Phyllonorycter mida, De Prins, 2012

Prins, Jurate De & Kawahara, Akito Y., 2012, Systematics, revisionary taxonomy, and biodiversity of Afrotropical Lithocolletinae (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae), Zootaxa 3594 (1), pp. 1-283 : 131-132

The mida group

The mida group consists of two species: P. mida De Prins , sp. n. and P. tsavensis De Prins , sp. n. External features do not readily distinguish the mida group from species belonging to the encaeria , rhynchosiae , hibiscina , and silvicola groups. The female genitalia contains superficially similar characters with these in the other groups, such as: i) needle-like appendix originating from base of papillae anales, ii) well developed sterigmatic fold on segment VII, iii) posterior and anterior apophyses of medium length, and iv) corpus bursae with a stellate signum. However, the mida group has a structured sterigma lamella post-vaginalis which is highly sclerotized, covered with spines situated posteriad a small fold-like sterigmatic sclerotization of cuticle—lamella antevaginalis.

Key to females of mida group based on genitalia

1. Lamella post-vaginalis spherical, covered with spines, with arc-shaped margins ( Fig. 338 )...................... 47. mida

– Lamella post-vaginalis saddle-shaped, with slight excavation, without arc-shaped margins ( Fig. 339 )..........48. tsavensis

Figures

FIGURES 338–339. Female genitalia. Scale bar 200 µm. 338, Phyllonorycter mida, paratype, genitalia prep. 3715, in ZMUC. 339, Phyllonorycter tsavensis, paratype, genitalia prep. Vári 7501, in TMSA.