Lecithocera minyodes Park & De Prins, 2019

Park, Kyu-Tek & Prins, Willy De, 2019, A review of the Lecithoceridae (Lepidoptera: Gelechioidea) of southern Africa, based on type specimens deposited in the Ditsong National Museum of Natural History (TMSA), with descriptions of three new species, Zootaxa 4623 (1), pp. 61-89 : 73-74

Lecithocera minyodes Park & De Prins , sp. nov.

( Figs. 5G , H–K)

Type. Holotype: male, [ Mozambique], Bela Vista , xi 1916, C.J. Swierstra, gen. slide no. CIS-7204/ Park.

Diagnosis. This new species is similar to L. afrotella Park, 2018 , based on a single male from Cameroon, but it can be distinguished by the weakly developed discal spot at the end of the forewing cell. The male genitalia can also be distinguished by the following characters: basal lobes of the uncus elongate-triangular, more or less acute apically ( Fig. 5I ), whereas they are semi-ovate, rounded apically in L. afrotella ( Fig. 5 I’); the apical part of the cucullus not so much narrowed with the costal margin remarkably arched, and the ventral margin slightly concave ( Fig. 5J ); and the aedeagus lacking sclerotized plates and no distinct apical conic spine.

Description. Male ( Fig. 5G ). Wingspan 11 mm. Head: Vertex brownish gray, with long orange-white erect scales laterally. Antenna slightly longer than forewing; basal segment elongated, orange whitelatero-dorsally, dark brown ventrally; flagellum not ciliate, orange white, being more white distally, with brown annulations; apex white. Labial palpus upturned; 2 nd segment thickened, yellowish brown on outer surface; orange white on inner surface; 3 rd segment shorter than 2 nd segment, yellowish white, but dark brown ventrally, with sharply pointed apex. Thorax: Tegula and thorax yellowish brown. Hind tibia orange white, densely mixed with yellowish-brown scales, with rough scales ventrally; tarsi orange white, speckled with yellowish-brown scales. Forewing slightly broadened distally; ground color uniformly yellowish brown, with a dark-brown round discal spot at middle and elongate one at end of cell; costa slightly arched near base, nearly straight medially, then oblique beyond 3/4; apex obtuse; termen oblique; fringe concolorous with ground color, with indistinct narrow, white basal line and dark-brown median band. Hindwing grayish white, as wide as forewing.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 5H – K ). Basal lobes of uncus sub-triangular, directing outwards ( Fig. 5I ). Gnathos with more or less slender process, slightly with acute apex. Costal bar connecting tegumen and valva slightly angled at middle. Valva broad basally; cucullus longer than basal part of valva, concave on costal margin before middle; apical part with remarkably arched costal margin and slightly concave on ventral margin ( Fig. 5J ), apex round; sacculus broadly developed in basal half of valva, connecting to a crescent ridge. Vinculum broad, rounded anteriorly. Juxta shield-shaped, concave on caudal margin. Aedeagus stout, widened at base, shorter than valva; cornuti consisting of a patch of conic spines near base and a series of numerous spines beyond.

Female unknown.

Etymology. The species name is derived from the Greek, minys (= little, small) with a Greek suffix, - odes, denoting resemblance.

Distribution. Mozambique.

Figures

FIGURE 5. Male genitalia and adult. A, L. binotata Meyrick, cited from Park (2018, Fig. 14, 14a, Cameroon); B, ditto, aedeagus; C, ditto, abdomen with long hair-like pencils; D, L. ideologa Meyrick, gen. slide no. CIS-7203/Park; E, ditto, aedeagus; F, abdominal segment VIII; G, adult, L. minyodes sp. nov., holotype ♂; H, ditto, male genitalia; I, ditto, close-up of uncus and gnathos; I’, that of L. afrotella, cited from Park (3018, Fig. 15); J, close-up of apical part of cucullus; J’ that of L. afrotella; K. ditto, aedeagus. Scale bar: 1.0 mm.