Coleophora rocherpanensis, sp. nov.

(Figs. 5, 34–36)

Holotype ♂ (GP Bldz 15020) “ RSA, West Cape | Rocherpan N. R. | 20.- 21.XI.2008, LF | leg. Ebert, Mey & Kühne”, [S 32° 36725’ E 18°17.821’], in coll. MfN.

Diagnosis. Small species with a light brownish-grey general appearance. Male genitalia are similar to that of C. afrobrunnea sp. nov. with obvious differences: the tegumen is more constricted in middle, the transtilla is different shaped, irregularly triangular, the cucullus is much narrower, the dorsal protuberance of the sacculus is longer, the phallotheca is shorter and stocky almost uniformly sclerotized, and there are cornuti whereas C. afrobrunnea lacks cornuti.

Description. Wingspan 9 mm. Head brownish grey. Antenna: scape brownish grey without erect scales; flagellum ringed brown and dirty white. Labial palpus white, suffused ochre on outer side; third article about half as long as second. Proboscis absent. Thorax and tegula light brownish grey. Forewing light brownish grey irregularly tinged with dirty white, scattered with very few brown scales; costal cilia light ochre, dorsal cilia light greyish ochre. Hindwing light grey; cilia light greyish ochre. Abdomen brownish grey.

Abdominal structures (Fig. 36): Anterior lateral struts about 3.5 times as long as posterior ones. Transverse strut linear on proximal edge, well sclerotized only in middle, well sclerotized on curved distal edge. Tergal disks (3 rd tergite) length about 4 times their width, covered with about 45 spines.

Male genitalia (Figs. 34–35): Gnathos knob round. Tegumen short and stocky, pedunculus short dilated on the outside. Transtilla narrower in basal half, wide in an irregularly trapezoidal shape distally. Valvula with rounded ventral edge. Cucullus very short, wider at base. Sacculus with almost straight ventral and lateral edges, forming a right curved angle; dorsal angle with thin horn-shaped extension longer than cucullus. Phallotheca short, conical, more sclerotized in dorsal part. Cornuti, three short spines of different lengths, joined together in shape of a claw.

Female genitalia: Unknown.

Bionomy. The early stages and the foodplant are unknown.

Distribution. RSA (prov. Western Cape).

Etymology. The name is derived from the place where the species was collected, the Rocherpan Nature Reserve.