Pselnophorus tanzanicus Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich

Ustjuzhanin, P., Kovtunovich, V. & Ustjuzhanina, A., 2015, New species of African Plume moths (Lepidoptera, Pterophoridae), Zootaxa 3957 (1), pp. 137-142 : 139-140

Pselnophorus tanzanicus Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich sp. nov.

( Figs. 6–8 )

Type material: Holotype, male, ( BMNH 22738) Tanzania, Kilimanjaro, Mandara, 2700 m, 11.02.1989, leg. Bassi & Scaramozzino. Paratype, female, ( BMNH 22739), same data as holotype.

External characters. Wingspan 15 mm. Head, thorax and tegulae light brown. Labial palpi thin, short, length less than that of eye diameter. Antennae thin, dark brown. Fore wings light grey. Costal margin of first lobe with two brown scale clusters. Second lobe with mixed white scales and with three small narrow dark elongated strokes from margin. Cleft base with a small dark spot. Middle part of fore wing with a similar dark spot between cleft base and wing base. Fringe inside cleft monochromatic light grey. Hindwings unicolored light grey. Hind legs light grey.

Male genitalia. Valves asymmetrical. Left valve significantly wider that right one. Harpe on left valve long (about one-half valve length), straight, narrowed in distal part. Uncus narrow, slightly tapered at apex. Anellus branches narrow, apices hamate. Aedeagus short, slightly curved in middle part. In distal part there is a cornutus comprising a cluster of small spines.

Female genitalia. Posterior apophyses reduced. Anterior apophyses short, in the form of elongated triangles. Antrum quite wide, cup-shaped with oblique distal margin. Ductus thin, short. Bursa copulatrix small, oval, weakly sclerotized, no signum.

Diagnosis. In male genitalia, this species is distinguished by the shape of the harpe on the left valve and by the shape of anellus, the new species is similar to Hellinsia sordidatus (Meyrick, 1912) , from which it distinctly differs by the asymmetrical valves and short aedeagus.

Distribution: Tanzania.

Flight period: February.

Etymology. Toponymic name.

Figures

FIGURES 6 – 8. Pselnophorus tanzanicus Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich, sp. nov. 6. Adult, holotype; 7. Male genitalia, holotype (slide 22738 BMNH); 8. Female genitalia, paratype (slide 22739 BMNH).