Asapharcha angustella, Bidzilya & Mey & Rajaei, 2024

Bidzilya, Oleksiy V., Mey, Wolfram & Rajaei, Hossein, 2024, Taxonomic revision of Asapharcha Meyrick, 1920 (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae), with descriptions of four new species, Zootaxa 5443 (4), pp. 548-566 : 551-552

Asapharcha angustella sp. nov.

Figs 1 , 17 , 23, 24 , 39

Type material. Holotype ♂, RSA [ Republic of South Africa], North Cape, Lelyfontein, Esel-Kop , 27.xi.2008, leg. Ebert, Mey & Kühne; gen. slide 48/09, O. Bidzilya ( MfN) . Paratype: 2 ♂, RSA [ Republic of South Africa], West Cape, N Montagu, Burger-Pass , 560 m, 27.xi.2013, leg. Mey; gen. slide 549/23, 614/23, O. Bidzilya ( MfN) .

Diagnosis. In A. angustella sp. nov. the forewing is comparatively slender, greyish-brown with a brown spot at 1/3 of dorsal margin and 2/3 of costa. In similar species like Asapharcha fuscomaculata and A. tauropis , the forewing is broader, and details of their patterns are different. The male genitalia of A. angustella sp. nov. can be recognized by the basally constricted uncus; the parallel-sided cucullus to 3/4 its length (broadened to 2/3–3/4 its length in A. fuscomaculata ), then narrowing on the dorsal margin; and a slender phallus with a very short subapical process (in A. lacistoides sp. nov. subapical process is also short, but the phallus is much broader).

Description. Adult ( Figs 1 , 17 ). Wingspan 15.3 mm. Head light-brown; labial palpus recurved, light brown, segment 2 with moderately long brush of scales beneath, outer surface of basal half dark brown; segment 3 with broad, dark brown, subapical ring; antennal scape blackish-brown; flagellomeres brown with very narrow grey rings, short-ciliated. Thorax blackish-brown edged laterally with light brown; tegulae greyish-brown. Forewing light-brown, irregularly mixed with black-tipped scales, costal margin with short transvers black streaks and diffuse black spot on 2/3, another black spot on 1/3 of dorsal margin, fringes grey, brown-tipped; hindwing light grey without any pattern, fringes concolorous with hindwing.

Male genitalia ( Figs 23, 24 ). Uncus narrow at base, distal 2/3 broad, rounded, posterior margin with shallow medial emargination, covered with short hairs along margins in distal 2/3; gnathos comparatively short, strongly curved at base, then abruptly or weakly bent, with dorsally curved apex; tegumen as long as uncus, weakly narrowed posteriorly, anteromedial emargination rounded, extending to 1/4–1/3 length of tegumen; cucullus parallel-sided to 3/4, then narrowing on dorsal margin towards weakly rounded or acute apex, extending to 1/2 length of uncus; sacculus short, hump-shaped; valvella reduced; vinculum narrow band-shaped; saccus short, triangular, not extending beyond top of pedunculus. Phallic tube slender, narrowed towards pointed apex, with very short subapical down-curved sclerite; caecum as twice as long as phallic tube; ductus ejaculatorius 4–5 times longer than phallus.

Female genitalia. Unknown.

Biology. Adults have been collected in late November. Hostplant is unknown.

Distribution. This species is known only from South Africa.

Etymology. The species name is derived from the Latin angustus (narrow), referring to its slender wings compared to those of its relatives.

Figures

FIGURES 1–10. Asapharcha spp., adults, dorsal view. 1. A. angustella sp. nov., holotype, male (SouthAfrica, Lelyfontein; gen. slide 48/09, O. Bidzilya). 2. A. centrotypa, holotype, male (Zimbabwe, Sawmills, gen. slide “g. 4248”). 3. A. fuscomaculata, holotype, male (Namibia, Kunene, Palmwag Lodge). 4. A. hirsuta, holotype, male (Zimbabwe, 38 miles N of Bulawayo, road to Victoria Falls). 5. A. lacistoides sp. nov., holotype, male (Namibia, Hobatere Lodge). 6. A. ochrocapitella sp. nov., holotype, male (Zimbabwe, Bulawayo; gen. slide 508/07, O. Bidzilya). 7–10. A. strigifera. 7. Female (South Africa, Gauteng Province, junction of Crocodile and Marico rivers; gen.slide B.M. 7393). 8. Male (holotype of Lacistodes brunneostola). 9. Male (Namibia, Varianto, Otavi Mts). 10. Male (Namibia, Waterberg NP; gen. slide 44/09, O. Bidzilya).

FIGURES 17–22. Asapharcha spp., head. 17. A. angustella sp. nov., lateral view. 18. A. fuscomaculata, dorsolateral view. 19. A. lacistoides sp. nov., lateral view. 20. A. strigifera, lateral view. 21. A. unipunctella, sp. nov., dorsal view. 22. Lasiarchis pycnodes, holotype, male, lateral view (South Africa, Pretoria; gen. slide 503/23, O. Bidzilya).

FIGURES 23–26. Asapharcha spp., male genitalia. 23, 24. A. angustella sp. nov. 23. Holotype (South Africa, Lelyfontein; gen. slide 48/09, O. Bidzilya). 24. Paratype (Namibia, N Montagu, Burger-Pass; gen. slide 549/23, O. Bidzilya). 25. A. centrotypa, holotype (Zimbabwe, Sawmills, gen. slide “g. 4248”). 26. A. fuscomaculata (Namibia, 40 km N Palmwag; gen. slide 37/23, O. Bidzilya).

FIGURES 39–42. Habitats of Asapharcha species. 39. Esel-Kop near Lelyfontein, South Africa. Habitat of A. angustella sp. nov. 40. Epupa Falls, Namibia. Habitat of A. fuscomaculata and A. lacistoides sp. nov. 41. Hobatere Campsite, Namibia. Habitat of A. lacistoides sp. nov. 42. Matopo National Park, Zimbabwe. Habitat of A. ochrocapitella sp. nov. (all photographs made by Wolfram Mey).