Epicephala ancylopa Meyrick, 1918

Li, Houhun & Zhang, Zhenguo, 2016, Five species of the genus Epicephala Meyrick, 1880 (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) from China, Zootaxa 4084 (3), pp. 391-405 : 391-400

Epicephala ancylopa Meyrick, 1918

Figs. 1 , 6 , 11 , 16

Epicephala ancylopa Meyrick, 1918 . Exotic Microlepidoptera 2 (6): 173.

Material examined. Type material. 5 syntypes, BMNH. INDIA: Lectotype ♂, label 1: Khasi Hills, Assam, 4, 1907; label 2: Epicephala ancylopa , 1/6, Meyr., E. Meyrick det. in Meyrick coll; label 3 : Lectotype (examined). [Paralectotypes]: 1 ♂, label 1: Assam, Chorrapunji, Native Collr; label 2: Presented by R.L.E. Ford, B. M. 1949- 487; label 3: B. M. Genitalia slide No. 32324, prepared by H.H. Li (examined); 1 ♀, same data as male but label 3: B. M. Genitalia slide No. 32330, prepared by H.H. Li (mismatched with male, examined). Other material: Malaysia : 1 ♂, label 1: W. Malaysia, W. Pihang, Genting Tea Estate, 2000 ft, 22−31.x.1981; label 2: K.R. Tuck, BM 1981-549; label 3: At MV light; label 4: B. M. Genitalia slide No. 32321, prepared by H.H. Li (misidentification, examined) ; 1 ♀, same data as male but label 4: B. M. Genitalia slide No. 32314, prepared by H.H. Li (misidentification, examined). CHINA, Yunnan Province: 76 ♂, 71 ♀, Pu'er Sun River National Park (22°36'N, 101°07'E), 1200 m. 07.xi.−02.xii.2014, reared from fruits of Glochidion sp. by Z.G. Zhang ; 1 ♂, 14 ♀, same locality, 05-25.iv.2015, collected from Glochidion sp. by K.J. Teng.

Redescription. Adult ( Fig. 1 ). Forewing expanse 9.5−13.5 mm. Head white; vertex tinged with pale yellow, with a few tufted greyish brown scales laterally. Labial palpus with basal palpomere white; second and third palpomeres with outer surface brown, inner surface white except second palpomere brown at apex and third palpomere tinged with pale greyish yellow. Antenna with ventral surface pale greyish yellow, dorsal surface deep greyish brown, scape snowy white anteriorly. Thorax snowy white; tegula deep greyish brown. Forewing deep greyish brown to dark brown or dark yellowish brown; costal margin with three white streaks: basal streak varying in length: from very short, from before 1/4 extending just below costal margin, to first extending for half of its length just below costal margin and then obliquely outward to beyond 1/3 of wing at anterior 14 or 1/3; median streak from beyond middle slightly oblique to anterior 1/4 or 1/3, then curved and parallel with costal margin to about distal 1/8, indistinct or interrupted in some individuals distally, or represented by dots and short streaks in some other individuals; distal streak from about distal 1/4, extending first below costal margin and then subparallel with costal margin to distal 1/8, discontinuous in some individuals, or represented by short streaks or irregular spots in some other individuals, sometimes with black scales along its ventral edge; short white streak placed between median and distal streaks below costal margin; ventral margin with a broad creamy band from base to end of fold, narrowed distally, sinuate dorsally, produced to an ill-defined dorsal strip at 2/3 which is obliquely outward to middle of wing, interrupted or weak distally in some individuals; two slightly curved white streaks from above end of fold extending to distal 1/8, subparallel, narrowed gradually, joined distally, dorsal streak stronger and longer; white scales diffused from end of fold to distal 1/8 along ventral margin; narrow silvery fascia with metallic reflection at distal 1/8, edged with blackish brown, with a white dot at costal margin; distal 1/8 ochre brown, with a small white spot at costal margin and a triangular white spot along ventral margin, with a black dot placed at middle outside of silvery fascia, apex with a silvery strip or spot; cilia greyish white along costal margin and apex except black distally and with a distinct black basal line, grey along dorsal margin. Hindwing and cilia greyish brown.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 6 ). Tegumen elongate, tongue-shaped, sclerotized and granulated marginally. Valva with costal part about same length as tegumen, basal 1/3 narrower than distal 2/3, distal 2/3 subparallel, apex bluntly rounded; costa slightly protruded before middle; ventral margin distinctly concave near base, dentate and slightly protruded medially; transtilla tapering to pointed tip, curved ventrad. Valva with sacculus about 3/5 length of costal part, suboval, densely toothed dorso-distally, slightly wider than costal part at maxmum width; dorsal margin roundly arched, ventral margin with basal 2/3 straight; apex narrowly pointed, weakly curved dorsad. Vinculum broad V-shaped; saccus clubbed, basal 2/3 subparallel, distal 1/3 narrowed to rounded apex. Phallus slightly shorter than valva, straight, dilated basally, slightly thinned distally; cornutus a wrinkled and granulated plate with denticles ventrodistally.

