Promalactis minuticornuta Wang, 2024

Wang, Shuxia, Liu, Chen & David, Lees, 2024, Partial revision of Promalactis Meyrick (Lepidoptera: Oecophoridae), based on specimens deposited in the Natural History Museum, London, Zootaxa 5536 (1), pp. 1-58 : 25-26

Promalactis minuticornuta Wang , sp. nov.

( Figs 25 , 58 )

Type material. Thailand: Holotype ♂, Phu Khieo , Chaiyapumh Dist., 800 m, 2–4.V.1986, leg. M.G. Allen, slide No. NHMUK010316973 .

Diagnosis. The new species is similar to P. squamacea Wang, 2021 in male genitalia. It can be distinguished by the campanulate uncus abruptly narrowed from basal 2/3 to apex, the sub-triangular saccus shorter than the uncus, and the cornutus approx. 1/7 the length of the phallus. In P. squamacea , the sub-triangular uncus is gradually narrowed to apex, the elongately clubbed saccus is longer than the uncus, and the cornutus is more than one-half the length of the phallus.

Description. Adult ( Fig. 25 ). Forewing length 4.5 mm.

Head. Vertex snowy white; frons pale grey, with brown scales laterally; occiput rust brown. Labial palpus with second segment rust brown mixed with black scales on outer surface, orange yellow on inner surface; third segment rust brown mixed with black scales, white at apex. Antennal scape dirty white dorsally, brown ventrally; flagellum black, with white annuli dorsally.

Thorax. Mesonotum and tegula rust brown. Forewing ochreous yellow; markings white edged with black scales: costal spot large, extending to above posterior angle of cell, inner margin sinuate, outer margin concave at anterior 2/3; basal streak from dorsum oblique inward to base of fold, slender; antemedian streak from beyond basal 2/3 of dorsum to basal 2/5 of anterior margin of cell, parallel with basal streak; dorsal streak short, from before end of fold oblique outward to below and before posterior angle of cell; tornus with diffused black scales; apical spot sub-ovate; fringe orange yellow. Hindwing and fringe grey. Foreleg greyish white ventrally, black dorsally, tibia with white dot at base and middle, with a tuft of white scales at apex, tarsus white at apices of basal two and apical tarsomeres; midleg black dorsally, yellow ventrally except femur greyish white, tibia with a tuft of white apical scales, tarsus white at apices of basal two tarsomeres and on entire apical tarsomere; hindleg brownish yellow ventrally, black dorsally, tarsus white at apices of basal four tarsomeres and on entire apical tarsomere.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 58 ). Uncus wide at base, narrowed to basal 2/3, then abruptly narrowed to pointed apex. Gnathos slightly shorter than uncus; mesial plate subparallel laterally, squamous distally, with a membranous apical process. Tegumen furcate from middle; lateral arm narrowed to rounded anterior end. Valva elongate, wide at base, slightly narrowed to rounded apex; costa concave at base, convex at distal 1/3; sacculus narrowly band-like, slightly concave beyond middle dorsally, produced into a free and setose distal process directed dorsad and pointed at apex, slightly exceeding apex of valva. Saccus broad triangular, shorter than uncus, rounded at apex. Juxta asymmetrical: left lateral arm about 3/4 length of right lateral arm, uniformly wide; right lateral arm exceeding base of uncus apically, slightly produced into an obtuse angle at distal 1/6 on inner margin, thereafter narrowed to pointed apex. Phallus as long as valva, tubular except slightly broadened from preapex to apex; cornutus very short, approx. 1/7 length of phallus.

Female unknown.

Distribution. Thailand.

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the Latin minutus and cornutus, referring to the tiny cornutus of the male genitalia.

Figures

FIGURES 24–29. Adults of Promalactis spp. 24. P. magnisaccata sp. nov.; 25. P. minuticornuta sp. nov.; 26. P. parvissima sp. nov. (female and paratype); 27. P. polyptycha sp. nov.; 28. P. indica sp. nov.; 29. P. similidierli sp. nov. 24–25, 27–29: Males and holotypes; 26: Male and paratype. Scale bar = 1.0 mm.

FIGURES 58–63. Male genitalia of Promalactis spp. 58. P. minuticornuta sp. nov.; 59. P. parvissima sp. nov.; 60. P. polyptycha sp. nov.; 61. P. indica sp. nov.; 62. P. similidierli sp. nov.; 63. P. spinellosa sp. nov. All holotypes. Scale bar: 58, 60, 62–63 = 0.2 mm; 59, 61 = 0.25 mm.