taxonID	type	description	language	source
393587D7FF88FF965B9D90C15B1FFB22.taxon	materials_examined	Type species: Alasea corniculata Rota, new species.	en	Rota, Jadranka (2008): A new genus and new species of metalmark moths (Lepidoptera: Choreutidae) from Costa Rica. Zootaxa 1933: 12-18, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.274598
393587D7FF88FF965B9D90C15B1FFB22.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis: Alasea can be easily distinguished from the New World genera Anthophila Haworth, Caloreas, Melanoxena Dognin, Prochoreutis, Tebenna Billberg, and Tortyra Walker based on wing shape and wing pattern. The combination of an almost black forewing with metallic specks and an orange-yellow hindwing with a narrow black border is unique (Fig. 1) among these genera. In Choreutis Hübner the labial palpus is dilated distally and the corpus bursae has a signum (in Alasea the labial palpus is pointed distally and the corpus bursae has no signum). Rhobonda Walker has a much greater forewing length (8 mm vs. 5 mm in Alasea). Hemerophila Hübner species have much broader wings (length to width ratio ca. 1.9: 1 for forewing and 1.3: 1 for hindwing vs. 2.3: 1 and 1.9: 1 of Alasea), differently shaped valvae (long and narrow, with costa and sacculus similarly developed vs. short and wide, with long horn-like projection of costa in Alasea), and a corpus bursae with a signum (absent in Alasea). In Zodia Heppner the wings also are broader than in Alasea, there is no saccus, and a signum is present.	en	Rota, Jadranka (2008): A new genus and new species of metalmark moths (Lepidoptera: Choreutidae) from Costa Rica. Zootaxa 1933: 12-18, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.274598
393587D7FF88FF965B9D90C15B1FFB22.taxon	description	Description. Head: Frons smooth, with metallic sheen. Vertex with loosely appressed piliform scales. Eye bordered by piliform scales ventrally and laterally (Fig. 2). Labial palpus upturned, smooth-scaled; length ca. 1.3 times horizontal diameter of compound eye (Fig. 2). Haustellum well developed, basally with two rows of scales thickly arranged. Antenna ca. 0.5 times length of FW; basal 5 – 7 flagellomeres heavily scaled dorsally; sensillae ca. 1.5 times flagellomere diameter in male, ca. 0.5 times in female (Fig. 4). Ocellus large. Chaetosema absent. Thorax: Smooth-scaled, with metallic sheen. Legs with tibial spur pattern 0 - 2 - 4; long piliform scales on tibia of meso- and metathoracic leg (Fig. 3). FW with apex bluntly pointed, tornus rounded; length ca. 2.3 times width; DC length ca. 0.55 times FW length; width of DC ca. 0.18 times DC length; CuA 2 originating ca. 0.8 along length of DC; R 4 and R 5 connate, all other veins separate beyond DC; chorda present; M 3 and CuA 1 approximate at cell; apical 0.33 of CuP present (Fig. 5). Hindwing elongate, apex bluntly pointed, anal region rounded. Length ca. 1.9 times width; length of DC ca. 0.5 times HW length; width of DC ca. 0.2 times DC length; Sc + R 1 at costa before apex; Rs to costa at apex; vestigial M vein present in cell; M 3 and CuA 1 stalked ca. 0.3 distance; apical 0.25 of CuP present (Fig. 5). Abdomen: Male genitalia (Fig. 6) with tegumen large, 1.5 times longer than vinculum, V-shaped with rounded dorsum. Small socius-like setaceous area subdorsal on tegumen. Vinculum triangular; saccus broad, short. Valva short, wide in basal 0.5; distal 0.5 represented primarily by curved horn-like projection from costa, extending beyond sacculus; costal horn-like projection with spine at distal end; sacculus convex; valva with sparse setae scattered throughout, except in mesal portion. Juxta vase-shaped, narrowing dorsally. Phallus ca. 2 times length of costa of valva; basal 0.67 represented by phallobase, distal 0.33 by aedoeagus; both parts of similar width; vesica with sclerotized plate distally (= cornutus?) (Fig. 7). Female genitalia (Fig. 8) with papilla analis typical for the family; setaceous on lateral and posterior margins. Cone-shaped sclerotization between papillae anales, around oviporus. Apophysis posterioris slender throughout; ca. 1.5 times as long as anterioris and about 0.33 as thick. Apophysis anterioris greatly enlarged posteriorly, tapering anteriorly; posterior 0.5 not free from membrane. Ostium on membrane between segments 7 and 8. Ductus bursae 0.17 as wide as long; posterior 0.25 slender, uniform in width almost to corpus, then broadened slightly just before junction with corpus; with slight twist less than one revolution. Corpus bursae ovate; small, about twice as broad as ductus in mated females (no unmated females examined); anterior 0.5 - 0.7 spiculate; without signum.	