Bactrianoscythris khinjani, D’Entrèves, Pietro Passerin & Roggero, Angela, 2009

D’Entrèves, Pietro Passerin & Roggero, Angela, 2009, Eastern Palaearctic Scythrididae (Lepidoptera: Gelechioidea): description of a new genus and some new species, Zootaxa 2263, pp. 1-20 : 6-7

Bactrianoscythris khinjani sp. nov.

( Figs 3 A, 3B, 3C)

Type material. Holotype 3 ( SMNK), “O[st]- Afghanistan, Salang-Pass, N-Seite, Khinjan, 2100 m, 5– 11.vii.1966, H. G. Amsel leg.” [genital slide 9425 PdE].

Diagnosis. The species is well-differentiated from the others (Table 2) and can be easily identified on the basis of the characteristic shape of the valvae, which are slim, much longer than in all the other species and arched at apex. Also the S8 has very distinctive features, with a bifid apex and laterally narrowed in the middle.

Description. Wingspan 19 mm. Forewing pale brown, with a golden hue, with a thick, grayish white line half as long as the wing, and an irregular, grayish white dot near termen; pale brown fringe. Hindwing evenly brown, glossy fringe brown. Head, thorax and abdomen dark brown. Legs brown. Antenna brown.

Male genitalia. Uncus very short, cordiform; proximal part of gnathos largely laminar and asymmetrical, distal part narrow, downturned and sharp at apex. Tegumen triangular, elongate, with long and slender pedunculi. Valvae symmetrical, proximal fourth enlarged, distal part evenly slim, carrying at the half of the inner margin a small rounded protrusion, apices inwardly turned, slightly spatulate, with a perpendicular lamina at distal third. Vinculum as long as tegumen, narrow, distal margin rounded. Phallus sigmoid, almost as long as the valvae, narrowed at apex, which is sharp and curved; juxta pyriform. S8 thick, well-sclerotized, asymmetrical, elongate, triangular-shaped, narrowed in middle, apex bifid with each extremity inwardly bent, and deep triangular notch at proximal margin; S8 proximal half left margin with a laminar projection and distal half right margin with another laminar projection. T8 unmodified, membranous, subrectangular.

Variation. The species is known only from the male holotype.

Etymology. The species is named after the type locality.

Remarks. Located in the very heart of the Hindu Kush Mountains, Khinjan is at the base of the Salang Pass (or Kotal-e Salang), which connects northern Afghanistan to the Kabul Province, and beyond to southern Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Bactrianoscythris khinjani sp. nov. A—Male. B—Male genitalia. Uncus-gnathos-tegumen-juxta-phallusvalvae-vinculum complex. C—Male genitalia. VIII Sternite.