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1 Zootaxa 3869 (2): Copyright 2014 Magnolia Press Article ISSN (print edition) ZOOTAXA ISSN (online edition) Haruchlora maesi, a new emerald moth genus and species from Mesoamerica (Lepidoptera, Geometridae, Geometrinae) JAAN VIIDALEPP 1,3 & AARE LINDT 2 1 Estonian University of Life Sciences, Kreutzwaldi 5D, EE Tartu, Estonia. jaan.viidalepp@emu.ee 2 Estonian Museum of Natural History, Lai St 29A, EE Tallinn, Estonia. aare@loodusmuuseum.ee 3 Corresponding author Abstract A new genus and species of Neotropical emerald geometrid moths, Haruchlora Viidalepp & Lindt, gen. nov., and Haruchlora maesi Viidalepp & Lindt, sp. nov. are described. The new genus differs from all other New World Geometrinae genera in having a bifid uncus, in characters of the pregenital segments of the male abdomen, and in the male genitalia. Key words: Haruchlora, new genus, new species, taxonomy, Geometridae, Nicaragua, Costa Rica Introduction There are 38 Neotropical genera of the subfamily Geometrinae recognised and redescribed by Pitkin (1996). The Neotropical genera hitherto described have either a reduced uncus or one with a digitate apical process, except for some species of Tachyphyle Butler and Dichordophora Prout. Both genera have green wings with almost straight white antemedial and postmedial lines. Tachyphyle is characterised by hind legs on which the proximal spurs are reduced and shifted to the base of the distal spurs. However, the species described below is likely mentioned twenty years ago by Pitkin (1993: 56) in her review of Lissochlora from Costa Rica as one unidentified species (genus unknown), concerning a moth with a bifid uncus. Unfortunately the specimen mentioned by L. Pitkin was not examined because its current deposition is unknown. When preparing the slide no from a moth from Nicaragua described below, it was initially considered to be a teratological Lissochlora specimen (Viidalepp et al. 2010), but later an additional series of identical specimens was detected among moths collected in Costa Rica by Aare Lindt. We associate this species with the tribe Nemoriini according to its wing markings and characteristics of the antennae, the build of male hind legs and the structure of the pregenital segment, and the venation of wings. The tribe Nemoriini was recognised by Ferguson (1969, 1985) as an American genus group and re-defined (as a subtribe Nemoriiti) by Holloway (1996) to include Indo-Australian genera of the Ochrognesiini Inoue, The shape of the eighth sternite of the male abdomen, bilobed at its posterior edge, is the most consistent feature of the tribe (Holloway 1996). Pitkin (1996) listed 14 genera of nemoriines. In the keys of geometrine genera (Pitkin 1993: 48 51; 1996: ), the comparison of external characters of the species described below, leads to the Lissochlora albociliaria species group, as the ante- and postmedial lines on wings are replaced by pairs of grey and white veinmarks. The emerald moth genus Lissochlora Warren, 1900 (type species: Aplodes flavifimbriata Warren, 1897) was originally described based on the characters of wing shape and pattern. Prout (1912) subsequently synonymised Lissochlora with Racheospila Guenée, 1857, and Lissochlora flavifimbria with Nemoria bryata Felder & Rogenhofer. He structured this huge genus Racheospila in informal species groups. Prout (1932) also used informal species groups to divide the large genus Racheospila. Pitkin (1993) redefined Lissochlora as a genus characterised by the presence of a lateral spur or kink to the aedeagus of the male genitalia, and by the absence of Accepted by E. Beljaev: 15 Sept. 2014; published: 30 Sept

