Aphanostola acaciae Bidzilya & Mey, 2016

Bidzilya, Oleksiy V., Mey, Wolfram & Agassiz, David, 2016, Review of the genus Aphanostola Meyrick, 1931 (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae, Anomologinae) with description of 19 new species from the Afrotropical Region, Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift 63 (1), pp. 45-74 : 49

Aphanostola acaciae Bidzilya & Mey sp. n. Figs 1-3 , 41 , 42 , 65

Aphanostola acaciae Genus 1, sp. 1. - Bidzilya 2007: 94, figs 2, 5; pl. 5, figs 2, 3.

Aphanostola sp. 1 - Agassiz and Bidzilya 2016 (in press).

Type material.

Holotype ♂, [Namibia] 20 km NW Uis, LF, 27.ii.2002 (Turm) (Mey) (gen. slide 101/05, O. Bidzilya) ( MfN). Paratypes: 1 ♂, 2 ♀, Namibia, Brandberg, Ugab, LF (MEY), 30.xi.2000, LF (gen. slide 78/05♀; 224/12♂; 575/14♂, O. Bidzilya) 1 ♀, Namibia, 10 km W Brandberg, 28.ii.2002(Turm) (Mey) (gen. slide 73/05, O. Bidzilya); 2 ♂, 1 ♀, Namibia, Omatako Ranch, LF, 22-23.iii.2003 (Mey) (gen. slide 501/14♂, O. Bidzilya); 1 ♂, Namibia, Mile 46, 18 18 S, 19 15 E, 24-26.iii.2003 (Mey); 2 ♂, Namibia, Erichsfelde, 21 35 S, 16 56 E, 19-21.iii.2003 (Mey) (gen. slide 164/15, O. Bidzilya); 2 ♀, Namibia, Waterberg NP, 21-22.xi.2000, LF (Mey); 2 ♂, 2 ♀, Namibia, Namutoni, Etosha Nat. Park, 14-16.xii.1993 (Mey & Ebert); 1 ♀, Namibia, Etosha, Namutoni, 7.xi.1999 (Mey); 2 ♀, Namibia, Namutoni, Etosha NP, 23-25.xi.2000, LF (Mey) (gen. slide 152/15, O. Bidzilya); 1 ♂, Namibia, Okatjikona, Waterberg Nat. Park, 14-16.ii.2008, LF (Mey); 1 ♂, NAMIBIA-Exp., ZMB 1992, E. Caprivi, Katima Mulilo, 17 29 S / 24 17 E, lux, 3-8.iii.92 (Mey); 1 ♂, 2 ♀, Namibia, Naukluft, Tsams-Ost, 3.xii.08 (Ebert, Mey & Kune); 4 ♀, Namibia, Mirabib, Central Namib, 27.i.2009, LF (Mey) (gen. slide 548/14, O. Bidzilya); 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Namibia, Auas Mts., Windhoek, 1917 m, 25.i.2009 LF (Mey); 1 ♀, RSA, Transvaal, Nylsvley Nat. Res., 29.xi.2004, LF, Turm (Mey); 1 ♂, Namibia, Gamsberg, Rooiklip Farm, 10-11.ix.2012 (Mey) (gen. slide 496/14, O. Bidzilya); 4 ♀, Namibia, Rooisand, Gamsberg Pass, 20.i.2007, aut. Falle (Mey & Ebert) (gen. slide 200/12; 201/12; 42/15, O. Bidzilya) (all MfN); 2 ♂, [Namibia] Gobabeb, Game Reserve No. 3, 12-17.iv.1967 (Potgieter) (gen. slide 57/15, O. Bidzilya); 3 ♂, S.W.Afr., Namib, Gobabeb, 23.24 S - 15.03 E, 3.x.1974: E-Y447, light trap ( Endrödy-Younga) (gen. slide 35/15, O. Bidzilya); 1 ♂, Abachaus, SWA, xii.1946 (Hobohm) (gen. slide 16/15, O. Bidzilya) (all TMSA); 1 ♂, South Africa, Kgalagadi, Transfrontier Park, Mata Mata, 950 m, 18.xii.2009, 25 15 403 S; 021 38 427 E (Wieser) (gen. slide 513/14, O. Bidzilya) (LMK); 1 ♀, Zimbabwe, 6-10.iv.1954 (Janse) (gen. slide 19/15, O. Bidzilya) (all TMSA); 1 ♂, Kenya: Rift Valley, Logumgum 1000 m, 0°27'N, 36°05'E, e.l. Acacia tortilis , em. 1.ix.2007 (Agassiz) (gen. slide 1362, O. Bidzilya) (coll. Agassiz).

Diagnosis.

The species is recognizable externally by the white or light grey forewing with a black dash at base of costa, two black dashes at base of fold and three distinct black spots in cell. The male genitalia differ from the rest of Aphanostola species in the very short uncus in combination with apically narrowed saccus, the long, strongly curved gnathos, the basal projection of the phallus broadened at apex and the presence of small cornuti in the vesica. The female genitalia can be recognized unmistakably by the shape of the antrum and by the broad ductus bursae bearing a lateral appendix.

Description.

