Helcystogramma leucopla ( Meyrick, 1938 ) Bidzilya & Rajaei, 2024

Bidzilya, Oleksiy V. & Rajaei, Hossein, 2024, An illustrated and annotated catalogue of type specimens of Gelechiidae (Lepidoptera) in the Royal Museum for Central Africa (Tervuren, Belgium), with taxonomic changes, Zootaxa 5496 (2), pp. 191-213 : 196

Helcystogramma leucopla ( Meyrick, 1938) , comb. nov.

( Figs 5a–d )

Brachmia leucopla Meyrick, 1938 — Institut des Parcs Nationaux du Congo belge, 14, 16.

Type material. Holotype ♂, [ DR Congo] Musée du Congo, Rutshuru (1285), 27.xii.1933 - 6.i.1934, G.F. de Witte, Parc Nat. Albert | Holotype, B. leucopla M. | R. Det. 4080 H | Congo belge: Kivu, Rutshuru, 1285 m, 27.xii.1933 - 6.i.1934, G.F. de Witte: 141 | E. Meyrick det., 1937: Brachmia leucopla Meyr. | gen. slide 243/24, O. Bidzilya ( RMCA).

Remarks. Brachmia leucopla was described based on the male holotype, whose genitalia fully justify the assignment of the species to Helcystogramma Zeller, 1877 . It is herewith transferred to the latter genus. Helcystogramma leucopla comb. nov. can be placed in a group of species with a white subapical spot on the costal margin. This group of species was in the past assembled in the genus Onebala Walker, 1864 (currently a junior synonym of Helcystogramma ). Among these species, H. leucopla comb. nov. most resembles H. obsoletum ( Janse, 1954) from South Africa, but differs in the less distinct brown suffusion along the dorsal margin of the forewing, and the light brown tegulae (white tegulae in H. obsoletum ). The male genitalia differ from those of H. obsoletum in the phallus which is tubular, with distinctly produced apex (distinctly swollen at the base and with weakly produced apex in H. obsoletum ).

Male genitalia (described here for the first time, Figs 5c, d ). Uncus 3 times as long as wide, weakly constricted at middle, apex rounded; gnathos slender, gradually curved, extending to 1/2 length of tegumen; tegumen twice as long as wide, weakly narrowed posteriorly; valva straight, uniform in width, its apex rounded, slightly exceeding tip of uncus; valvella short, digitate; sacculus very short, broadly rounded; vinculum narrow, band-shaped, posterior margin deeply and broadly emarginated; saccus twice as long as wide, subrectangular, weakly narrowed anteriorly; phallus tubular, ventral margin concave, apex distinctly produced with dorsally curved tip, vesica equipped with fine thorn-shaped spines and bears irregular sclerite, ventral lobe elongated, densely folded.

Distribution. DR Congo: North Kivu Province.

Figures

FIGURES 4–7. 4. Brachmia infixa Meyrick, 1938, holotype. 4a, adult. 4b, labels. 5. Helcystogramma leucopla (Meyrick, 1938), holotype, male. 5a, adult. 5b, labels. 5c, male genitalia. 5d, phallus. 6. Helcystogramma neuroplecta (Meyrick, 1938), holotype, female. 6a, adult. 6b, labels. 6c, female genitalia. 7. Helcystogramma synclepta (Meyrick, 1938), holotype, male. 7a, adult. 7b, labels. 7c, male genitalia. 7d, phallus.