Hellinsia iraida Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich, 2022

Ustjuzhanin, Petr., Kovtunovich, Vasily N., Streltzov, Alexander N. & Ustjuzhanina, Anna K., 2022, Two new species of plume moths of the genus Hellinsia Tutt, 1905 (Lepidoptera, Pterophoridae) from Paraguay, Ecologica Montenegrina 54, pp. 12-17 : 14-17

Hellinsia iraida Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich sp. nov.

http://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:8B0658A1-4C95-4881-8F86-3FB5D8FA939B

Figs 3–5 .

Holotype, male, ( ZISP, gen.pr. Nr. 1986), PARAGUAY, Dep. Alto Parana Estancia Dimas S 25°33’ W 55°13’, 17–21. XI. 2011 U. Drechsel ; Paratypes: 2 females ( ZISP, gen.pr. Nr. 1987; CUK, gen.pr. Nr. 370), PARAGUAY, Dep. Alto Parana, Estancia Dimas S 25°33’ W 55°13’, 11–16. XI. 2011 U. Drechsel ; 1 female ( CUK), PARAGUAY, Dep. Alto Parana, Estancia Dimas S 25°33’ W 55°13’, 04–10. XI. 2011 U. Drechsel .

DESCRIPTION. External characters. Head, thorax and tegulae yellowish-grey. Labial palpi light, short, almost twice shorter than longitudinal eye diameter. Antennae cross-striped, with alternating brown and white segments, scape noticeably thickened. Wingspan 17–18 mm, holotype – 17 mm. Fore wings light-grey. Costal margin of fore wing interspersed with tiny brown scales, with distinct dark-brown spot above cleft base. Wide brown spot at cleft base. Fringe inside cleft pale-yellow, only apically on both lobes brown. Hind wings of the same color as fore wings. Hind legs white with portions of dark scales at spur bases.

Male genitalia. Valves asymmetric. Arched harpe with small apical spike in medium part of left valve. Saccular process on right valve curved as hook, bluntly oval apically, located distally in valve. Anellus arms narrow, quite short, of equal length. Saccus arched. Uncus quite thick, poorly curved, apically acute. Aedeagus long, wavy, slightly shorter than valve in length, with long needle-like cornutus medially.

Female genitalia. Papillae anales narrow-triangle, posterior apophyses slightly wavy. Antrum wide, goblet-like. Ductus long, extended at its confluence to antrum, sclerotized, then becomes thin and membranous. Bursa copulatrix wide, oval.

Diagnosis. In the male genitalia, in the position of the saccular process on both valves, the new species is similar to Hellinsia canari Gielis, 2011 , but the saccular process on the left valve in the new species is extended distally and acute only apically, while in H. canari it is basally wide and gradually narrowing to the sharp end. The saccular process on the right valve in the new species is bent as a hook, while in H. canari it is only slightly tilted and apically bluntly extended. Additionally, the aedeagus in the new species is significantly longer than that of H. canari .

Flight period. November.

Distribution. Paraguay.

Etymology. The species is named after the friend and ally of the first author, Iraida Zakhozheva (Ryazan region), a geologist and a member of the complex Trans-Baikal expedition in 1994.

Figures

Figure 3. Hellinsia iraida Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich sp. nov. Adult, male, holotype.

Figure 4. Hellinsia iraida Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich sp. nov. Male genitalia, holotype (ZISP, gen.pr. Nr.1986).

Figure 5. Hellinsia iraida Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich sp. nov. Female genitalia, paratype (ZISP, gen.pr. Nr.1987).