Female genitalia ( Figs. 11 , 16 ). Ovipositor narrow, cone-shaped, dentate laterally, acute apically. Apophysis posterioris with basal 1/3 thinner than distal 2/3, longer than apophysis anterioris. Lamella postvaginalis with posterior margin deeply concave in broad V or U shape ( Fig. 16 ), sinuate or smooth, in some individuals concave in V shape; lateral margin smoothly arched, posterolaterally produced to a subtriangular lobe with rounded or dentate apex, anterolaterally produced to a small pointed process. Antrum about 1/3 length of ductus bursae, lateral margins parallel. Ductus bursae slightly thicker than antrum, with sclerotized and sparsely granulated pleats; ductus seminalis arising from between antrum and ductus bursae. Corpus bursae oval, longer than ductus bursae; signum a small subtriangular plate, or a subovate plate produced in triangle anteriorly, wrinkled.

Biology. Host-plant: Glochidion sp., close to Glochidion khasicum (Müll. Arg.) (Phyllanthaceae) . Larvae feed on seeds in the fruits.

Distribution. China (Yunnan), India.

Diagnosis. Epicephala ancylopa Meyrick, 1918 is closer to E. albifrons (Stainton, 1859) in the female genitalia. It can be separated from the latter by having a broader lamella postvaginalis and the presence of a signum.

Remarks. Five syntypes were examined, provided with detailed data of three in this study. Among them, one female with same data as lectoparatype was mismatched with the male according to our present study. Two additional examined specimens collected in Malaysia are confirmed to be misidentified as E. ancylopa Meyrick. They belong to a different species, which needs to be further studied.

This species is newly recorded for China.

Figures

FIGURES 1 − 5. Adults of Epicephala spp. 1. E. ancylopa Meyrick, ♀; 2. E. duoplantaria sp. nov., paratype, ♀; 3. E. daltonii sp. nov., paratype, ♀; 4. E. jianfenglingina sp. nov., paratype, ♀; 5. E. assamica sp. nov., ♀ (Scales = 2.0 mm).

FIGURES 6 − 7. Male genitalia of Epicephala spp. 6. E. ancylopa Meyrick, slide no. ZZG 15077; 7. E. duoplantaria sp. nov., paratype, slide no. ZZG 15189. 6 a. enlarged ventral margin of costal part and distal part of sacculus; 6 b. enlarged cornutus. 7 ac. variations of ventral margin of costal part and distal part of sacculus: 7 a (slide no. HBB 10027), 7 b (slide no. ZZG 14015), 7 c (slide no. ZZG 15189). enlarged distal of sacculus with costa; 7 d. enlarged spinous cornutus. (Scales 6, 7 = 0.3 mm; a-d = 0.1 mm).

FIGURES 11 − 14. Female genitalia of Epicephala spp. 11. E. ancylopa Meyrick, slide no. ZZG 15014, 11 a. enlarged signum, slide no. ZZG 15076; 12. E. duoplantaria sp. nov., paratype, slide no. ZZG 14051; 13. E. daltonii sp. nov., paratype, slide no. ZZG 14043; 14. E. jianfenglingina sp. nov., paratype, slide no. ZZG 15199. (Scales = 0.5 mm).

FIGURES 16 − 19. Female genitalia: lamella postvaginalis of Epicephala spp. 16. E. ancylopa Meyrick, slide no. ZZG 15014 (slide nos.: 16 a. ZZG 15016, 16 b. ZZG 15076, 16 c. ZZG 15072, 16 d. ZZG 14012); 17. E. duoplantaria sp. nov., paratype, slide no. ZZG 14051 (slide nos.: 17 a. ZZG 14058, 17 b. ZZG 14024, 17 c. ZZG 14039); 18. E. daltonii sp. nov., paratype, slide no. ZZG 14043, 18 a. slide no. ZZG 14364; 19. E. jianfenglingina sp. nov., paratype, slide no. ZZG 15199. (Scales = 0.2 mm).