Coleophora leptella Baldizzone & van der Wolf, 2020

Baldizzone, Giorgio & Van Der Wolf, Hugo W., 2020, On the taxonomy of Afrotropical Coleophoridae (IV). New or little known species from South Africa (Lepidoptera, Coleophoridae), Zootaxa 4816 (2), pp. 151-170 : 168

Coleophora leptella Baldizzone & van der Wolf , sp. n.

( Fig. 10 )

Holotype ♂ ( GP Bldz 11650) “ R.S.A. | Cape Prov. | Beaufort-West | Karoo NP | 24-25 Feb.1995 | leg. HW VD WOLF ”, coll. Baldizzone.

Diagnosis. Species of pale ochre coloration, forewings with sparsely scattered brown scales. The male genitalia resemble those of some Palearctic species, such as C. kalidii Falkovitsh, 1989 but the latter has narrower pedunculi, narrower valvula, shorter cucullus, convex saccular edge, and nearly symmetrical juxta rods, and phallus with shorter outer tube. There are no similar Afrotropical species.

Description. Wingspan 11 m. Head white, dorsally suffused with ivory. Antenna ringed with white and ivory on distal 2/3; scape ivory dorsally, white ventrally, with tuft of erect scales. Labial palpus ivory-suffused on outer side; second article about 0.5 length of third. Haustellum well developed. Thorax and tegula white. Forewing ivory, with numerous scattered dark brown scales denser in apical part; cilia light ivory. Hindwing light grey; cilia light ivory. Abdomen white.

Male genitalia ( Figs. 49–51 ): Gnathos knob oval. Tegumen medially constricted, pedunculus long, with triangular expansion on outer side. Transtilla triangular in basal half, oval with two small triangular protuberances in distal half. Valvula oblong. Sacculus large, ventral edge slightly curved, ventral angle rounded, apical edge thick and oblique, dorsal angle with triangular tooth. Phallotheca with two juxta rods of different lengths, longer rod thicker and more sclerotized. Cornuti needle-shaped, of different lengths, gathered in long, curved cluster.

Female genitalia: Unknown.

Abdominal structures ( Fig. 52 ): No posterior lateral struts. Transverse strut slightly curved, more sclerotized on proximal edge. Tergal disk (3 rd tergite) about 2.5 times their width, covered with about 40 conical spines.

Bionomy. The early stages and the foodplant are unknown.

Distribution. South Africa, Cape Province, Karoo National Park.

Etymology. The species name is from Greek λεπτός = “delicate”, and refers to small size of the species.

Figures

FIGURES 7–10. Adults of Coleophora spp. 7, C. hirtella Baldizzone & van der Wolf, sp. nov., holotype ♂. 8, C. deinosella Baldizzone & van der Wolf, sp. nov., holotype ♂. 9, C. intorta Baldizzone & van der Wolf, sp. nov., holotype ♂. 10, C. leptella Baldizzone & van der Wolf, sp. nov., holotype ♂.

FIGURES 49–52. Male genitalia of C. leptella Baldizzone & van der Wolf, sp. nov. 49, GP GP Bldz 11650, holotype. 50, enlarged detail of cornuti. 51, enlarged detail of valva, and phallotheca. 52, abdominal segments 1–5.