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Paramiana contrasta (Barnes and McDunnough) NEW COMBINATION Perigea contrasta Barnes and McDunnough, 1910, Jour. New York Ent. Soc., 18: 154. Diagnosis: The forewing of Paramiana contrasta is rich brown in color with contrasting white filling most of the median area. The white patch extends along the outer margin of the reniform mark all the way to the costal margin. The only brown part of the median area is located between the orbicular and reniform marks from their lower margins upward to the costal margin. The antemedial and postmedial lines are double filled with white. The reniform mark is kidney shaped, filled with white, and with diffuse gray patches in its upper and lower halves. The orbicular is round, filled with white, and containing a central black dot. The basal area and the entire forewing from the postmedial line to the outer margin is entirely brown. A basal line is absent in contrasta. The median line is brown-gray and well marked in most specimens, running from the inner margin to the lower end of the reniform. Wing length: mean = 14.78 mm, standard deviation = 0.60 mm, n = 10. Adults have been collected in August and September. Distribution: Paramiana contrasta is known only from southern Arizona in Santa Cruz, Cochise, and Pima counties. No significant variation occurs in the small series of specimens I have seen. Identification Quality: Excellent Larva: Unknown Foodplants: Unknown
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Paramiana contrasta
Paramiana contrasta is superficially very much like Paramiana endopolia. The forewings of both species are rich brown in color with extensive white patches in the median area. There are, however, a number of obvious differences. The white patch of the median area of contrasta is more extensive than in endopolia and runs upward along the outer margin of the reniform mark to the costal margin of the wing. The white median patch is less extensive in endopolia and does not extend upward along the outer margin of the reniform mark. The postmedial and antemedial lines of contrasta are entirely filled with white, but only the lower halves of the lines are filled with white in endopolia. The orbicular is larger in contrasta and their is a distinct dark central dot. The orbicular of endopolia is smaller and no central dark dot is present. A double, white filled basal line is present in the upper half of the basal area of endopolia. A basal line is absent in contrasta. The male and female genitalia of the two species are easily separated. The vesica of contrasta is globular near the its base tapering toward the tail. The spine-like cornuti are arranged in a single, slightly curved, diffuse band running along the length of the vesica. No diverticulum is present. The vesica of endopolia has a large, lateral diverticulum with a row of spines, an exageration of the diverticulum found in the other species of Paramiana. The female bursae of endopolia is ovate to slightly triangular. The bursa of contrasta is elongate with the appendix bursae region and the ductus seminalis reflected backward in a caudal direction, one of the defining character states of Ruacodes. The outer ring of the frontal process is more strongly pronounced in contrasta than in endopolia, but both species have a distinct central process. The stronger outer ring is not visible unless the scales are removed from the front of the head. The central prominence is larger in contrasta than in endopolia. Although a central process is present in endopolia it is normally not visible unless the front of the head is denuded of scales. Although these two species are near identical superficially, the structural differences are considerable. |
Similar Species
Paramiana endopolia |
