Eridachtha capensis Park, 2024

Park, Kyu-Tek, Minet, Joël, Koo, Jun-Mo & Yu, Tae-Uk, 2024, Review of the Afrotropical members of the genus Eridachtha Meyrick, 1910 (Lepidoptera: Lecithoceridae: Lecithocerinae), with descriptions of 12 new species, Zootaxa 5468 (2), pp. 275-307 : 298-301

9. Eridachtha capensis Park , sp. nov.

LSID: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:BB0359D9-E4ED-431A-94C3-8E58451AD660 ( Figs 16 , 17 )

Type specimens. Holotype male: South Africa, East Cape, Sneeuberg, Asante Sana , 22–26 i 2012, leg. W. Mey, LF, Aloe Ridge 25 i [20]12, Turm, gen. slide no. CIS-7601, in MfN . Paratypes: 1♂, same data as holotype ; 5♂, same data as holotype, Waterkloof , 24 i [20]12, Light trap, gen. slide no. CIS-7061 (forewing slide no. CIS-7590) ; 3♂, same data as holotype, Seakloof , 26 i [20]12, Turm, gen. slide nos. CIS-7062 (COI Barcode CBNU215), -7599 (COI Barcode CBNU067) ; 2♂, Graaff-Reinet, Asante Sana , 22–26 xi 2013, leg. W. Mey, Glen Haven, Turm, 1,480 m, gen. slide CIS-7063 (COI Barcode CBNU059), -7583 ; 2♂, East Cape, Asante Sana, Zuurkloop , 26 i 2012, gen. slide no. CIS-7582 ; 1♂, East Cape, Asante Sana , 28 ii–5 iii 2014, leg. W. Mey, Zuurkloof, LF, 1 iii 2014, 1,300 m, gen. slide no. CIS-7584, all paratypes deposited in MfN .

Diagnosis. The new species can be distinguished from its allies by the forewing with an elliptical yellowish-orange patch beyond the middle of the discal cell (sometimes obscure) and R 3 short-stalked with R 4+5. The male genitalia are more or less similar to those of E. campanella Park , sp. nov., but in E. capensis Park , sp. nov. the basal plate of the gnathos is much shorter with a nearly straight caudal margin and the cucullus is less elongated.

Description. Male ( Figs 16A–E ). Wingspan 13.0–15.0 mm.

Head: bronze dark brown dorsally, with yellowish-orange erect scales laterally. Antenna longer than forewing; scape elongated, yellowish-orange speckled with dark-brown scales. Second segment of labial palpus thickened with rough scales ventrally; yellowish-orange speckled with dark-brown scales in basal 2/3 on outer surface, pale orange on inner surface; 3 rd segment strongly upturned, as long as 2 nd segment, yellowish-orange.

Thorax: bronze dark brown. Hind tibia yellowish-brown in basal 3/5 and white beyond, with long, hair-like scales above ( Fig. 15E ). Forewing elongated; ground colour yellowish-white to yellowish-orange, densely speckled with dark-brown scales evenly; large, elliptical yellowish-orange patch beyond middle of discal cell, sometimes obscure; costa arched around basal 1/3, then nearly straight; apex produced; termen oblique, slightly concave; venation ( Fig. 15C ) with R 3 short-stalked with R 4+5; R 4 and R 5 stalked for basal 3/5; R 5 to termen; M 2 close to M 3 at base; M 3 arising midway between M 2 and CuA 1; CuA 1 from lower corner of discal cell; CuA 2 near lower corner of discal cell; discal cell weakly closed. Hindwing greyish; venation: M 2 stalked with M 3 +CuA 1 for basal ¼ (M 3 and CuA

1 being coincident); discal cell weakly closed.

Abdomen: no spinous zones on dorsal surface; sternite VIII slightly concave medially ( Fig. 17F ).

Male genitalia ( Figs 17A–E ): uncus basal lobes elliptically elongated. Gnathos basal plate rather short, trapezoidal, nearly parallel-sided with an almost straight caudal margin. Costal bar narrow, nearly not angulate medially. Valva broad basally; cucullus elongated, with costal margin convex beyond half, densely setose, with numerous minute spines along ventral margin; apex rounded; sacculus slightly dilated distally, heavily sclerotized; saccular margin slightly concave. Juxta shield-shaped, lateral margin convex, with slender latero-caudal processes, about 2/3 the length of juxta; median process on anterior margin large, spatulate. Vinculum broad, with a rounded saccal zone. Aedeagus as wide as cucullus, with ventral margin strongly arched, bifurcated apically with a pair of small, triangular processes on dorsal margin pre-apically; cornutus consisting of a small plate with arrow-like apex, about 1/5 the length of aedeagus.

Female unknown.

Distribution. South Africa (Cape).

Etymology. The species name is derived from the type locality, Cape.

Figures

FIGURE 15. Eridachtha pholexana Park, sp. nov.: A, male, holotype; B, head with labial palpus; C, forewing venation (wing slide no. CIS-7262-w); D, male genitalia of holotype (slide no. CIS-7262); E, aedeagus; F, pregenital segments. Scale bar for D and E: 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 16. Eridachtha capensis Park, sp. nov.: A, male, holotype (corresponding slide: no. CIS-7601); B, right wings of a paratype; C, wing venation (forewing slide no. CIS-7590); D, head with labial palpus; E, abdomen with hind leg.

FIGURE 17. Eridachtha capensis Park, sp. nov.: A, male genitalia, paratype (slide no. CIS-7061; B, aedeagus; C, close-up of B; D, close-up of A (vinculum, tegumen andA10); E, aedeagus of a paratype (slide no. CIS-7599); F, pregenital segments. Scale bar for A and B: 0.5 mm.