Urodeta acerba, Sruoga, Virginijus & Prins, Jurate De, 2011

Sruoga, Virginijus & Prins, Jurate De, 2011, New species of Elachistinae (Lepidoptera: Elachistidae) from Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zootaxa 3008, pp. 1-32 : 5-6

Urodeta acerba sp. n.

( Figs 2, 3, 5 , 23–32 )

Type material. Holotype: 3, CONGO DEM. REP., Bas-Congo, 320 m, Nat. Res. Luki-Mayumbe, 05°27’S 13°05’E, 29.iii.2006, leg. J. De Prins. Specimen ID: RMCA ENT 0 0 0 0 0 5278, gen. prep. MRAC / KMMA 0 0 596 ( RMCA).

Paratypes: CONGO DEM. REP., Bas-Congo, 320 m, Nat. Res. Luki-Mayumbe 05°27’S 13°05’E, leg. J. & W. De Prins: 23, 1Ƥ, 22.iii.2006. Specimen IDs: RMCA ENT 0 0 0 0 0 5277, 0 0 0 0 0 5279, 0 0 0 0 0 5280, gen. prep. MRAC / KMMA 0 0 597, 0 0 598 ( RMCA); 13, 15.iii.2006. Specimen ID: RMCA ENT 0 0 0 0 0 4120, gen. prep. MRAC / KMMA 0 0 599 ( RMCA); 1Ƥ, CONGO DEM. REP., Bas-Congo, 320 m, Nat. Res. Luki-Mayumbe, 05°37’S 13°05’E, 16.v.2007, leg. J. & W. De Prins. Specimen ID: RMCA ENT 0 0 0 0 0 5289, gen. prep. MRAC / KMMA 0 0 600 ( RMCA).

Diagnosis. Urodeta acerba is superficially similar to U. bucera , known from the same locality. However, U. acerba can be distinguished most easily by the very narrow wings, especially the hindwings and by longer labial palpus. The entirely divided valva in male genitalia, and rounded bright spots on a dark background colour of papillae anales in female genitalia are very distinctive and separate U. acerba from all other Urodeta species. Male ( Figs 23, 24 ). Forewing length 2.0–2.3 mm; wingspan 4.7–5.2 mm (n=4). Head: Frons pale grey; vertex and neck tuft greyish brown, mottled with blackish brown tipped scales; labial palpus straight, about 0.5 times as long as width of head, greyish white; flagellum greyish brown, basally annulated with darker rings. Thorax, tegula and forewing grey brown, mottled with blackish brown tipped scales; small blackish brown spot on fold before middle of wing. Hindwing very narrow, about 10 times longer than wide (measured in middle of wing), grey brown, its fringe paler.

Female. Forewing length 2.3–2.4 mm; wingspan 5.3–5.4 mm (n=2). Similar to male, but antenna without distinct annulations.

Male genitalia ( Figs 25–28 ). Uncus large, posterior margin weakly sclerotized, not emarginated, length almost as long as width of spinose knob of gnathos. Basal arms of gnathos fused with membranous zone medially. Valva divided into two separate lobes ( Fig. 27 ): ventral lobe narrow, almost parallel sided and rounded apically, inner surface with sparse setae; dorsal lobe triangular in shape, with few setae on ventral margin and few but shorter on apex. Ventral shield of juxta elongate, slightly widened apically, apex rounded and fused to phallus; juxta lobes not developed. Vinculum narrow, U-shaped, without saccus. Phallus about 3 times longer than wide, apex rounded and abruptly narrowing; ductus ejaculatorius inserted dorsally, just before middle of phallus; vesica with different cornuti: one elongate plate-like, one near square plate-like, and numerous small spine-like cornuti.

Female genitalia ( Figs 29–32 ). Papillae anales short, with round semitransparent spots where long setae arise. Apophyses posteriores vestigial, visible only as very short extension basolaterally. Tergum 8 very short, not sclerotized, apophyses anteriores basally widened, extending from central part of segment and spreading apart laterad. Additional pair of weakly sclerotized apophyses extending slightly before apophyses anteriores. Ostium bursae situated at posterior margin of sternum 7. Antrum with sclerotized longitudinal folds, funnel-shaped, 2/3 length of sternum 7. Ductus bursa spirally coiled, very long, about 12 times longer than length of sternum 7. Corpus bursae without signum, divided by narrow prolonged constriction into two parts ( Fig. 32 ), larger posterior, with minute internal spines and smaller anterior one, without internal spines.

Biology. Unknown.

Flight period. Based on specimens available, adults fly in March and May.

Distribution. So far this species is known only from Bas-Congo province of Democratic Republic of the Congo ( Figs 2, 3, 5 ).

Etymology. The species name is derived from the Latin acerbus (gloomy, dark) in reference to the dark coloration of moth.

Remarks. In the male genitalia the juxta apically is fused with the phallus, therefore during preparation, if the phallus is removed, the apex of juxta can be separated from the juxta along with the phallus ( Fig. 28 ).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 5. Collecting localities of the Afrotropical Elachistinae species. 1, Cameroon, North Province, Faro River floodplain; 2, DRC, Bas-Congo, Mayumbe Forest; 3, general map indicating collecting sites; 4, collecting site in Cameroon; 5, collecting site in DRC.

FIGURES 23 – 28. Urodeta acerba, sp. n. 23, adult male; 24, head, frontal view. Paratype. Specimen ID: RMCA ENT 0 0 0 0 0 4120. Scale bar 1 mm; 25, general view of male genitalia (phallus removed); 26, phallus. Holotype. Gen. prep. MRAC / KMMA 0 0 596, specimen ID: RMCA ENT 000005278; 27, male genitalia, lateral view, in glycerol before permanent mounting in Euparal; 28, apical part of phallus (arrow pointing to apex of juxta). Paratype. Gen. prep. MRAC / KMMA 0 0 597, specimen ID: RMCA ENT 0 0 0 0 0 5279. Scale bar 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 29 – 32. Urodeta acerba, sp. n., female genitalia. 29, caudal part; 30, ductus and corpus bursae; 31, caudal part, enlarged. Paratype. Gen. prep. MRAC / KMMA 0 0 598, specimen ID: RMCA ENT 0 0 0 0 0 5280. Scale bar 0.1 mm; 32, corpus bursae, in glycerol before permanent mounting in Euparal. Paratype. Specimen ID: RMCA ENT 0 0 0 0 0 5289.