Scrobipalpa erexita, Bidzilya, 2021

Bidzilya, Oleksiy V., 2021, A review of the genus Scrobipalpa Janse, 1951 (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae) in the Afrotropical region, Zootaxa 5070 (1), pp. 1-83 : 28

Scrobipalpa erexita sp. nov.

Figs 56 , 127 , 179

Type material. Holotype ♀, [ South Africa] RSA, 50 km NE Bitterfontein, Drai-Hoek , 25.xi.2008, leg. Ebert, Kühne, Mey, LF (gen. slide 154/17, O. Bidzilya) ( MfN) . Paratype: 1 ♀, same data as holotype (gen. prep. 190/12, O. Bidzilya) ( MfN) ; 1 ♂, Soebatsfontein, 13–14.xi.’33 (G. van Son) (gen. slide g. 5146) ( TMSA) .

Diagnosis. The species is recognizable externally by a light brown forewing with dark brown raised scales in the cell and at the apex. Scrobipalpa admirabilis sp. nov. also has tufts of black raised scales but differs from A. erexita sp. nov. in its white forewing ground colour with black, rather than dark brown, markings. Even though the male genitalia of a new species are available only in the lateral position, they show a clear relationship with those of S. obsoletella and S. afromontana sp. nov. in the shape of saccus and vincular process. Two latter species are quite different in appearance and cannot be confused with S. erexita sp. nov. The superficially most similar species to S. erexita sp. nov. is S. admirabilis sp. nov., but the latter differs in having an apically narrower and shorter vincular process that extends 1/2 the length of the sacculus, rather than nearly to the top of sacculus in S. erexita sp. nov. The female genitalia of S. erexita sp. nov. resemble those of S. selectoides sp. nov. and S. etoshensis sp. nov., but may be distinguished by the absence of foam-sculpturing on the subgenital plates, a short ductus bursae, an extremely elongate corpus bursae and a long, weakly curved signum.

Description. Adult ( Fig. 56 ). Wingspan 11.0–11.5 mm. Head white or white with sparse light brown scales; labial palpus weakly upcurved, palpomere 2 white with narrow light brown rings on outer surface, underside with distinct bristly white scales, palpomere 3 about as broad as palpomere 2, white, with two brown rings, 0.4 times as long as palpomere 2, with several raised scales underside and at apex; scape light grey, flagellum white, brownringed; thorax and tegulae white to light brown; forewing covered with brown-tipped, cream scales densely mixed with grey, costal margin with two diffuse black blotches just before and just after mid-length, paired small black spots formed by raised scales and broadly edged with light brown at 2/3 length, more distinct spot of raised whitetipped, black scales at 2/3 length, additional distinctly raised grey-tipped, black scales along apex and tornus, cilia white, black-tipped, consisting of two types of scales: long ones and shorter ones; hindwing and cilia grey.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 127 ). Uncus twice as long as broad, posterior margin straight; gnathos short, weakly curved; tegumen elongate with broadly rounded anteromedial emargination extending to about 1/3 length; valva slender, uniform in width, except for weakly inflated apex, extending slightly beyond top of uncus; sacculus slightly broader, about 1/4 length of valva, inner margin straight, outer margin gradually curved with distinct inward-curved tip; vincular process shorter than sacculus, with narrow, pointed outward-curved tip; saccus broad at base, then evenly narrowed, extending beyond top of pedunculus; distal part of phallus straight, with narrow transverse apical hook, top narrow, pointed, caecum strongly inflated, rounded, about 1/2 length of phallus.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 179 ). Papillae anales elongate, narrowed apically, covered with short setae; apophyses posteriores as long as ductus bursae and corpus bursae combined; segment VIII almost as broad as long, sternum VIII with broad medial emargination, subgenital plates broad, covered with fine microtrichia in anterior 1/2 along outer margin, posterior margin with broad triangular projection in middle, lobes of ventromedial depression digitate, entirely covered with foam-sculpturing, both inner and outer margin folded, separated by deep, narrow anteromedial emargination, not extending beyond anterior margin of segment VIII, joined posteromedially; apophyses anteriores rodlike, longer than segment VIII, about 0.4 times as long apophyses posteriores; ductus bursae as long as apophyses anteriores, with distinct transition to large, elongate corpus bursae, signum horn-shaped, long, weakly curved, basal plate small, situated at 1/4 from entrance on right side of corpus bursae.

Biology. Host plant unknown. Adults fly in November.

Distribution. South Africa.

Etymology. The specific name is derived from the Latin “ erexit ”—raised, and refers to the characteristic patch of raised scales on the forewing.

Figures

FIGURES 51–60. Scrobipalpa spp., adults. 51. S. staudei sp. nov., South Africa, Magaliesburg, HT, male (gen. slide 3/19, OB). 52–54. S. obsoletella, South Africa. 52. Vredental, female (gen. slide 37/13, OB). 53. Vredental, male, HT of hospes (gen. slide K. Sattler 287a). 54. South Africa, Port Elizabeth, male, HT of xylochroa. 55. S. afromontana sp. nov., Kenya, Rutundu Track, HT, male (gen. slide DJLA 1419). 56. S. erexita sp. nov., South Africa, 50 km NE Bitterfontein, HT, female (gen. slide 154/17, OB). 57, 58. S. admirabilis sp. nov., Namibia, Fischriver, Gondwana Canyon Lodge. 57. HT, male (gen. slide 317/20, OB). 58. PT, male (gen. slide 164/12, OB). 59, 60. S. griseata sp. nov., South Africa, Petersburg. 59. HT, male (gen. slide 15/13, OB). 60. PT, male. Scale bar = wingspan.

FIGURES 123–128. Scrobipalpa spp., male genitalia. 123–125. S. obsoletella, South Africa. 123. Rocherpan N.R (gen. slide 137/12, OB). 124. Vredendal (gen. slide 39/13, OB). 125. Port Elizabeth, PT of xylochroa (gen. slide 247/12, OB). 126. S. afromontana sp. nov., Kenya, Rutundu Track, HT (gen. slide DJLA No. 1419). 127. S. erexita sp. nov., South Africa, Soebatsfontein, PT (gen. slide g. 5146). 128. S. admirabilis sp. nov., Namibia, Fischriver, Gondwana Canyon Lodge, HT (gen. slide 317/20, OB).

FIGURES 179–181. Scrobipalpa spp., female genitalia. 179. S. erexita sp. nov., South Africa, 50 km NE Bitterfontein, HT (gen. slide 154/17, OB). 180. S. nomias, South Africa, Eshowe, HT (gen. slide g. 5485). 181. S. munita sp. nov., Kenya, Gilgil, PT (gen. slide 399/14, OB).