Yponomeuta dhofarensis, Agassiz, 2019

Agassiz, David J. L., 2019, The Yponomeutidae of the Afrotropical region (Lepidoptera: Yponomeutoidea), Zootaxa 4600 (1), pp. 1-69 : 15

14. Yponomeuta dhofarensis sp. nov.

Description of adult ( Plate 2). Wingspan 12–16 mm. Head rough scaled, various shades of grey, labial palpus segment 3 same length as segment 2, greyish, paler on inner sides; scape mixed pale and dark grey, flagellum also annulate dark and pale grey. Thorax pale grey, a broken transverse dark fuscous bar. Forewing mottled grey, a partial straight basal fascia from costa, dark greyish suffusion on costa at one half and a similar patch of dark grey suffusion before it on fold, a subcostal row of blackish dots, another row above fold and a third near dorsum; fringe grey. Hindwing grey with a basal hyaline patch. Legs greyish. Abdomen grey, sterna with minute spines and just a few scattered microtrichia. Male genitalia ( Plate 10). Socius with tip curved into a point, uncus rectangular with rounded corners; valva of typical Yponomeuta shape, digitate process near base of valva pronounced; saccus straight. Aedeagus about twice as long as valva, curved with a cornutus more than half the length of aedeagus.

Female genitalia ( Plate 20 ). Lamella postvaginalis with lobes widely separated, ostium small, a sclerotised band; ductus long at first simple, then a scobinate patch, then a long tube; corpus bursae ovoid, a weak signum at anterior end; whole genital apparatus almost as long as abdomen.

Diagnosis. Differs from European species in the narrow forewings, in the male genitalia by the spiny process near the base of the valva, in the female genitalia it is similar to subplumbella but has a smaller signum in the corpus bursae.

Biology. The larva feeds gregariously, usually several in a web, on Commiphora (provisional identification). Adults are on the wing in September and October.

Derivation of the name. From the province where the species occurs.

Distribution. Confined to the province of Dhofar in southern Oman.

Type material. Holoype ♂ OMAN: 3 ♀ Dhofar, 20 km N of Salalah 17°10.20’N 54°5.64’E Larva on Commiphora 10.ix, em. 15.ix.2013 D.J.L. Agassiz, NHMUK010919524; 22 paratypes: 4 ♂ 1 ♀ same locality 10.ix.2013 , D.J.L. Agassiz; 1 ♂ near Rakhyut 82 m 16°47’4.8’’N 53°19’25.1’’E 11.ix.2013 D.J.L. Agassiz; 1 ♂ 2 ♀ Dhofar, Thamarit Rd 2.x.1979 , 1 specimen 9.x.1979 leg T.B. Larsen; 1 ♀ Zeah Camp 6.x.1979 leg. T.B. Larsen ; 1 ♂ 1 ♀ Dhofar, Aqabit al Hatab 7.x.1979 leg. T.B. Larsen ; 3 ♂ 2 ♀ Dhofar, Sarfait , 1000 m 10.x.1979 leg. T.B. Larsen ( NHMUK) .

Figures

PLATE 20.