Vargasia karsholti Brown 2024, new species

Vargasia karsholti Brown, new species LSIDurn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 6687A98B-2FA0-4636-AC18-87C533B96E0F (Figs. 5, 23, 42) Diagnosis. Vargasia karsholti can be distinguished from other species by details given in the diagnosis of the genus above. Superficially, the white to cream scaling of the head, thorax, and dorsum of the labial palpi are characteristic for this species. Description. Head: Vertex and frons scaling uniformly white to cream; scales of antenna white to cream; scales of labial palpus white to cream dorsally and on inner surface, pale grayish brown on outer surface. Thorax: Dorsum scaling white to pale cream. Underside cream. Forewing length 9.0‒10.0 mm (n = 6); ground color pale tannish cream, somewhat mottled with slightly darker tan; a distinct brown basal patch, well defined in costal 0.5, less so beyond, with outer margin extending obliquely inward from costa ca. 0.3 distance from wing base, to hind margin ca. 0.2 distance from wing base; distal 0.5 of wing mostly brown with three, narrow, irregular, sinuate, cream lines extending from costa to hind margin, originating near mid-costa; fringe pale tan with cream basal line. Forewing underside nearly uniformly pale tan. Hindwing cream with pale tan mottling; fringe slightly paler than hindwing scaling. Underside cream, with mottling more pronounced than on upper surface. Abdomen: Pale tannish cream. Male genitalia (Fig. 23) as described for genus. Female genitalia (Fig. 42) as described for genus. Types. Holotype ♂, Argentina, Rio Negro Province, 7: San Carlos de Bariloche, Colonia Suiza, 810 m, 9 Dec 1978, Mision Cientifica Danesa (NHMD). Paratypes (23♂, 8♀). Argentina: Rio Negro Province: 7: San Carlos de Bariloche, Colonia Suiza, 810 m, 9 Dec 1978 (2♂), 10 Dec 1978 (1♂), 15 Dec 1978 (5♂, 1♀), 12 Jan 1979 (2♀), Mision Cientifica Danesa (NHMD). 8: Lago Nahuel, Huapi, Puerto Blest, 770 m, 5 Jan 1979 (1♂), Mision Cientifica Danesa (NHMD). 9: San Carlos de Bariloche, Colonia Suiza, 810 m, 3 Dec 1981 (1♂), 7 Dec 1981 (1♀), 18‒19 Dec 1981 (1♂), 21‒22 Dec 1981 (2♂, 1♀), 23 Dec 1981 (2♂), 24 Dec 1981 (1♂), 5‒7 Jan 1982 (1♂, 1♀), Nielsen & Karsholt (NHMD). Neuquén Province: 11: San Martín de los Andes, 640 m, 5‒6 Nov 1981 (1♂), 7‒15 Nov 1981 (5♂), Nielsen & Karsholt (NHMD). 17: Lago Lacar, 5 km E Hua-Hum, 25 Nov 1981 (1♀), Nielsen & Karsholt (NHMD). Chile: [Chachabuco Province]: Til-Til, La Dormida, [580 m], 3‒4 Nov 1988 (1♀), L. Peña (USNM). Distribution and biology. This species is recorded primarily from Rio Negro and Neuquén provinces, Argentina, with a single specimen from Chachabuco Province, Chile, with collecting localities ranging from ca. 580 to 810 m elevation. The species appears to be univoltine, with specimens captured in November, December, and January. The biology is unknown. Etymology. The specific epithet is a patronym for Ole Karsholt of the Natural History Museum of Denmark, who organized collecting expeditions to Chile and Argentina that resulted in countless new taxa of microlepidoptera.