Dichomeris dentata, Li, Houhun, Zhen, Hui & Mey, Wolfram, 2013

Li, Houhun, Zhen, Hui & Mey, Wolfram, 2013, Notes on Dichomeris Hübner, 1818 from Southern Africa and Kenya, with description of seven new species (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae, Dichomeridinae), Zootaxa 3608 (7), pp. 561-574 : 565-567

Dichomeris dentata sp. nov.

( Figs 3 , 15 )

Type material. MALAWI: Holotype 3, Nyika Plateau S of Vitintiza Hill, Sambara River 1700 m, Brachystegia forest LF, 15.x.1996, leg. [W.] Mey & [M.] Nuβ, genitalia slide no. ZH09093 (MfN).

Diagnosis. Dichomeris dentata is similar to D. pladarota Meyrick, 1921 , but can be separated by the forewing without spot in cell or dot on termen; the left lobe of the sicae dentate on inner side of distal 2/5, and the right lobe with some small teeth on inner side of distal 1/4. In D. pladarota , the forewing has dark brown spots at 2/3 and end of cell, and the termen has dark brown dots; the sicae do not have teeth distally.

Description. Adult ( Fig. 3 ): Wing expanse 17.0 mm. Head greyish brown. Ocellus present. Labial palpus with second segment about twice length of diameter of eye, shorter than third segment, without scale tuft; first and second segments dark brown on outer surface, greyish brown on inner surface except grey near ventral surface, mixed with white scales distally; third segment greyish yellow, mixed with brown on ventral surface. Antenna with scape greyish yellow, flagellum alternately greyish yellow and dark brown on dorsal surface, pale ochreous and ciliate on ventral surface. Thorax abraded; tegula greyish brown; mesothorax without hair pencil arising from anepisternum. Forewing with costal margin and dorsum almost parallel, apex slightly blunt, termen obliquely blunt; ground colour greyish brown, with dense dark brown scales distally; dark brown fascia from upper middle of cell to middle of fold, becoming a rounded spot at fold; fringe greyish yellow. Hindwing and fringe grey. Fore and mid legs greyish brown, tibiae and tarsomere yellowish white at apices on outer surface, femur pale yellow, tibia and tarsus pale ochreous on inner surface; hind leg pale yellow.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 15 ): Uncus nearly oblong, slightly narrowed basally, anterior margin concave semicircularly, posterior margin bluntly rounded. Gnathos curved near base, narrowly rounded apically; culcitula more or less gradually narrowed from base to rounded apex. Valva about as long as tegumen-uncus complex, basal 2/5 narrow, parallel-sided, distal 3/5 nearly elongate oval; ventral free lobe digitate, with small teeth and sparse setae apically, about 1/4 length of valva. Vinculum about equal to tegumen-uncus complex, with two pairs of lateral lobes: one pair from base, horned, slightly hooked distally, about 1/3 length of vinculum; another pair from 2/5, left lobe acutely horned, slightly shorter than 1/3 length of vinculum, right lobe broad basally, sharp apically, slightly shorter than left lobe. Saccal region with posterior margin slightly protrudent; sicae developed, separated basally, asymmetrical: left lobe slightly S-shaped, broadest at distal 1/3, distal 2/5 dentate on inner side, apex sharp, reaching culcitula; right lobe with basal 2/5 narrow, parallel-sided, distal 3/5 broadened gradually, distal 1/4 with some smaller teeth on inner side, with a small tooth on outer side near apex, apex slightly exceeding base of valva. Setose patch small. Phallus stout, narrowed toward base and apex; two sclerotized lobes arising from zone: right lobe short, horned, left lobe slightly fused with phallus, curved, sharp apically, about 3/4 length of phallus; two horned sclerotized apical lobes: right lobe about 1/3 length of phallus, left lobe slightly longer than right one.

Female unknown.

Distribution. Malawi.

Etymology. The specific name is derived from the Latin word dentatus (= dentate, referring to the teeth on the inner side of the sicae distally.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 6. Adults of Dichomeris spp. 1. D. arquata sp. nov., holotype 3; 2. D. brevicornuta sp. nov., holotype 3; 3. D. dentata sp. nov., holotype 3; 4. D. ligulacea sp. nov., holotype 3; 5. D. paulidigitata sp. nov., holotype 3; 6. D. tenextrema sp. nov., holotype 3.

FIGURES 13 – 18. Male genitalia of Dichomeris spp. 13. D. arquata sp. nov., holotype, genitalia slide no. ZH 09101; 14. D. brevicornuta sp. nov., holotype, genitalia slide no. ZH 09091; 15. D. dentata sp. nov., holotype, genitalia slide no. ZH 09093; 16. D. ligulacea sp. nov., holotype, genitalia slide no. ZH 09095; 17. D. paulidigitata sp. nov., holotype, genitalia slide no. ZH 09113; 18. D. tenextrema sp. nov., holotype, genitalia slide no. ZH 09115.