Blastobasis xiphiae Adamski, new species

(Figs. 83–84, 286, 328, Map 10)

Diagnosis.— Blastobasis xiphiae is similar to B. iuanae in facies but differs from the latter by having a more protuberant median lobe of the posteroventral margin of the gnathos; a narrower ventral part of the valva; and a narrower proximal flange of the dorsal part of the valva. B. xiphiae also has and a base of the phallus that is unmodified and a dorsal strut of the tegumen that is lacking in B. iuanae.

Description.—Head: Scales on vertex and frontoclypeus brown tipped with pale brown. Outer and inner surfaces of labial palpus brown intermixed with pale-brown scales along apical margins of segments 1–2. Antennal scape and pecten pale brown, flagellum brownish gray gradually darkening apically; first flagellomere in male dilated, inner surface of dilated part with 13 palmate sex scales (n=1), (Fig. 286). Proboscis pale brown.

Thorax: Tegula agouti patterned, with brown on basal and apical 1/3s, and pale brown on middle 1/3; mesonotum brown on basal 1/5, pale brown on apical 4/5. Legs with scales brown tipped with pale brown intermixed with pale-brown scales near midsegments and along apical margins of all segments and tarsomeres. Forewing (Fig. 328): Length 4.5–5.2 mm (n = 3), with pale-brown scales tipped with white intermixed with brown scales tipped with pale brown and few dark-brown scales; base brown, area beyond paler than apical 2/3; median fascia faint, complete or incomplete; cell with three dark-brown spots, one spot near middle, two spots on apical end along crossvein. Undersurface brown. Hindwing: Translucent pale brown gradually darkening to apex.

Abdomen: Male genitalia (Figs. 83–84): Uncus gradually narrowed from base, narrowly rounded apically, slightly downcurved, sparsely setose, shorter than width of anal opening. Dorsal strut of tegumen linear, fusing with base of uncus. Gnathos wide, confluent with tegumen, posteroventral margin slightly protracted mesially, bidentate; midwidth of pigmented area of gnathos shorter than midwidth of uncus. Sockets of tergal setae not extending beyond midlength of tegumen. Valva divided; ventral part nearly parallelsided, narrowed apically, forming inwardly curved spinelike process; process setose on outer surface, planate on inner surface; ventral margin setose from slightly beyond base, upturned slightly beyond base, forming narrow fold to near setose lobe at base of apical process; dorsal part with apical portion of costa extending dorsally, forming setose digitate process; digitate process broadly curved inwardly; area beneath costa overlaid with densely packed microtrichiate membrane extending above and below phallus to opposite side; basal ridge of digitate process protracted ventrally fusing with dorsolateral ridge of proximal flange; base of proximal flange cleft, extending laterally, forming angular and protuberant ridge; membrane above proximal flange bearing several conical setae intermixed with sparse microtrichiae. Juxta bandlike. Vinculum semicircular. Phallus and valva nearly equal in lengths; sclerite of phallus shorter than valva, broadly curved near midlength; anellus slightly narrowed from base, broadly rounded apically, setose. Female Genitalia: Unknown.

Holotype, 3, “ 3 km NO de Nacaome, 100 m, P[arque] N[aciónal] Barra Honda, Prov[incia] Guan[acaste], COSTA RICA, 3 a 30 May [o] 1993, M. Reyes, L-N-239000, 386000”, “INBio: COSTA RICA: CRI001, 400773” [barcode label], “INBio 3 Genitalia Slide by D. Adamski, No. 3599” [yellow label].

Paratypes (2 3): 1 3, “Fca. Jenny, 30 km N de Liberia, P.N. Guanacaste, Prov. Guan., COSTA RICA, R. Espinosa, Jun. 1991, L-N-316200, 364400”, “CRI000, 323818”, “Slide No. 3453”; 1 3, “Est. Murciélago, 8 km SO de Cuajiniquil, Prov. Guan., COSTA RICA, 100 m, 7–25 Abr. 1994, C. Cano, L-N-320300, 347200, # 2808”, “CRI001, 764084”, “Slide No. 3589”, “USNM 83773” [1 in INBio, 1 in USNM].

Distribution (Map 10). Blastobasis xiphiae is known from three collecting sites in western Costa Rica; two in the northwestern dry forest region, and one in the south on the Nicoya Peninsula.

Etymology. The specific epithet xiphiae is derived from the Latin xiphias, meaning sword fish.

MAP 10. Distribution of Blastobasis xiphiae (●) and B. graminea (˔).