Paraxenoacria Rayhan & Jahan, 2024

Rayhan, Md Jahir & Jahan, Sayema, 2024, A new genus and species of Peleopodidae Hodges, 1974 (Insecta: Lepidoptera) from South-East Asia, Zootaxa 5523 (1), pp. 128-138 : 129-130

Genus: Paraxenoacria Rayhan & Jahan , gen. nov.

Type species: Paraxenoacria spinosa Rayhan & Jahan , sp. nov.

Diagnosis: Among the genera currently classified within the family Peleopodidae , the genus Paraxenoacria gen. nov. stands out distinctly due to its unique wing morphology as well as the genitalia features of male. Specifically, the hindwings have the costal margin with a shallow inward notch in the middle, flanked by rough projecting scales that give it an excavated appearance. This characteristic is reminiscent of the forewings in the genus Acria , but in Paraxenoacria gen. nov., this feature is found on the hindwings instead. When at rest the rough scales of the hindwings protrude outward, a trait not observed in any previously known genera within this family.

In resting posture, this new genus superficially looks like Acria ( Fig 31 ). However, despite its resemblance in wing morphology and genitalia features of male to the genus Acria , Paraxenoacria gen. nov. can be distinguished from the former in the following attributes:

● The forewings have vein R 4 present (absent in Acria ).

● Forewings without any discal tuft of scales (usually seen in many Acria species).

● The male genitalia exhibit a flattened uncus (bifurcated fork like in Acria ), with a pair of tongue-like setose socii laterally.

● The gnathos is characterized by a mesial, spinose bulb followed by distinct downwardly curved digitiform projections on the tegumen, a feature absent not only in Acria but also in other genera belonging to Peleopodidae and allied families such as Oecophoridae and Depressariidae .

● The valva is short, broad, multilobed, and adorned with strong spines on the distal saccular lobe.

These distinguishing features underscore Paraxenoacria gen. nov. as a unique and separate genus within the family Peleopodidae , distinct from Acria and other known genera. This genus is tentatively assigned to the subfamily Acriinae due to its strong resemblance with the genus Acria but requires further taxonomic investigations.

Furthermore, this genus can be confused with several other genera of Peleopodidae and allied families especially due to the similarly shaped forewings and a depressed resting posture, but it can be separated from those genera in the following ways:

● From the genus Antoloea Meyrick, 1914 , this new genus is distinct due to: the presence of excavation on hindwings; lack of discal erect scale tufts on forewings; forewings with the veins CuA 1 and M 3 separated basally (stalked in Antoloea ); the second joint of the labial palps smoothly scaled (roughened anteriorly towards apex in Antoloea ).

● From the genus Durrantia Busck, 1908 , it differs in: the presence of excavation on hindwings (the costal margin is nearly straight in Durrantia ); the labial palps with third joint similar in length to the second (short in Durrantia ); male antennae filiform (finely serrate and pubescent in Durrantia ); forewings with the veins R 4 and R 5 ending in the apex (in the costa in Durrantia ); furthermore, Durrantia species are restricted to the new world.

● From the genus Peleopoda Zeller, 1877 , it differs by: the distribution range in the oriental tropics (whereas Peleopoda is a neotropical genus); labial palps with the second joint smooth (roughly scaled in Peleopoda ); male genitalia with the lateral digitiform projections (lacking in Peleopoda ); and complex valva (somewhat simple, elongated, and with moderate to large lobes from costae frequently overlapping medially in Peleopoda ) (as per Duckworth 1970).

● On the other hand, this new genus can also be confused with the genus Scythropiodes Matsumura, 1931 but in the latter genus, the uncus is absent, gnathos hooked, and the transtilla and juxta often with lateral lobes (Wang & Li 2016).

● Besides, it can also be confused with the genus Odites Walsingham, 1891 , however along with Odites the genera within Oditinae are characterized by the socius being absent and gnathos with smooth hooks, unlike this new genus.

● On the other hand, unlike the Oditinae genus Epimactis Meyrick, 1907 , this new genus has the hindwings with costal excavation; labial palps with third joint similar in length to the second (shorter in Epimactis ); and the genitalia clearly distinct.

● Additionally, it also looks very similar to Machimia Clemens, 1860 in the shape and pattern of forewings as well as in resting posture, but distinct in having the second joint of labial palps being smooth (rough in Machimia ); apex of forewings being rounded; and without excavation in the hindwings. Moreover, the geographic distribution of Machimia differs from Paraxenoacria gen. nov..

So far, the excavation on the hindwings can be seen in the New World Depressariid genus Trycherodes Meyrick, 1914 ; but that genus has shallow depression in the middle of forewing costal margin as well; and the CuA 1 vein originating from M 3 on forewings (separated in Paraxenoacria gen. nov.).

Overall, excavated hindwings, the wing venation, presence of lateral downwardly curved digitiform projections on tegumen (so far neither any Peleopodid genera nor any other in the allied families such as Oecophoridae and Depressariidae bear this feature), the shape of valva and the presence of clavus on it clearly set this genus apart from any of the Peleopodidae genera and allied ones in related families.

Distribution: Though it is is being described from Bangladesh, the analysis of the observations on various citizen science platforms suggests the presence of this genus throughout South-East Asia. Analysis of over 350 observations of Acriinae from different social media platforms and iNaturalist reveals the existence of this genus in India, Thailand, Cambodia, Singapore, up to Malaysia ( Fig 1 , 23–30 ).

Etymology: The name Paraxenoacria means ‘strange or bizarre Acria ’ and derives from the Greek word παράξενος (paráxenos) = strange, peculiar, or bizarre and refers to its peculiar morphology and close resemblance to the genus Acria .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Map showing the distribution of Paraxenoacria gen. nov. in South-East Asia (based on the analysis of observations from different citizen science platforms)

FIGURES 23–31. Life habitus observations of genus Paraxenoacria gen. nov. from different countries 23, Holotype male of P. spinosa sp. nov. (Bangladesh), 24, Paratype male of P. spinosa sp. nov. (Bangladesh), 25, From Doi Pui, Thailand, 26, From Bentong, Pahang, Malaysia, 27, From Assam, India, 28, From Thomson Nature Park, Singapore, 29, From Tatai, Koh Kong, Cambodia, 30, From Thomson Nature Park, Singapore, 31, Acria sp. cf. A. emarginella (Donovan, 1804) from Pirojpur, Barisal, Bangladesh. (25–30 Paraxenoacria species, indetermined).