Periploca devia Hodges 1969

Periploca devia

A small, dark, gray-black species. Head, thorax, and forewing shining gray black. Dorsal surface of second segment of labial palpus, base of tongue, frons, and coxae shining yellowish white; scape of antenna and base of shaft dark, remainder yellowish white. Hind wing yellowish white, becoming slightly darker distally; ventral surface much lighter than dorsal surface. Foreleg yellowish white heavily overlaid with gray black. Tibia and tarsus of midleg dark, apices of segments pale yellowish white. Hind leg gray brown. Alar expanse: 8–10 mm. Male genitalia: as in Figure 11 (RWH slide 4371). Apex of aedeagus recurved, armed with a row of 6–8 conical projections on right side from approximately one-half to three-fourths; costal margin of valva strongly convex, apex blunt; posterior margin of vinculum emarginate medially. Female genitalia: as in Figures 30–32 (RWH slide 4365). Ostium bursae at approximately one-third distance from anterior margin of seventh sternite; genital plate developed as a narrow, sclerotized band around ostium bursae; anterior margin of seventh sternite slightly invaginated medially, a pair of shallow lobes immediately laterad of this invagination; ductus bursae heavily sclerotized just before ostium bursae, preceded by a short, less heavily sclerotized section, the remainder lightly sclerotized, looped five or six times; signa a pair of linear invaginations near base of corpus bursae, inner margin of each with a pair of inwardly curving hooks.

FOOD PLANT.—Unknown.

HOLOTYPE.—Male, Fort Valley, 7,350 ft, 7½ mi NW Flagstaff, Coconino County, Arizona, 22 June 1961, Ronald W. Hodges (RWH slide 4371). USNM Type 69781.

PARATYPES.—Same locality as for holotype, 1 ♂, 19 June 1961 (RWH slide 4372) [USNM]; 1 ♀, Hart Prairie, 8,500 ft, 10 mi NNW Flagstaff, Coconino County, Arizona, 14 July 1961, Ronald W. Hodges (RWH slide 4374) [USNM]; 2 ♀ ♀, Hochderffer Hill, 8,500 ft, 12½ mi NNW Flagstaff, Coconino County, Arizona, 16 July and 8 August 1961, Ronald W. Hodges (RWH slides 4365, 4366) [Cornell University, USNM].

The male genitalia of devia are nearest those of cata in general configuration but differ in having the aedeagus armed with a relatively small number (5–6) of easily visible projections, the apex of the aedeagus sharply constricted and curved to the left and extending but a short distance beyond the posterior margin of the vinculum. The female genitalia are nearest those of laeta, differing in having the anterior margin of the seventh sternite incurved medially and the basal, sclerotized portion of the ductus bursae heavily sclerotized immediately before the ostium bursae, then less heavily sclerotized.

Periploca devia is a moth in the family Cosmopterigidae. It was described by Ronald W. Hodges in 1969. It is found in North America, where it has been recorded from Arizona to California.

The wingspan is 8–10 mm. The head, thorax and forewings are shining gray black. The hindwings are yellowish white, becoming slightly darker distally. Adults have been recorded on wing in July.