2 autapomorphic characters of related genera Nemoria Hübner (the presence of basal costal projections to valvae in the male genitalia), Phrudocentra Warren (the spindle shape of genital capsule in males), Paromphacodes Warren (the absence of proximal spurs on hind legs) and Synchlora Guenée (the socii sclerotised rigid in the male genitalia). She re-defined the L. albociliaria species group and restricted the group to seven closely related species. Viidalepp & Lindt (2012) transferred two species, L. senescens Prout and L. niveiceps Prout, from Phrudocentra to Lissochlora due to the absence of a spindle-shape of male genital capsule and the presence of a broad costal plate on valva in both species (a similar sclerotised costal plate is absent in Phrudocentra species). Material and methods The present study was initiated by attempts to identify moths in the collections of the Estonian Museum of Natural History (EMNH, Tallinn) and in the IZBE insect collection deposited at the Estonian University of Life Sciences (Tartu). Venation of wings and other external characters of moths were inspected directly under 40x magnification, due thin scaling of wings. Adult moths were mostly photographed prior to investigation of genital structures. Palpi, antennae, legs and details of wing venation were measured using an ocular micrometer and binocular microscope BM-2. The same approach was used to measure the length of parts of the male hind tibia and tarsus, the length of proximal spurs of the male hind leg and the distance from the base of proximal spurs to the base of distal spurs in dry specimens or on permanent slides. The length of the distal process of the tibia was measured from its tip to the base of distal spurs on the inner side of the tibia, and compared to the length of the basal tarsomere. These characters, as well as the number of spurs on hind legs are characteristics of several nemoriine genera. Moths were photographed using a Canon 300D digital camera, while genital slides were photographed with a Leica EC3 digital camera. Photographs were made clearer using Adobe Photoshop Elements vers. 7. Genital slides of males and females were treated using established procedures (Hardwick 1950), inspected in glycerol and embedded in Euparal, and photographed in ventral view. Photos made by the first author, Figs 9 and 10 by T. Viidalepp. Description of the new genus Haruchlora Viidalepp & Lindt, gen. nov. Figs 1, 3 5, 9. Type species: Haruchlora maesi Viidalepp & Lindt, sp. nov. Description. ADULT (Figs 1, 9). Wings thinly scaled. Emerald green moths with ante- and postmedial lines of forewing as short brown-grey streaks along veins with attached white spots. Antennae shortly bipectinate in male. Hindwing with veins Rs and M 1 stalked, M 3 and CuA 1 separated, the subcostal vein touching the anterior margin of discal cell at one point. Abdominal tergites green, anterior ones with white blotches surrounded with red-brown outline. Third sternite of male abdomen with pair fields of modified, deciduous scales (inferred from presence of enlarged scale bases thecae). Hind legs with two pairs of spurs, distance between spur pairs exceeding the length of spurs; hair pencil present. PREGENITAL AND GENITAL STRUCTURES (Figs 3 5). Male abdominal sternite A8 shorter than tergite A8, with anterior edge straight, posterior edge with two short finger-like projections bearing long hair pencils (Fig. 5). Vinculum rounded, shorter than tegumen, tegumen higher and much slenderer than vinculum (Fig. 3). Uncus long, apically bifid, the distal portions curved outwardly. Socii outcurved laterally lyre-shaped. Gnathos a broad loop with minute distal triangular tip. Valva without costal basal process; a long serrate harpe from base of valva, projecting beyond costal edge. Another sclerotised costal process projecting from dorso-distal costal edge towards the tip of valva. Juxta small, without ventral papilla (ventral funnel-like invagination of juxta following Pitkin 1993). Coremata short. Aedeagus (Fig. 4) as in Nemoria and Lissochlora (Fig. 7), short spoon-shaped, apex of anellar plate rounded, lateral spur to aedeagus absent. Diagnosis. The shape of uncus and that of sternite A8, the presence of harpe on valva are genus-level characters for Haruchlora, gen. nov. 166 Zootaxa 3869 (2) 2014 Magnolia Press VIIDALEPP & LINDT

