Eridachtha pholexana Park, 2024

Park, Kyu-Tek, Minet, Joël, Koo, Jun-Mo & Yu, Tae-Uk, 2024, Review of the Afrotropical members of the genus Eridachtha Meyrick, 1910 (Lepidoptera: Lecithoceridae: Lecithocerinae), with descriptions of 12 new species, Zootaxa 5468 (2), pp. 275-307 : 297-298

8. Eridachtha pholexana Park , sp. nov.

LSID: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:C7312DA3-B968-4A0D-9592-AA68306168F6 ( Fig. 15 )

Type specimen. Holotype male: Uganda, Kibale Nat. Park, Biol. Field Stn., Kibale Nat. Park, Biol. Field Stn., gen. slide no. CIS-7262 (wing slide no. CIS-7262-w), in MfN.

Diagnosis. The new species can be distinguished from its allies by the normally thickened 2 nd segment of the labial palpus; in the male genitalia, the diagnostic character is a large quadrate basal plate of the gnathos as well as the rounded cucullus apically with numerous conical spines. However, the forewing venation is well-matched with other members of the genus Eridachtha Meyrick.

Description. Male ( Figs 15A–C ). Wingspan 17.0 mm.

Head: vertex pale orange to orange-white, with concolourous erect scales laterally. Antenna slightly longer than forewing; scape elongated, slightly dilated distally; flagellum orange-white, without annulations. Second segment of labial palpus normally thickened, devoid of rough scales dorsally; 3 rd segment slender, slightly longer than 2 nd segment.

Thorax: tegula and thorax orange-white dorsally. Forewing ground colour orange-white, densely scattered with brownish scales; costa slightly arched beyond 3/4; apex more or less sharply produced; termen oblique; fringe concolourous to ground colour; venation ( Fig. 15C ) with R 1 arising from about 1/3; R 3 free from stem of R 4+5; R 4 and R 5 stalked for basal 3/5; R 5 to termen; M 1 remote from stem of R 4+5; M 2 much closer to M 3 than to M 1; CuA 1 and CuA 2 fairly remote at base, the former arising from near lower corner of discal cell. Hindwing ground colour paler than forewing, as broad as forewing; apex produced; fringe concolourous with ground colour; venation similar to those of its congeneric species.

Abdomen: no spinous zones dorsally.

Male genitalia ( Figs 15D, E ): uncus basal lobe heart-shaped, with rounded apices. Gnathos basal plate large, quadrate, slightly convex on caudal margin. Costal bar arched and slightly angulate medially. Valva extremely broad at base; ventral margin concave medially; cucullus thumb-like, rounded apically with numerous conical spines along apical margin; sacculus broadly developed. Juxta shield-shaped, gently concave on caudal margin, broadly protruded medially on anterior margin. Vinculum broad. Aedeagus stout, bifurcated apically, with small triangular dorsal spines before apex; cornuti shaped as an oval pouch with a sharply pointed plate towards base and a short, digitate plate in apical 1/4.

Female unknown.

Distribution. Uganda (Kibale).

Etymology. The species name is derived from the Ancient Greek, - pholex (= thumb), referring to the thumb-like cucullus in the male genitalia.

Figures

FIGURE 15. Eridachtha pholexana Park, sp. nov.: A, male, holotype; B, head with labial palpus; C, forewing venation (wing slide no. CIS-7262-w); D, male genitalia of holotype (slide no. CIS-7262); E, aedeagus; F, pregenital segments. Scale bar for D and E: 0.5 mm.