Meleonoma medispinea Wang, 2021

Wang, Shuxia, Zhu, Xiaoju & Tao, Zhulin, 2021, Study of the genus Meleonoma Meyrick, 1914 (Lepidoptera: Autostichidae) from China (III), with descriptions of eighteen new species, Zootaxa 4995 (2), pp. 303-333 : 323-324

Meleonoma medispinea Wang , sp. nov.

( Figs 16 , 34 , 47 )

Type material. CHINA, Chongqing: Holotype • ♂, Mt. Jinfo (29.00°N, 107.17°E), 1700 m, 13.VII.2010, leg. X.C. Du & S.W. Shi, slide No. YAH15262.

Paratypes: • 4♂ 4♀, 12–14.VII.2010, other data same as for holotype, slide Nos. ZXJ19336 ♂, YAH12307 ♀.

Diagnosis. The new species is similar to M. latifascia ( Wang, 2004) in both forewing pattern and genital features. It can be distinguished by the valva with a spine on the ventral surface, the transtilla without a hairy process and the saccus shorter than the uncus; in M. latifascia , the valva lacks a spine on the ventral surface, the transtilla has a hairy process dorsally and the saccus is longer than the uncus ( Wang 2004: 227, fig. 7).

Description. Adult ( Fig. 16 ). Forewing length 5.5‒5.8 mm.

Head yellow. Labial palpus yellow; second segment with greyish-brown scales on outer surface distally, with a greyish-brown ring apically; third segment 2/3 length of second segment, with sparse greyish-brown scales distally on dorsal surface. Antenna: scape yellow, greyish brown on dorsal surface; flagellum greyish brown, alternated with yellow on dorsal surface.

Thorax and tegula blackish brown tinged with grey scales. Forewing with costal margin arched, apex narrowly rounded; ground color blackish brown; median fascia yellowish white, from middle of costal margin extending outward to before tornus, with brown scales; distal spot yellowish white, inverted triangular, situated at distal 1/4, ill-defined; fringe blackish brown, with a yellowish-white basal line. Hindwing and fringe brown. Legs yellowish white; on ventral surface, coxa of foreleg with scattered blackish-brown scales, tarsi of fore- and midlegs blackish brown except yellowish white at base of basal tarsomere and at apices of basal two tarsomeres, tarsus of hindleg with basal four tarsomeres blackish brown except yellowish white at apices, all femora with scattered blackishbrown scales, all tibiae blackish brown except yellowish white at middle and at apex.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 34 ). Uncus lanceolate, rounded at apex, densely setose. Tegumen concave in V shape at middle on anterior margin, with a narrow sclerotized edge along outer and anterior margins. Valva dilated ovately, densely setose along margins, with a slender spine arising from centre on ventral surface, with a sclerotized carina extending from near base to before middle below costa; costa concave at base, distinctly convex medially; transtilla triangular, narrowed toward middle, rounded at apex. Sacculus wide and parallel from base to middle, then suddenly narrowed to apex; dorsal margin sclerotized, sinuate; ventral margin semicircularly concave inward before apex, forming a large setose distal process with an obuse apex. Saccus narrowed from base to narrowly rounded apex, slightly shorter than uncus. Juxta U-shaped; lateral arm narrowly linked basally, basal 2/3 uniformly wide, sharply narrowed and curved inward at basal 2/3, distal 1/3 slender, spine-shaped. Aedeagus slightly shorter than valva, basal half tubular, uniform; distal 3/5 almost membranous, with a sinuate belt curving inward toward base in broad U shape; cornuti being a tuft of spines ( Fig. 34a ).

Female genitalia ( Fig. 47 ). Papillae anales somewhat quadrate, setose. Apophyses anteriores half length of apophyses posteriores. Eighth tergite with a wide, shallow notch at middle on posterior margin. Eighth sternal plate trapezoidal, spiculate, heavily sclerotized; posterior margin shallowly concave at middle, lined with long setae and fine spicules; anterior margin concave inward medially. Lamella antevaginalis banded, weakly sclerotized, horizontally produced outward triangularly. Antrum with posterior margin produced triangularly on dorsal surface, straight on ventral surface. Ductus bursae as long as antrum, membranous. Corpus bursae rounded, spiculate; signum small, represented by a few teeth ( Fig. 47a ); ductus seminalis arising from near bottom of corpus bursae laterally.

Distribution. China (Chongqing).

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the Latin medi- and spineus, referring to the spine in the centre of the valva.

Figures

FIGURES 15‒20. Adults of Meleonoma spp. 15, M. grandivalvula sp. nov., holotype, ♂; 16, M. medispinea sp. nov., holotype, ♂; 17, M. sinuaclavata sp. nov., holotype, ♂; 18, M. tenuiclavata sp. nov., holotype, ♂; 19, M. tetrodonta sp. nov. holotype, ♂; 20, M. ventrisinuata sp. nov., paratype, ♀. Scales = 2.0 mm.

FIGURES 33‒38. Male genitalia of Meleonoma spp. 33, M. grandivalvula sp. nov., holotype, slide No. YAH12218, 33a, enlarged cornuti; 34, M. medispinea sp. nov., paratype, slide No. ZXJ19336, 34a, enlarged cornuti; 35, M. sinuaclavata sp. nov., holotype, slide No. YAH15396, 35a, enlarged cornutus; 36, M. tenuiclavata sp. nov., holotype, slide No. YAH15388; 37, M. tetrodonta sp. nov., paratype, slide No. YAH15261, 37a, enlarged cornuti; 38, M. ventrisinuata sp. nov., holotype, slide No. YAH15385. Scales = 0.2 mm, except 33a, 35a, 37a = 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 44‒49. Female genitalia of Meleonoma spp. 44, M. arcivalvata sp. nov., slide No. MNHU-NK124; 45, M. fasciptera sp. nov., slide No. ZXJ19169, 45a, enlarged signum; 46, M. graciliclavata sp. nov., slide No. YAH15517; 47, M. medispinea sp. nov., slide No.YAH12307, 47a, enlarged signum; 48, M. tetrodonta sp. nov., slide No. ZXJ19329, 48a, enlarged signum; 49, M. ventrisinuata sp. nov., slide No. YAH15386. All paratypes. Scales = 0.2 mm, except 45a, 48a = 0.1 mm, 47a = 0.05 mm.