Lecithocera katangaica Park, 2023

Park, Kyu-Tek, Koo, Jun-Mo, Jeong, Su-Yeon, Prins, Jurate De & Prins, Willy De, 2023, Review of the genus Lecithocera Herrich-Schäffer (Lepidoptera, Lecithoceridae) in DR Congo, with description of four new species, Zootaxa 5339 (4), pp. 355-368 : 356-358

1. Lecithocera katangaica Park , sp. nov.

( Figs 1 , 2 )

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:FD5312CB-55AE-44BE-A5AA-38B9CD1726E9

Type specimens. Holotype: Male , “MUSÉE DU CONGO / [DR Congo] Lulua: Kapanga [Prov. Lualaba, formerly belonging to Prov. Katanga] / II-1933 / Overlaet // gen. slide no. CIS-7308”, deposited in RMCA . Paratype: 1♀, “MUSÉE DU CONGO / [DR Congo] Elisabethville [now Lubumbashi, Prov. Haut-Katanga] / 14-2-1935 / Ch. Seydel // gen. slide no. CIS-7315”, deposited in RMCA .

Diagnosis. The new species is similar to L. flavipalpis Walsingham, 1891 , which was described from South Africa, by having a uniquely thickened, blackish antenna.The male genitalia of this new species can be distinguished from those of the latter by the cucullus of the valva which is slightly narrowed towards the apex from beyond 2/3, by the conical spines along the ventral margin of the cucullus (absent in L. flavipalpis ; see Janse 1954: Pl. 142, Fig. 2 and Pl. 151, Fig. 5 ), and by the aedeagus without a preapical spine (present in L. flavipalpis ; see Janse 1954: Pl. 142, Fig. 2 and Pl. 151, Fig. 5 ). The female genitalia are also similar to those of L. flavipalpis , but the ostium bursae of the new species is distinctly concave (see arrow no. 1 in Fig. 2C ) (slightly convex in L. flavipalpis ; see Janse 1954: Pl. 141, Fig. 10 and Pl. 159, Fig. 5 ; see also Park & De Prins 2019b: Fig. 6A ).

Description. Male ( Figs 1 A−C) and female ( Figs 2A, B ). Wingspan 15.0–16.0 mm. Head: bronze yellowish-brown, with pale orange, erect scales laterally. Antenna uniquely thickened, especially to middle, slightly shorter than forewing, dark brown to black throughout. Second segment of labial palpus thickened, light orange all around; 3 rd segment shorter than 2 nd segment. Thorax: bronze brown as tegula. Forewing ground color evenly bronze brown, without any markings; apex somewhat rounded; termen slightly convex; fringe concolorous with ground color; venation with R 5 to termen; M 2 free from M 3 at base; base of M 3 remote from CuA 1+2; CuA 1 and CuA 2 short-stalked. Hind wing ground color bronze greyish-brown; apex obtuse; venation with M 2 present; M 3 and CuA 1 stalked for basal 1/3. Abdomen ( Fig. 1F ): tergites with removable slightly sclerotized spines dorsally (see arrows nos. 1–3 in Fig. 1F ).

Male genitalia ( Figs 1D, E ): basal lobes of uncus heart-shaped, slightly emarginated at middle on caudal margin, with ovate lateral lobes. Basal plate of gnathos broad, slightly convex on caudal margin. Tegumen emarginated into V-shape distally. Valva broad basally; costal bar gently curved, with triangular expansion on dorso-medial part; cucullus slightly narrowed apically, densely setose, with more than 20 conical spines along heavily sclerotized ventral margin and few longer spines near proximal corner; apex more or less rounded; sacculus broadly developed, heavily sclerotized, followed by a linear crescent band. Juxta somewhat jar-shaped, broadened in basal half; caudal margin deeply emarginated into U-shape, with triangular latero-caudal processes. Vinculum broadened. Aedeagus stout, slightly narrower towards apex, as long as valva; cornuti consisting of a cluster of spine-like setae (about 1/5 length of aedeagus) near base and long needle-like spines irregularly scattered beyond half.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 2C ): abdominal sternum VIII, densely spinose distally; weakly sclerotized with narrowly extended plates laterally. Ostium bursae concave (see arrow no. 1 in Fig. 2C ). Antrum funnel-shaped, long, weakly sclerotized in posterior distal 1/4. Ductus bursae heavily wrinkled in distal 1/3, then coiled; ductus seminalis arising from anterior end of antrum. Corpus bursae ovate; signum absent.

Distribution. DR Congo (South: Prov. Lualaba).

Etymology. This species name is derived from the previous name of the province where the type locality is situated, Katanga (now Prov. Lualaba). A feminine noun in the nominative singular standing in apposition to the generic name.

Remarks. An additional female with the same locality (25 iii 1935, leg. Ch. Seydel; gen. slide no. CIS-7515; deposited in RMCA) as the paratype, which has a determined label of “ Lecithocera xanthochalca ” in Meyrick’s handwriting, bears a genitalia different from those of L. xanthochalca (comparing with illustration by Clarke (1965: Pl. 86, Figs 4a, b ), slide no. Clarke-9169, deposited in NHMUK), on the other hand, they look the same as that of the paratype of the new species. However, this female is not included in the type series because there is still a little uncertainty with its antenna not clearly blackish as much as in the paratype.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Lecithocera katangaica Park, sp. nov., male holotype: A, adult with label; B, head with labial palpus; C, head with antenna; D, genitalia, slide no. CIS-7308; E, ditto, aedeagus; F, abdominal segments VI–VIII (superimposed tergum and sternum VI + sterna VII–VIII left + terga VII–VIII right, with arrows nos. 1–3 pointing to removable spines on tergites).

FIGURE 2. Lecithocera katangaica Park, sp. nov., female paratype: A, adult with label; B, head with antenna and labial palpi; C, genitalia, slide no. CIS-7315 (with arrow no. 1 pointing to the concave ostium bursae).

FIGURE 4. Lecithocera cornutispina Park, sp. nov.: A, male holotype with label; B, head with labial palpus, holotype; C, head with left antenna, holotype; D, male genitalia, slide no. CIS-7314, holotype (with arrow no. 1 pointing to the crescent plate); E, ditto, aedeagus, holotype; F, abdominal segments V–VIII (superimposed terga and sterna), paratype.

FIGURE 5. Lecithocera lusingensis Park, sp. nov., male holotype:A, adult with label; B, head with labial palpus; C, genitalia, slide no. CIS-7161 (with arrows nos. 1 and 2 pointing to the costal bar of valva and elongated basal plate of gnathos, respectively); D, aedeagus; E, abdominal segments VII–VIII (superimposed terga and sterna).

FIGURE 6. Lecithocera spp. Lecithocera ideologa: A, male with label; B, head with antenna; C, male genitalia, slide no. CIS-7296; D, ditto, aedeagus; E, male genitalia, slide no. CIS-7299; F, ditto, aedeagus; G, abdominal segments VII–VIII (superimposed terga and sterna), slide no. CIS-7296. Lecithocera trifera: H, syntype illustrated by Meyrick (1938); I, lectotype (designated herein) with labels, deposited in RMCA.