en	Rota, Jadranka (2008): A new genus and new species of metalmark moths (Lepidoptera: Choreutidae) from Costa Rica. Zootaxa 1933: 12-18, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.274598
393587D7FF88FF965B9D90C15B1FFB22.taxon	etymology	Etymology: The generic name is derived from the name for the ALAS project, during which this genus was discovered; it is female in gender.	en	Rota, Jadranka (2008): A new genus and new species of metalmark moths (Lepidoptera: Choreutidae) from Costa Rica. Zootaxa 1933: 12-18, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.274598
393587D7FF89FF905B9D954C5BFFFAB3.taxon	description	Description. Male. Head: Frons and vertex dark fuscous with metallic blue-green sheen. Eye bordered by orange-yellow scales mesally, ventrally, and laterally (Fig. 2). Labial palpus orange-yellow laterally and pale yellow mesally, with dark fuscous tip (in some specimens reduced to a few fuscous scales) (Fig. 2). Proboscis with pale yellow scales basally. Antenna fuscous with metallic purple sheen, flagellomeres from about 0.3 to 0.7 length of antenna with patches of silvery-white scales (Fig. 4). Thorax: Dark fuscous with metallic blue-green sheen; ventrally with large creamy-yellow scales anteriorly; creamy-yellow band from head towards wing base (Fig. 3). Legs with alternating fuscous and orangeyellow bands on tibia; tarsus with alternating fuscous and white bands; each of these light-colored bands on tibia and tarsus accompanied by elongate piliform scales of same color (Fig. 3). Forewing length 4.5 – 5.2 mm (n = 10). Upper side dark fuscous with irregular silvery-white streaks and spots (Fig. 1). Incomplete antemedial band formed by silvery-white scales. Silvery-white streak at 0.6 costa curving towards apex. Underside fuscous with metallic bronze sheen; longitudinal orange-yellow streak from base towards apex to 0.75 length; orange-yellow spot above this streak approximate to wing center. Fringe light fuscous, with some pale-tipped scales, and with metallic sheen. Hindwing with upper side orange-yellow; with area of dark fuscous scales at base, apex, and anal region; area of white scales along costal margin (Fig. 1). Black terminal band from costa, starting before apex and extending to the anal area. Fringe light fuscous with metallic sheen; most scales paletipped. Underside similar to upper side, but dark fuscous scales absent at base and apex, present only in anal region, sometimes in streaks, sometimes covering entire anal area. Abdomen: Light fuscous with seven irregular orange-yellow annulations posteriorly on each segment; annulations more pronounced dorsally than ventrally. Genitalia (n = 8) as described for genus (Figs. 6, 7). Female. Head and thorax: As described for male. Length of forewing 5.2 – 5.7 mm (n = 9). Abdomen: Genitalia (n = 5) as described for genus (Fig. 8).	en	Rota, Jadranka (2008): A new genus and new species of metalmark moths (Lepidoptera: Choreutidae) from Costa Rica. Zootaxa 1933: 12-18, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.274598
