscaled. Labial palpus longer than width of eye in male, nearly 2× width of eye in female, dark brown near base of second segment, transitioning to orange then cream colour or light brown by apex of third segment. Antennae of male with long, fine cilia underneath. Thorax, tegula and abdomen cream colour. Foreleg dark brown. Midleg brown with tufts of lighter scales near joints, spurs present. Hindleg entirely very light brown, spurs present. Forewing ground colour very light brown; dark brown subbasal and antemedial spots present along costal margin; these medial spots associated with clusters of raised scales; several smaller orange, brown and dark brown spots present near cell and along terminal margin; fringe minimal. Hindwing and fringe uniformly light pale brown.

Male genitalia (Fig. 3 A): Valvae large, broad, rounded at apex. Uncus nearly absent. Annelar lobes projecting sharply caudal, straight, nearly length of valva.

Saccus broadly U-shaped with small central lobe. Aedeagus long, slender, widened distally, cornuti present just below apex.

Female genitalia (Fig. 4 A): Papillae anales short. Apophyses thin and straight; posterior apophyses relatively long, similar in length to anterior apophyses, both approximately length of ductus bursae. Corpus bursae oval, about 0.5× length of apophysis; signum absent.

Distribution: This species has been collected in areas of native vegetation from 75 m to 1190 m on the islands of Tahiti, Moorea and Huahine, Society Islands, French Polynesia. Sympatric with C. longignathosa sp. nov.

Remarks: The male genitalia of this species are relatively unornamented compared with other Polynesian Carposina. Larval biology and host plant unknown.

Etymology: Forewings of this species have small dark spots on a pale background.