Lecithocera cornutispina 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 : 361-362

3. Lecithocera cornutispina Park , sp. nov.

( Fig. 4 )

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:73F834F4-0FDD-444A-8685-6C51E9D898E4

Type specimens. Holotype: Male , “MUS. CONGO / [DR Congo] Elisabethville [now Lubumbashi, Prov. Haut-Katanga] / XII 1949 / Ch. Seydel // gen. slide no. CIS-7314”, deposited in RMCA . Paratype: 1♁, “MUSÉE DU CONGO / [DR Congo] Elisabethville [now Lubumbashi, Prov. Haut-Katanga] / 8-XI-1937 / Ch. Seydel // gen. slide no. CIS-7536”, deposited in RMCA .

Diagnosis. The male genitalia of this new species are somewhat similar to L. seydeliella Park , sp. nov. but the former differs in having bronze dark brown forewing and wings with a golden metallic luster depending on the angle of light (forewing evenly yellowish-brown and wings without a golden metallic luster in L. seydeliella Park , sp. nov.). It can also be distinguished from the latter by the gnathos which has a triangularly produced basal plate distally (relatively less produced in L. seydeliella Park , sp. nov.), and a unique, linear, crescent plate (semi-ovate lobes at middle) between base of gnathos and tegumen (see arrow no. 1 in Fig. 4D ) (crescent plate absent in L. seydeliella Park , sp. nov.), and the stout, straight aedeagus with a large spiniform cornutus half the length of aedeagus (aedeagus bearing a cluster of numerous setae and a row of long needle-like spines in L. seydeliella Park , sp. nov.).

Description. Male ( Figs 4 A−C). Wingspan 15.0− 15.5 mm. Head: shiny golden yellow dorsally. Antenna with scape elongated, dilated distally; flagellum golden yellow in about basal 1/3, then dark brown beyond (broken in distal part). Second segment of labial palpus thickened, golden yellow all around; 3 rd segment strongly upturned, golden yellow, shorter than 2 nd segment ( Fig. 4B ). Thorax: tegula and thorax yellowish-brown. Forewing ground color bronze dark brown with golden metallic luster; apex slightly angulate; termen oblique; 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 stalked for about basal 1/3. Hind wing ground color paler than forewing; apex angulate; fringe concolorous with ground color; venation with M 2 remote from M 3 at base; M 3 and CuA 1 stalked for about basal 2/5. Abdomen ( Fig. 4F ): sternum VII more densely sclerotized along anterior and posterior margins; sternum VIII with broad anterior expansion medially.

Male genitalia ( Figs 4D, E ): basal lobes of uncus weakly developed. Basal plate of gnathos triangularly produced distally; median process tapering towards apex, strongly bent preapically. A unique, linear, crescent plate (see arrow no. 1 in Fig. 4D ) with semi-ovate lobes presented medially between base of gnathos and tegumen. Valva broad basally; costal bar slightly angled at proximal 1/3; cucullus elongated, shorter than basal part of valva, slightly concave on dorsal margin; nearly parallel-sided with dilated apex; sacculus broadly developed. Juxta jar-shaped, with leaf-like latero-caudal processes; lateral margins concave above middle. Vinculum a broad band. Aedeagus stout, nearly parallel-sided, as long as valva, with a large (half length of aedeagus), spiniform cornutus.

Female unknown.

Distribution. DR Congo (South-East: Prov. Haut-Katanga).

Etymology. This species name is derived from the Latin, - cornut (= horned) and - spin (= a spine), referring to the spiniform cornutus in the male genitalia. A feminine noun in the nominative singular standing in apposition to the generic name.

Figures

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.