Apotomops spomotopa Brown and Razowski, new species

Apotomops spomotopa Brown and Razowski, new species

Figs. 15, 26, 40

Diagnosis. Apotomops spomotopa is superficially similar to other species of Apotomops. The male genitalia are most similar to those of A. carchicola, but can be distinguished by the shorter, broader digitate process at the distal end of the aedeagus.

Description. Head: White scaled; antennal flagellomeres somewhat rounded, male with extremely short cilia. Thorax: Forewing (Fig. 40) length 7.5 mm in male, 10.0 mm in female; ground color white, faintly mottled with gray overscaling in distal 0.5; slender black oblique bar from costa ca. 0.15 distance from base to apex; small semicircular blotch near middle of costa; dorsal half of basal half of forewing blackish brown, with scaling extending nearly to costal blotch, isolating a subrectangular white patch in basal 0.5; hindwing white, pale beige in apical region, lacking male secondary structures. Abdomen: Male genitalia (Fig. 15) with uncus short, stout, somewhat spindle­shaped; socii short, relatively broad; gnathos unmodified, with long distal process at junction of arms; transtilla a simple bridge, slightly folded at middle; valva uniform in width, arched dorsally throughout, rounded apically, sacculus with irregular row of spines along dorsal edge; aedeagus complex, with a stout curved spine from near phallobase. Female genitalia (Fig. 26) with papillae anales simple; sterigma a large rounded pocket; ductus bursae short, broad, with large complex accessory bursa; corpus bursae round­oblong, with extremely faint spiculae.

Holotype, ɗ, Peru, Divisoria, 5200', 20–23 Jun 1982, C. V. Covell, Jr. (USNM).

Paratype. Peru: Same data as holotype (1Ψ) (USNM).

Etymology. The specific epithet is the genus name spelled backwards, creating a palindrome.