Pityocona mastoidea Li

Chen, Mengting & Li, Houhun, 2017, Review of the genus Pityocona Meyrick, 1918 (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) in China, with descriptions of five new species, Zootaxa 4263 (2), pp. 347-357 : 355-356

Pityocona mastoidea Li , sp. nov.

Figs 2 e, 3e

Type material. CHINA: Holotype ♂, Tianchi, Jianfengling (18.73°N, 108.87°E), Hainan, 787 m, 1.IV.2008, coll. Bingbing Hu and Haiyan Bai, slide No. CMT16070 . Paratype: 1♂, Mengyuan Town, Mengla County, Xishuagnbanna (21.42°N, 101.23°E), Yunnan, 640 m, 13.VIII.2010, coll. Yinghui Sun and Lixia Li, slide No. CMT16117 .

Diagnosis. This species is similar to P. probleta Bradley, 1961 in the male genitalia by having a broad and short uncus and the valva with a short digitate process at middle on the ventral margin. It can be distinguished from the latter by the tongue-shaped gnathos, which is elongate narrow and slightly curved in P. probleta ( Bradley, 1961: 129. Pl. 5: Figs 7, 8).

Description. Adult ( Fig. 2 e) with wingspan 11.5–12.0 mm. Head yellowish white, with sparse pale yellow scales above compound eyes. Antenna with scape yellowish brown; flagellum yellowish brown and blackish brown alternately. Labial palpus with second segment yellowish white, densely covered with greyish brown scales on both outer and ventral surfaces; third segment with basal 3/4 yellowish white, mottled greyish brown scales from basal 1/4 to 2/5, blackish brown in distal 1/4 except apex yellowish white. Thorax and tegula yellowish brown. Forewing yellowish brown, mixed with brown scales; four evenly spaced sub-ovate blackish spots placed near base of Sc vein, at basal 1/3 of cell on upper margin, at both middle and end of cell respectively, joined by arched longitudinal yellowish white band; fold with longitudinal yellowish white stripe, mottled blackish scales distally, with black spot placed at basal 1/3 and distal 1/3 respectively; narrow straight yellowish brown band placed centrally between outer margin of cell and apex of wing, accompanied by pale yellow band along its anterior and posterior edges; distal part of costal margin and termen yellow and brown alternately; fringe pale grey. Hindwing protruded at apex, termen wavy, distinctly indent; grey brown; fringe two to three times of wing width. Legs dominantly yellowish white, coxae and femora mixed with greyish brown on ventral surface; foreleg with tibia and tarsus blackish brown on outer surface; midleg with tibia and tarsus mottled greyish brown scales on outer surface, tibia with yellowish white strips basally and medially, tarsus with yellowish white ring at apex of each tarsomere; hindleg with tibia bearing long yellowish brown hairs, tarsus blackish brown at base of each tarsomere on outer surface.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 3 e): Uncus broad and short, bifurcate from middle in narrow V shape; lateral lobes broad and short, sub-rectangular, each with slight sinuation on posterior margin, folded laterally, with clustered setae. Gnathos sclerotized heavily, tongue-shaped, narrowed at base, rounded at apex; culcitula cordiform. Tegumen divided from middle; lateral branch broad, blunt anteriorly. Valva exceeding top of uncus apically, basal 1/3 wide, distal 2/3 uniformly narrower, constricted and curved at basal 3/5, with sparse setae; ventral margin with a short digitate process at middle, bearing a row of dense long setae. Vinculum with a mastoid process near middle at each lateral side. Aedeagus with basal 1/3 expanded, distal 2/3 of equal width, apex obliquely truncate.

Female unknown.

Distribution. China (Hainan, Yunnan).

Etymology. The specific name is derived from the Latin mastoideus, referring to the vinculum with a mastoid process near middle at each lateral side.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Adults of Pityocona spp. a, P. bifurcatus, ♂; b, P. longovata sp. nov., holotype, ♂; c, P. transovata sp. nov., paratype, ♂; d, P. monoprocessa sp. nov., holotype, ♂; e, P. mastoidea sp. nov., holotype, ♂; f, P. sinuosa sp. nov., holotype, ♂. (Scales = 2.0 mm)

FIGURE 3. Male genitalia of Pityocona spp. a, P. bifurcatus, slide No. CMT 15231, a 1, enlarged apex of gnathos, slide No. CMT 16020; b, P. longovata sp. nov., holotype, slide no. CMT 16083; c, P. transovata sp. nov., holotype, slide No. CMT 16068; d, P. monoprocessa sp. nov., holotype, slide No. CMT 15282; e, P. mastoidea sp. nov., holotype, slide No. CMT 16070; f, P. sinuosa sp. nov., holotype, slide No. CMT 15230. (Scales = 0.2 mm).