Pityocona Meyrick, 1918

Chen, Mengting & Li, Houhun, 2017, Review of the genus Pityocona Meyrick, 1918 (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) in China, with descriptions of five new species, Zootaxa 4263 (2), pp. 347-357 : 347-348

Pityocona Meyrick, 1918

Pityocona Meyrick, 1918: 116 . Type species: Pityocona xeropis Meyrick, 1918 .

Generic characters. Head smoothly scaled. Ocellus present, small. Antenna simple, about 5/6 length of forewing; scape moderately elongate, without pecten. Labial palpus long, recurved, much thickened throughout with scales; second segment thickened towards apex, third segment as long as second. Maxillary palpus very short, filiform, appressed to proboscis. Forewing lanceolate, elongate, often with distinct blackish spots; cell closed, with 12 veins ( Fig. 1 ), R4 and R5 stalked for half distance, R5 to costa before apex, M3 from lower angle of cell; 1A+2A forked at base. Hindwing narrow, elongate, apex pointed, termen emarginate sinuately; Rs and M1 parallel, M1 and M2 approximated at base.

Male genitalia. Uncus bifurcate, forming two symmetrical or asymmetrical lateral lobes. Gnathos tongueshaped, hooked, uniformly straight, or tapered to apex; culcitula present, ovate or cordiform. Tegumen broad, divided from near base. Valva elongate, usually symmetrical (except asymmetrical in P. monoprocessa sp. nov.), often with a process at middle or at apex on ventral margin. Vinculum very narrow. Aedeagus dilated bulbously at base, narrowed to apex.

Female genitalia. Apophyses posteriores two times longer than apophyses anteriores. Ductus bursae sometimes with numerous fine denticles except at its proximal and distal part. Corpus bursae ovate; signum present or absent.

Remarks. The narrow forewing of Pityocona with several distinct black spots and the male genitalia with bifurcate uncus make Pityocona distinguishable from its most closely related genera. The diagnostic characters of this genus include the bifurcate uncus, the valva curved approximately beyond middle and extending inward distally, and the extremely narrow vinculum in the male genitalia.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Venation of Pityocona bifurcatus, male, slide No. CMT 16115 W (Scale = 1.0 mm).