Lamprista Park

Park, Kyu-Tek & Lee, Sangmi, 2013, Lamprista gen. nov. of Lecithoceridae (Lepidoptera, Gelechioidea) from New Guinea, with descriptions of two new species, Zootaxa 3646 (5), pp. 593-599 : 594

Genus Lamprista Park , gen. nov.

Type species: Lamprista emmeli Park , sp. nov.

Description. Head: usually with metallic purplish brown scales dorsally. Antenna about 1.3 times longer than forewing. Labial palpus without sexual dimorphism; second segment long and thickened, and third segment slender, as long as second or slightly shorter. Thorax: purplish brown or yellowish brown dorsally, with pale orange along dorsolateral streaks. Forewing orange or dark orange in basal 2/5 length to near 1/2, yellowish brown to dark brown or brownish with metallic dark blue reflection apically from distal 2/5 or 1/2, with pale brown beyond cell; costa arched beyond 3/4 length; apical margin diagonal, venation with R5 absent, M1 closer to R3+4 than to M3, with M2 absent, cubitus 3-branched. Hindwing with Rs and M1 stalked slightly beyond middle, M2 absent, cubitus 3- branched. Abdomen: abdominal tergites II–VII with spinous zones. Male genitalia: uncus elongate, concave on caudal margin with lateral acute apices. Tegumen short, with round caudal margin. Valva broad basally; cuculli asymmetrical, usually triangular, with acuminate apex. Aedeagus about 2/3 length of valva, usually bifurcate apically; cornuti consist of a curved bar.

Diagnosis. Lamprista gen. nov. is similar to Crocanthes in having the antenna longer than the forewing and the gnathos absent, but it differs from the latter by having the following characters: 1) labial palpus with no sexual dimorphism; second segment long, strongly recurved, and third segment normally slender, nearly as long as second; 2) forewing narrowly elongate, with ground color differing between the anterior part and the posterior part, and with R2 stalked; 3) hindwing usually dark in color, with yellowish brown, and 4) the male genitalia with uncus bifurcated apically and cucullus asymmetrical. Another related genus, Pacificulla Park, which was recently described from New Guinea (Park & Lee 2012), is differed from this new genus by the wing pattern with similar maculation in both wings, the sexually dimorphic labial palpus, and the male genitalia with elongate, nearly parallel-sided valva. The occurrence or absence of sexual dimorphism in the labial palpus might be a weak hypothesis for a new genus, but it strongly supports the monophyly of this group when considered in combination with other characters, including the color pattern of the forewing, the stalking of R2 and R3+ 4 in the forewing, and unique characters of the male genitalia.

Distribution. Papua New Guinea.

Etymology. The generic name is derived from Greek, lampr (= brilliant, clear), with a Greek superlative ending, -istus.