3 Haruchlora maesi Viidalepp & Lindt, sp. nov. Figs 1, 3 5, 9. Holotype:, Nicaragua, Matagalpa prov., Selva Negra Estate, (J. Viidalepp & V. Viidalepp leg.). Paratypes: 1, the same locality but , genit. slide 8311, and 2, the same locality, but , genital slide 8362 (J. Viidalepp & V. Viidalepp leg.); 3, Costa Rica, Ujarras, 1660 m, , N, W genit. slide 8413 (A. Lindt leg.). Holotype and three paratypes are deposited in IZBE collection, Tartu, Estonia, other paratypes in coll. Estonian Natural History Museum and coll. A. Lindt, Tallinn, Estonia. Description. MALE. Wing span mm in male (Fig. 1, 9). Head with frons of head dark cold brown, ventrally paler, fillet broadly white, vertex green, thin tan or rosy line between. Male antennal pectinations dark brown, up to 0.55 mm long at the tenth antennomere, antenna grey-brown dorsally, lined white inward. Palpus fuscous above and whitish below, 3rd segment brown, 0.27 mm long in male. Proboscis present. Thorax and abdomen dorsally green, with large white spots at tergites A1 and A3 edged red-brown, segment A4 with a small plain white blotch. The abdomen of Haruchlora and the Lissochlora albociliaria group bears white blotches on anterior tergites. The white spot at the first tergite is roundish in H. maesi and larger than in Lissochlora inconspicua (Bastelberger) (Fig 2). The latter species and L. albociliaria have a subquadratish white spot at the tergite A1. Forewing costal edge lined by white and shadowed by thin grey line in male; discal spot dark grey, three antemedial marks and row of postmedial streaks bicolorous; the costal spot of postmedial row larger, followed by three radial spots in a straight row (Fig. 1). The spot at vein M 2 is shifted inward in species grouped with L. albociliaria by Pitkin (1993) (Fig. 2, L. inconspicua). Hindwing discal spot and the postmedial spot at the vein M 3 grey, other postmedial spots green, without white marks distally. No marginal line, white marginal spots at vein ends small, fringe creamy white, marked with brownish opposite to vein ends. Hind tibia longer than tarsus (as long as tarsus if the length of its distal projection not taken into account), distal projection stout, 0.67 mm long. MALE GENITALIA. Uncus bifid, the parts diverging lyre-shaped (Fig. 3); socii more rigid than uncus, broad at base and parallel-sided distally. Male genitalia as in the genus description. Aedeagus (Fig. 4) without a lateral spur. Pregenital abdominal segments: sternite A8 one-half length of tergite A8, edged straight anteriorly and with a pair of tufted projections posteriorly (Fig. 5). Sternite A3 with a pair of patches of deciduous needle-shaped scales. FEMALE. unknown. Distribution. Known from mountains of northern Nicaragua and central Costa Rica. Biology. The moths were collected at light near primary mountainous forest and coffee plantations at about m above sea level in Nicaragua (Fig. 10) and at about 1600 m in Costa Rica, flying in November and February. Discussion. Facies of moths fit with the concept of Lissochlora albociliaria (Herrich-Schäffer) species group (Pitkin 1993) in green ground colour of wings, bicolour maculation bordering the medial area of forewing, build of antennae (pectinated in male), palpi (with 3rd segment short in male), structure of male hind tibiae (dilated triangular, provided with 2 pairs of spurs, hair pencil and distal projection of the slice hiding the pencil). The male genitalia of species from the L. albociliaria group (Figs 6, 7, 8) are characterised by uncus hoodlike, broad, tapering to small crest of tiny teeth and wispy tuft of hairs ; process of uncus short. Socii with narrow apical part and broad base. Gnathos a fairly broad loop with broad blunt distal tooth. Juxta usually without papilla... (Pitkin 1993: 56) (as in L. inconspicua, Fig. 6). The species of the genus Lissochlora have uncus usually rod-like, socii semi-membranous, rounded or linear, gnathos looped with narrow sharp distal tooth, valva with costal plate, which is sometimes broad. Valva of the new species lacks a basal costal process (which is distinctive for Nemoria, the taxonomically closest genus). The characters of the new genus and species are probably autapomorphic as follows: the uncus bifid and socii strongly lyre-shaped; harpe present, long and projecting beyond the costa; gnathos a broad loop with a tiny conical distal tip, just a point; male sternite A8 with a pair of tufted projections close together. Paired projections to the eight sternite, close one to another, also occur in Indo-Australian Eucyclodes Guenée. The shape of uncus and that of sternite A8, the presence of harpe on valva are genus-level characters for Haruchlora, gen. nov. Etymology. The senior author is thankful to Dr. J.-M. Maes (León, Nicaragua) for the invitation to participate in studying the fauna of Nicaragua. Haru means branch in Estonian; the uncus is bi-branched in the new genus of emerald green moths. HARUCHLORA MAESI, NEW GENUS AND SPECIES Zootaxa 3869 (2) 2014 Magnolia Press 167

