Scrobipalpa staudei sp. nov.

Figs 51, 121, 122

Type material. Holotype ♂, LepsocAfrica, 16 HSS148 a, Gelechioidea, reared on Lopholaena coriifolia, Asteraceae, Steenkoppies farm, South Africa, Gauteng, Magaliesburg, 26˚01’25” S, 27˚32’36” E, 1580 m, Grassland / wooded kloof, 12.iii.2017 eclosed, H.S. Staude (gen. slide 3/19, O. Bidzilya) (HSS). Paratypes: 1 ♂, same data as holotype, but 16HSS148b, 27.iii.2017; 1 ♂, same data as holotype, but 16HSS147, pup. 28.ii.2017, em. 17.iii.2017 (gen. slide 184/20, O. Bidzilya) (HSS, ZMKU).

Diagnosis. The new species is easily be recognized by its light-grey forewing with brown veins mottled with black, and its mostly black palpomere 2 of the labial palpus. This wing pattern is unique among Afrotropical species of Scrobipalpa . Male genitalia characters that separate S. staudei sp. nov. from other species of Afrotropical Scrobipalpa are a broad uncus, a comparatively broad sacculus, and a short vincular process, in combination with a broad saccus and a sigmoidal valva.

Description. Adult (Fig. 51). Wingspan 15–16 mm. Head covered with light brown, grey-tipped scales, frons paler, light grey; labial palpus upcurved, palpomere 2 covered with black white-tipped scales on outer and lower surface, inner and upper surface greyish white, underside with moderate row, palpomere 3 approximately 1/2 as long as and as wide as palpomere 2, black white-tipped at basal 1/2 and grey brown-tipped with sparse black scales in distal half, acute, scape black, flagellomeres light brown with dark ring; thorax and tegulae concolourous with head, forewing light grey, veins densely mottled with light brown and mixed with black, cilia greyish brown; hindwing grey with dark veins, cilia grey. Abdomen greyish brown, grey on underside.

Male genitalia (Figs 121, 122). Uncus subrectangular, slightly longer than wide, posterior margin weakly rounded; gnathos slender, short, weakly curved; culcitula large, longer than uncus; tegumen weakly narrowed distally, anteromedial emargination broadly rounded, extending to about 1/2 length of tegumen; valva slender, weakly sinuate, apex broadened, extending to top of uncus; sacculus approximately 1.5 times as broad as and 1/4 length of valva, weakly turned inwards, with pointed tip, vinculum twice as long as wide, posterior margin with moderately broad, V-shaped medial emargination, vincular process short, with outwardly curved pointed tip; saccus broad, nearly uniform in width, apex triangular, extending well beyond top of pedunculus; phallus straight, distal portion weakly narrowed, apical hook slender, caecum weakly inflated, 1/2 as long as phallus.

Female genitalia. Unknown.

Biology. Larvae were observed feeding on Lopholaena coriifolia (Asteraceae) in February, with pupation on 23 February and 4 March. Adults emerged on 12, 17 and 27 March (Staude et al. 2020: 58, as Scrobipalpa sp.).

Distribution. South Africa.

Etymology. The new species is named in the honor of Hermann Staude, the collector of the type series of new species.