Thaumatovalva spinai (Razowski & Trematerra) Timm, Alicia E. & Brown, John W., 2014

Timm, Alicia E. & Brown, John W., 2014, A new genus of Grapholitini from Africa related to Thaumatotibia (Lepidoptera, Tortricidae), ZooKeys 438, pp. 113-128 : 118

Taxon classification Animalia Lepidoptera Tortricidae

Thaumatovalva spinai (Razowski & Trematerra) comb. n. Figs 8, 12, 16

Thaumatotibia spinai Razowski & Trematerra, 2010: 65.

Type material.

Holotype ♂, Ethiopia, Omo Valley, Dowro Zone, Tarcha, 1400 m, 16 Apr 2004, A. Sciarretta & G. Spina (PTC). Paratypes (1♂). Ethiopia: Omo Valley, Dowro Zone, Tarcha, 1400 m, 16 Apr 2004, A. Sciarretta & G. Spina (PTC).

Diagnosis.

Thaumatovalva spinai is nearly indistinguishable from Thaumatovalva albolineana and Thaumatovalva deprinsorum in forewing pattern and size, but it can be separated by the modified scaling on the underside of the hindwing. In Thaumatotibia spinai the white scales along the inner margin of the hindwing are long and slender and dark-tipped compared to the short, stout, completely white scales of Thaumatovalva albolineana .

Description.

Male.Head: Vertex dark brown mixed with lighter brown, upper frons concolorous with vertex, lower frons cream; labial palpus slightly lighter than vertex, inner surface slightly lighter; antennal scaling brown. Thorax: Dorsum dark brown, mixed with lighter brown, tegula concolorous with dorsum; hind tibia with dark brown patch of expanded scales. Forewing (Fig. 8) length 6.0 mm (n = 2); forewing as described for genus; hindwing upper surface nearly uniformly brown, undersurface slightly darker in anal region; a conspicuous band of shiny white scales along margin of wing extend from lower edge of anal margin to approximately CuP (Fig. 12). Abdomen: Brown; black scale patches not visible on undissected specimens. Genitalia (Fig. 16) with valva narrow basally, broadening to middle, with large, triangular expansion of valva ventrally just before cucullus, outer edge of cucullus rounded, valva attenuate through cucullus, apex rounded; phallus narrow, with bulbous subbasal lobe and conspicuous elongate dorsal lobe ca. 0.66 distance from base to tip.

Female. Unknown.

Distribution and biology.

Thaumatovalva spinai is known only from the type locality in Ethiopia at 1400 m elevation. Razowski and Wojtusiak (2012) report a single male from Nigeria (Bendel State, Okomu Forest, 20 Oct 1985), but we are uncertain whether it is conspecific with the holotype. The early stages are unknown.

Etymology.

The species was named for one of the collectors of the holotype, Giuesppe Spina.

Remarks.

The holotype male and paratype of this species are both in poor condition, so comparison of forewing pattern is limited. The image of the adult (Fig. 11) is based a photo reconstruction of the holotype, using the best parts of both forewings. An unmodified image of the holotype can be found in Razowski and Trematerra (2010).