4 FIGURES 1 8. Moths and the male genitalia of Haruchlora, gen. nov., and Lissochlora Warren. 1, 3 5 Haruchlora maesi, sp. nov.: 1 holotype male (Nicaragua), 3 5 the male genitalia and male abdominal sternite A8 of a paratype (Nicaragua). 2 Lissochlora inconspicua (Bastelberger), female (Nicaragua). 6 8 Lissochlora albociliaria (Herrich-Schäffer), the male genitalia and male abdominal sternite A8 (Ecuador). 3, 6 male genital armature, 4, 7 aedeagus, 5, 8 male abdominal sternite A Zootaxa 3869 (2) 2014 Magnolia Press VIIDALEPP & LINDT

5 FIGURE 9. Haruchlora maesi, sp. nov., male specimen on screen before it has been trapped. FIGURE 10. The collecting site in the Selva Negra estate, Matagalpa, Nicaragua. Acknowledgements Field work in Nicaragua was supported by the Estonian Science Foundation and by the Entomological Museum in León, Nicaragua. We wish to thank Dr. J.-M. Maes for organizing logistics and selecting collecting localities. Senior author is thankful to Dr. L. Pitkin, for tutorship during his short stay in London as a Sys-Resource fellow. Dr. Robert Barry Davis kindly revised the English of the first version of the article. We are thankful to Dr. Patricia Gentili-Poole and Mr. John Chainey for their attempts to trace the Pitkin's unnamed species in collections under their curation. Constructive comments and corrections by Dr Han Hongxiang and Dr E. Beljaev were thankfully HARUCHLORA MAESI, NEW GENUS AND SPECIES Zootaxa 3869 (2) 2014 Magnolia Press 169

6 accepted. The first author's study was partially funded by grant 9174 of the Estonian Science Foundation and by institutionalresearch funding (IUE21-1) of the Estonian Ministry of Education and Research. References Ferguson, D.C. (1969) A revision of the moths of the subfamily Geometrinae of America north of Mexico. Bulletin of the Peabody Museum of Natural History (Yale), 29, [49 pls] Ferguson, D.C. (1985) Geometroidea, Geometridae (in part). In: Dominick R. B. et al., The Moths of America North of Mexico, 131 pp. [4 pls] [fasc. 18, 1] Hardwick, D.E. (1950) Preparation of slide mounts of Lepidopterous genitalia. Canadian Entomologist, 82, Holloway, J.D. (1996) The Moths of Borneo part 9. Malayan Nature Journal, 49, Pitkin, L.M. (1993) Neotropical Emerald moths of the genera Nemoria, Lissochlora and Chavarriella, with particular reference to the species of Costa Rica (Lepidoptera: Geometridae, Geometrinae). Bulletin of the natural History Museum London (Entomology), 62 (2), Pitkin, L.M. (1996) Neotropical Emerald moths: a review of the genera (Lepidoptera: Geometridae, Geometrinae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 118, [211 figures] Prout, L.B. (1912) Lepidoptera Heterocera, Fam. Geometridae, subfam. Hemitheinae. In: Wytsman, P. Genera Insectorum, 129, [5 pls] Prout, L.B. (1932) The American Geometridae. In: Seitz, A. (Ed.), The Macrolepidoptera of the world, Vol. 8. pp [149 pp] [pls] Viidalepp, J. & Lindt, A. (2012) A review of continental species of Phrudocentra Warren, 1895 (Lepidoptera: Geometridae, Geometrinae). SHILAP Revista lepidopterologica, 40 (158) Viidalepp, J., Maes, J.-M., & Viidalepp, T. (2010) To the knowledge of geometrid moths of Nicaragua (Lepidoptera, Geometridae). Revista de Entomologia, Vol. 70. supplemento electronico 3, 69 pp. Available from: (accessed 21 March 2014) Warren, W. (1897) New genera and species of Thyrididae, Epiplemidae and Geometridae from South and Central America and the West Indies in the Tring Museum. Novitates Zoologicae, 4, Warren, W. (1900) New American Thyrididae, Uraniidae and Geometridae. Novitates Zoologicae, 7, Zootaxa 3869 (2) 2014 Magnolia Press VIIDALEPP & LINDT