Adult (Figs 1-3 ). Wingspan 7.2-8.4 mm. Head, thorax and tegulae light grey to white; labial palpus up-curved, segment two black with white apex, segment three white with broad black ring in middle; antenna in male thicker than in female, scape brown with some white scales beneath, other segments brown with white rings. Forewing white to light grey, costal margin black from base to 1/3 length, single black scales sparsely scattered along costal and dorsal margins; two black dashes in fold, sometimes merging; two black spots at base of cell and one black spot in corner of cell; cilia white, black-tipped. Hindwing white to greyish white.

Variation. Ground colour of forewing varies from white to light grey.

Male genitalia (Figs 41 , 42 ). Uncus very short, posterior margin weakly emarginated, covered with strong setae; gnathos long, curved by nearly right angle in middle; tegumen broad, with deep and broad anterior emargination; valva weakly narrowed in middle, apical half distinctly inflated, teeth on inner margin indistinct; sacculus narrow, thorn-shaped; vinculum moderately broad with short projections on posterior margin, medial postero-medial incision narrow; saccus broad at base, narrow distally, apex abruptly cut or rounded, exceeding far beyond apex of pedunculus; phallus wide, apex with group of 3-8 very small cornuti and three lateral teeth, basal projection slightly shorter than length of phallus, its apex weakly widened.

Variation. Uncus sometimes reduced to short, paired hump.

Female genitalia (Fig. 65 ). Segment VIII weakly sclerotized, distinctly shorter than apophyses anteriores; antrum broad, rounded; left side with a few teeth; sub-ostial sclerite narrow, prolonged with outwardly curved apex; ductus bursae of moderate width in basal 1/3, then very wide with indistinct transition to prolonged corpus bursae, short lateral appendix at 1/3 length; signum absent.

Etymology.

The specific epithet refers to the hostplant, Acacia tortilis , of the new species.

Distribution.

South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Kenya.

Biology.

The larva feeds on Acacia tortilis (Forssk.) Hayne ( Fabaceae) in Kenya ( Agassiz and Bidzilya 2016 in press). Adults were collected from late August to early June.

Figures

Figures 1 - 21. Adults of Aphanostola spp. (scale bar 1.0 mm) 1. Aphanostola acaciae sp. n., Namibia, Brandberg (gen. slide 73 / 05); 2. Aphanostola acaciae sp. n., Namibia, Mirabib (gen. slide 548 / 14); 3. Aphanostola acaciae sp. n., Kenya, Logumgum (gen. slide 1362); 4. Aphanostola pentastigma, HT, RSA, Pretoria; 5. Aphanostola pentastigma, Kenya, L. Naivasha; 6. Aphanostola morogorensis sp. n., HT, Tanzania, Morogoro Town; 7. Aphanostola calderae sp. n., RSA, Asante-Sana; 8. Aphanostola calderae sp. n., HT, RSA, Asante-Sana; 9. Aphanostola kenyella sp. n., Kenya, between Limuru and Mai Mahiu (gen. slide 1497); 10. Aphanostola kenyella sp. n., HT, Kenya, between Limuru and Mai Mahiu; 11. Aphanostola kruegeri sp. n., RSA, Pretoria (gen. slide 8 / 15); 12. Aphanostola alternella sp. n., HT, Kenya, Turi; 13. Aphanostola antennata sp. n., HT, Namibia, Popa Falls; 14. Aphanostola antennata sp. n., RSA, Nwanedzi (gen. slide 36 / 15); 15. Aphanostola antennata sp. n., Namibia, Kavango; 16. Aphanostola rooiklipella sp. n., HT, Namibia, Rooiklip Farm; 17. Aphanostola griseella sp. n., HT, Namibia, Grootfontein; 18. Aphanostola griseella sp. n., Kenya, Nakuru NP (gen. slide 596 / 14); 19. Aphanostola centripunctella sp. n., Namibia, E. Caprivi (gen. slide 76 / 05); 20. Aphanostola centripunctella sp. n., Namibia, E. Caprivi; 21. Aphanostola centripunctella sp. n., Namibia, E. Caprivi (gen. slide 155 / 15).

Figures 41 - 46. Male genitalia of Aphanostola spp. 41. Aphanostola acaciae sp. n., HT, Namibia, 20 km NW Uis (gen. slide 101 / 05); 42. Aphanostola acaciae sp. n., Namibia, Rooiklip Farm (gen. slide 496 / 14); 43. Aphanostola pentastigma, Kenya, L. Naivasha (gen. slide 1357); 44. Aphanostola morogorensis sp. n., HT Tanzania, Morogoro Town (gen. slide 2378); 45. Aphanostola calderae sp. n., HT, Namibia, Asante-Sana (gen. slide 184 / 12); 46. Aphanostola calderae sp. n., Namibia, Asante-Sana (582 / 14).

Figures 65 - 67. Female genitalia of Aphanostola spp. 65. Aphanostola acaciae sp. n., Namibia, Mirabib (gen. slide 548 / 14); 66. Aphanostola pentastigma, RSA, Pretoria (gen. slide 260 / 12); 67. Aphanostola pentastigma, Kenya, L. Naivasha (gen. slide 614 / 14).