393587D7FF89FF905B9D954C5BFFFAB3.taxon	materials_examined	Holotype. Male, Costa Rica, Province Heredia, La Selva Biological Station, 50 – 150 m, 10 º 26 ’ N, 84 º 01 ’ W, 22 – 29 Jan 2000, at MV light, L / 00 / 666, coll. D. Wagner, CRI 002724390, genitalia slide JR 2008 - 50. Holotype deposited in INBio. Paratypes. Costa Rica: Province Heredia: La Selva Biological Station, 50 – 150 m, 10 º 26 ’ N, 84 º 01 ’ W, 8 – 25 Mar 1999 (1 ɗ), area laboratorios, L / 00 / 594, CRI 002739331, genitalia slide JR 2008 - 48 (JR collection); 22 – 31 Mar 2001 (2 ɗ), at MV / UV light, colls. D. Wagner, J. Rota, INB 0003205582, genitalia slide JR 2008 - 49 (USNM) and INB 0003205569, genitalia slide JR 2008 - 47 (BMNH); 20 Apr 1999, bosque secundario, L / 08 / 621, CRI 001284938 (1 ɗ) (RMNH) and CRI 001284937 (1 &), wing slides JR 2003 - 1 and JR 2003 - 2 (INBio); 23 – 29 Feb 2004 (1 &), at MV light, coll. D. Wagner, INB 0003609767, genitalia slide JR 2008 - 51 (USNM); 9 Mar 2004 (1 &), canopy UV light trap, colls. G. Brehm, J. Rota, INB 0003611787, genitalia slide JR 2008 - 52 (JR collection); 10 – 25 Jan 1999 (1 ɗ), at light, coll. D. Wagner, genitalia slide JR 2008 - 45 (UCMS); 28 Jun 1994 (1 &), bosque secundario, L / 06 / 107, CRI 001243945 (INBio); 10 May 1996 (1 &), biblioteca, L / 04 / 237, CRI 002062296, genitalia slide JR 2008 - 29 (INBio); 6 Apr 1999 (1 &), bosque primario, L / 09 / 610, CRI 001285629 (INBio). Braulio Carrillo NP, Est. Magassay, 200 m, Dec 1990 (1 ɗ), L N 264600 531100, coll. M. Zumbado, CRI 000228433, genitalia slide JR 2008 - 46 (INBio); 11 km ESE La Virgen, 250 – 350 m, 10 º 21 ’ N, 84 º 03 ’ W, 17 Mar 2004 (1 &), 03 / L / 00 / 034, UV light trap, coll. J. Rota, INB 0003611759, genitalia slide JR 2008 - 24 (INBio). Province Puntarenas: Osa Peninsula, 200 m, bosque esquinas, Mar 1994 (1 ɗ), coll. M. Segura, L S 301400 _ 542200, # 2776, CRI 001757112, genitalia slide JR 2008 - 26 (INBio); Corcovado NP, Sirena, 15 – 16 Aug 1980 (1 &), colls. D. H. Janzen and W. Hallwachs, INB 0003868490, genitalia slide JR 2008 - 25 (INBio). Province Limon: Sector Cerro Cocori, Finca de E. Rojas, L N 286000 567500, coll. E. Rojas, 150 m, Jan 1992 (1 ɗ), CRI 000332924, genitalia slide JR 2008 - 23 (INBio); Nov 1990 (1 &), CRI 000594414, genitalia slide JR 2008 - 29 (INBio); Mar 1992 (1 ɗ), CRI 000363517, genitalia slide JR 2007 - 28 (INBio).	en	Rota, Jadranka (2008): A new genus and new species of metalmark moths (Lepidoptera: Choreutidae) from Costa Rica. Zootaxa 1933: 12-18, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.274598
393587D7FF89FF905B9D954C5BFFFAB3.taxon	discussion	Remarks. This species is relatively uncommon; it is encountered at lights and in light traps in primary and secondary forest.	en	Rota, Jadranka (2008): A new genus and new species of metalmark moths (Lepidoptera: Choreutidae) from Costa Rica. Zootaxa 1933: 12-18, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.274598
393587D7FF89FF905B9D954C5BFFFAB3.taxon	etymology	Etymology. The species is named for the horn-shaped projection on the valva. The word is derived from the Latin adjective corniculatus.	en	Rota, Jadranka (2008): A new genus and new species of metalmark moths (Lepidoptera: Choreutidae) from Costa Rica. Zootaxa 1933: 12-18, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.274598
393587D7FF89FF905B9D954C5BFFFAB3.taxon	discussion	Discussion. Currently, Alasea is known only from a few localities in Costa Rica. Its biology and immature stages are unknown. Alasea can be assigned to Choreutinae with little question. As with other choreutines, its forewing and hindwing have an acute, bluntly pointed apex (not obtuse as in Brenthiinae) (see Arita 1987, Diakonoff 1986); the basal segment of the labial palpus is parallel-sided (not narrowed basally as in Brenthiinae) (see Arita 1987); the hindwing is orange-yellow (as in many species of Choreutis, Hemerophila, and Rhobonda, but not in Brenthiinae); the basal flagellomeres of the antenna are heavily scaled (no such scaling occurs in Brenthiinae). In addition, preliminary results of an analysis of molecular data (to be published elsewhere) place it convincingly within Choreutinae. Alasea shares the presence of a small spine at the apex of the valva with Hemerophila, Rhobonda, and Zodia. This spine is variably developed in these groups, and it is unclear whether it represents a synapomorphy.	en	Rota, Jadranka (2008): A new genus and new species of metalmark moths (Lepidoptera: Choreutidae) from Costa Rica. Zootaxa 1933: 12-18, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.274598
