Urodeta bucera, 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 : 6-7

Urodeta bucera sp. n.

( Figs 2, 3, 5 , 37–49 )

Paratypes: 33, 2Ƥ, same data as holotype. Specimen IDs: RMCA ENT 0 0 0 0 0 4119, 0 0 0 0 0 4121, 0 0 0 0 0 4126, 0 0 0 0 0 4123, 0 0 0 0 0 4127, gen. prep. MRAC/KMMA 0 0 605, 0 0 603, 0 0 606, 0 0 609 (RMCA); 13, 1Ƥ, same locality, 22.iii.2006, leg. J. & W. De Prins. Specimen IDs: RMCA ENT 0 0 0 0 0 4122, 0 0 0 0 0 4124, gen. prep. MRAC/KMMA 0 0 604, 0 0 608 (RMCA); 1Ƥ, CONGO DEM. REP., Bas-Congo, 320 m, Nat. Res. Luki-Mayumbe, 05°37’S 013°05’E, 30.v.2007, leg. J. De Prins. Specimen ID: RMCA ENT 0 0 0 0 0 5290, gen. prep. MRAC/KMMA 0 0 607 (RMCA).

Diagnosis. Urodeta bucera is superficially similar to U. acerba , known from the same locality. However, U. bucera can be distinguished most easily by the broader wings, especially the hindwings and by the very short labial palpus. The male genitalia are very distinctive with an entirely divided spinose knob of gnathos, stout juxta lobes and apex of phallus with two prominent teeth. As such, U. bucera cannot be confused with any other known species of Urodeta .

Male ( Figs 37, 38 ). Forewing length 2.2–2.5 mm; wingspan 5.1–5.8 mm (n=5). Head: Frons pale grey; vertex and neck tuft brownish grey, weakly mottled with dark brown tipped scales; labial palpus vestigial, visible only as very short greyish extension; flagellum pale brown, weakly annulated with darker rings basally. Thorax and tegula strongly mottled with: scales basally whitish and distally dark brown; thorax with two small black brown spots near posterior margin. Forewing strongly mottled with scales basally whitish and distally dark brown; one black brown spot on fold at 1/3 from base of wing; fringe brownish grey, fringe line dark brown. Hindwing and its fringe grey brown.

Female. Forewing length 2.4–2.6 mm; wingspan 5.3–5.8 mm (n=4). Similar to male, but antenna with more distinct annulations and distally slightly serrated.

Male genitalia ( Figs 39–41 ). Uncus short. Spinose knob of gnathos divided into two separated, apically tapering lobes. Valva short and broad; ventral margin of sacculus gradually curved, tapering into short and narrow cucullus, transtilla long, strongly sclerotized. Ventral shield of juxta large, almost quadrate; juxta lobes well developed, strongly sclerotized, apical margin obliquely truncated, with few short setae. Vinculum U-shaped, proximal margin concave. Phallus shorter than valva, strongly curved in basal 1/3; dorsal and ventral sides strongly sclerotized in apical part; apex with two stout, outwardly curved spines, dorsal spine much larger than ventral one; manica extended as two large lobes on coecum; no cornuti present.

Note: According to Kristensen (2003: 102) the phallocrypt is sometimes referred to as the manica which itself may be partly sclerotized and / or set with spines.

Female genitalia ( Figs 42–49 ). Papillae anales very short, apophyses posteriores vestigial, visible only as very short extension basolaterally. Segment 8 very short, not sclerotized, apophyses anteriores weakly sclerotized, extending from central part of segment and spreading apart laterad. Ostium bursae situated almost in middle of sternum 7. Antrum with sclerotized longitudinal folds, twice shorter than width of ostium. Ductus bursa gradually broadened towards corpus bursae, with narrow band of small internal spines. Corpus bursae with small group of minute internal spines; signum consisting of 1 or 4 long and about 8–10 much smaller spines of varying length.

Biology. Unknown.

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

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

Etymology. The species name is derived from the Latin bucerus (ox-horned) in reference to the horn-shaped juxta lobes.

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 37 – 41. Urodeta bucera, sp. n. 37, adult male. Scale bar 1 mm; 38, head, frontal view. Paratype. Specimen ID: RMCA ENT 000004119; 39, general view of male genitalia (phallus removed); 40, phallus. Holotype. Gen. prep. MRAC / KMMA 0 0 602, specimen ID: RMCA ENT 0 0 0 0 0 4125. Scale bar 0.1 mm; 41, male genitalia, lateral view, in glycerol before permanent mounting in Euparal. Paratype. Specimen ID: RMCA ENT 0 0 0 0 0 4121.

FIGURES 42 – 49. Urodeta bucera, sp. n., female genitalia. 42, caudal part; 43, ductus and corpus bursae; 44, caudal part, enlarged; 45, ductus bursae with internal spines; 46, signum. Paratype. Gen. prep. MRAC / KMMA 0 0 606, specimen ID: RMCA ENT 000004123; 47, signum. Paratype. Gen. prep. MRAC / KMMA 0 0 609, specimen ID: RMCA ENT 000004127; 48, signum. Paratype. Gen. prep. MRAC / KMMA 0 0 607, specimen ID: RMCA ENT 000005290; 49, signum. Paratype. Gen. prep. MRAC / KMMA 0 0 608, specimen ID: RMCA ENT 0 0 0 0 0 4124. Scale bar 0.1 mm.