Eriocraniella variegata Davis 1978

Eriocraniella (Disfurcula) variegata

ADULT (Figure 171).—Wing Expanse: , 8.2–9.5 mm; , 7.8–8.7 mm.

Head: Uniformly covered with pale yellow to stramineous hairs. Antennae moderately long, approximately 0.52–0.57 the length of forewing, 38- to 42-segmented; scape mostly whitish; flagellum entirely fuscous except for apical 5–6 segments, which are sparsely covered with narrow whitish scales. Maxillary palpi brownish fuscous; apex of terminal segment complex with a single, relatively large apical lobe bearing 4 moderately long, striated setae, and 2 pair of very reduced subapical lobes, each bearing a single, elongate apical seta with lateral striations. Labial palpi uniformly brownish fuscous.

Thorax: Dorsum brownish fuscous with a bronzy luster; tegulae with long stramineous hairs. Venter silvery gray. Pro- and mesothoracic legs with tibial and tarsal segments brownish fuscous above, white beneath: metathoracic legs paler, grayish above and white underneath. Forewings irregularly and almost equally marked with iridescent gold and purplish fuscous; markings typically in the form of transverse bands across the wing but which are sometimes fragmented into large irregular spots; fringe pale brownish fuscous with a light golden luster. Hind wings usually slightly darker and less lustrous than forewings though usually with a slight purplish iridescence near apex; scales relatively broad.

Abdomen (Figures 236–237): Sparsely covered with grayish hairlike scales above, whitish beneath. Fourth sternite of female with a pair of relatively small, circular fenestrae approximately 0.25 the length of sternite in diameter; male without fenestrae. Sternal tubercules present on 5th sternite of both sexes, papiliform, diameter 0.14–0.18 the length of sternite. Caudal apex of 8th sternite moderately defined in female, minutely bifurcate; apex of 8th tergite more sharply defined, deeply divided.

Male Genitalia (Figures 277–278): Uncus deeply bilobed; lobes large, broadly rounded, widely separated at their apices for a distance approximately equal to their length. Anal tube entirely membranous. Vinculum with caudal margin produced into a moderately large, medium conical lobe; margin sharply excavated on either side of median lobe; apophyses relatiyely short, 0.51–0.55 the length of undivided vinculum; cephalic margin of vinculum between apophyses smoothly concave. Juxta broadest anteriorly, tapering slightly to broad, shallowly concave caudal end; greatest width of juxta about 0.8 its length. Base of aedeagus moderately swollen; ventral phallic branch loosely articulated to base, relatively slender, approximately 0.5 the diameter of dorsal branch; caudal end of ventral branch with a small, rounded membranous process projecting usually somewhat laterad; apex of dorsal branch variously lobed, typically with a low, broad dorsal lobe and a similar, more apical lobe laterally.

Female Genitalia (Figures 320–322, 343): Apex of ovipositor acute; lateral edges serrulate with 7–9 minute teeth. Bursa copulatrix of moderate length, slightly surpassing cephalic ends of posterior apophyses when fully extended; walls of corpus bursae entirely membranous. Vaginal sclerite darkly sclerotized, relatively elongate and narrow; greatest width approximately 0.37–0.4 the length of sclerite; cephalic end with a short, low median keel ventrally as shown in Figure 321.

HOLOTYPE.—, Coldbrook Station, San Gabriel Canyon, Los Angeles, California, 26 May 1973, D. C. Frack; in the Los Angeles County Museum.

PARATYPES.—UNITED STATES. CALIFORNIA: Los Angeles Co: 3000 ft [915 m] on Angeles Crest Hwy: 1 , 11 May 1974, R. Leuschner, genitalia slide USNM 18212, wing slide USNM 18173 (USNM). 3300 ft [1006 m] on Angeles Crest Hwy, Big Tujunga Canyon: 1 , 11 May 1974, R. Leuschner (RHL); 1 , 11 May 1974, R. Leuschner, genitalia slide USNM 18214 (USNM); Big Tujunga Jct: 1 , 11 May 1974, R. Leuschner (USNM). 4000 ft [1220 m] on Angeles Crest Hwy, San Gabriel Mts: 1 , 2 , 12 May 1974, R. Leuschner, genitalia slide DRD 2994 (RHL). Cloudburst Canyon, San Gabriel Mts, T2N, R12W, Sec 14, 4000 ft [1220 m]: 1 , 10 May 1972, J. P. and K. E. Donahue, genitalia slide USNM 18183 (USNM). Coldbrook Sta, San Gabriel Canyon: 2 , 12 May 1972, D. Frack (DCF); 1 , 12 May 1972, D. Frack, genitalia slide USNM 18211 (USNM); 5 , 1 , 26 May 1973, D. Frack, head slide DRD 2995 (DCF). Josephine Cr, San Gabriel Mts, T2N, R12W, Sec 6, 3350 ft [1021 m]: 1 , 9 May 1972, J. P. and K. E. Donahue (LACM). Described from a total of 11 males and 8 females.

HOST.—Unknown.

FLIGHT PERIOD.—May; univoltine.

DISTRIBUTION (Map 5).—Presently, this species is known only from the San Gabriel Mountains of Los Angeles County, California, where it occurs at elevations from 3000 feet [915 m] to 4000 feet [1220 m].

Eriocraniella variegata is a moth of the family Eriocraniidae. It was described by Davis in 1978. It is found in California.

The wingspan is 8.2-9.5 mm for males and 7.8-8.7 mm for females. The forewings are irregularly and almost equally marked with iridescent gold and purplish fuscous. The markings are typically in the form of transverse bands across the wing but are sometimes fragmented into large irregular spots. The hindwings are usually slightly darker and less lustrous than the forewings though usually with a slight purplish iridescence near the apex. The scales are relatively broad. Adults are on wing in May in one generation per year.