Meleonoma catenata, Wang & Zhu, 2020

Wang, Shuxia & Zhu, Xiaoju, 2020, Study of the genus Meleonoma Meyrick, 1914 (Lepidoptera: Autostichidae) from China, with descriptions of fifteen new species, Zootaxa 4838 (3), pp. 331-357 : 334-336

Meleonoma catenata sp. nov.

( Figs. 3 , 19 , 35 )

Type material. CHINA, Yunnan: Holotype ♂, Linjiapu (25.29°N, 98.70°E), Tengchong, 2144 m, 14.VIII.2014, leg. KJ Teng et al., slide No. YAH15172 . Paratypes: 3♂ 11♀, 14–16.VIII.2014, other same data as holotype, slide No. YAH15171 ♀.

Diagnosis. The new species can be distinguished from its congeners in the male genitalia by the sacculus with a slender process arising from near the base of the dorsal margin extending outward parallelly with the dorsal margin to pre-apex of the sacculus, free and spine-shaped distally; and in the female genitalia by the corpus bursae with a large, sclerotized catenulate belt. It is similar to M. foliata Li, 2004 in the male genitalia, but can be distinguished by the valva ventrally convex before middle, which is convex beyond middle in M. foliata ( Li & Wang 2004: 37, Fig. 6 ).

Description. Adult ( Fig. 3 ). Forewing length 5.0– 5.3 mm.

Head pale yellow. Labial palpus pale yellow; second segment with a blackish brown dot apically on outer surface; third segment about 2/3 length of second segment, with sparse blackish brown scales on dorsal surface. Antenna pale yellow; flagellum ringed with greyish brown on dorsal surface except several basal flagellomeres.

Thorax pale yellow; tegula blackish brown basally, pale yellow distally. Forewing with costal margin arched, apex narrowly rounded; ground color pale yellow, with scattered blackish brown scales; costal margin blackish brown along basal 1/4, forming a blackish brown spot at base; costal spot blackish brown, small; apical patch blackish brown, large, sub-rectangular, extending form distal 1/6 of costal margin along termen to tornus; discal, plical and discocellular spots black, discocellular smaller (worn); fringe blackish brown except pale yellow around apex. Hindwing and fringe brown, fringe tinged with pale yellow. Legs yellow; on ventral surface, fore femur blackish brown, tibiae of fore- and midlegs blackish brown except yellow apically, hind tibia mixed with sparse blackish brown scales, tarsi of fore- and midlegs with blackish brown spot on basal tarsomere and blackish brown on apical two tarsomeres.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 19 ). Uncus wide at base, narrowed to about basal 1/8; distal 7/8 straight, evenly slender, pointed at apex. Tegumen inverted U-shaped, narrowed medially; lateral arm slightly inflated before rounded anterior margin, sclerotized along inner and outer margins. Valva elongate, narrow at base, widened from base to basal 2/5, then narrowed to rounded apex; ventral margin heavily sclerotized in basal 1/3, distinctly convex beyond basal 1/3, forming a large, obtusely rounded angle; costa concave medially, with several long setae below basal 1/5; transtilla bifurcate, setose: dorsal lobe longer, narrowed to pointed apex, ventral lobe short, digitate, rounded at apex. Sacculus wide at base, slightly narrowed toward apex, produced to a setose, papillary process apically; long clavate process arising from near base of dorsal margin, extending outward parallelly with dorsal margin to pre-apex of sacculus, free distally, hooked and pointed apically. Saccus broad triangular, narrowed from wide base to narrowly rounded apex. Juxta arched, forming a semicircle.Aedeagus almost as long as valva, basal 1/4 sclerotized; distal 3/4 membranous, with three sclerotized bands: dorsal band from distal 1/4 to apex, consisting of dense spines; median band from basal 1/4 extending to beyond distal 1/4, slender, rounded apically; ventral band from before distal 1/4 to apex, wide at base, narrowed to pointed apex.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 35 ). Papillae anales broad, semicircular. Apophyses posteriores 2.5 times as long as apophyses anteriores. Eighth tergum sub-rectangular, shallowly concave at middle on posterior margin. Eighth sternal plate spiculate; posterior margin lined with strong setae, deeply and narrowly incised at middle, forming two large triangular plates laterally; anterior margin roundly convex medially. Lamella antevaginalis horizontally narrow, with a slender sclerite at each side. Antrum weakly sclerotized, sub-trapezoidal. Ductus bursae membranous, posterior half narrow, anterior half inflated and wrinkled. Corpus bursae large, ovate, longer than ductus bursae, finely spiculate; signum sub-rectangular, with two large teeth and several small denticles, placed at bottom; sclerotized catenulate belt from middle of ductus bursae extending to near middle of corpus bursae, with numerous teeth along outer margin, cross at junction between ductus bursae and corpus bursae, forming a long and a short posterior bands in ductus bursae, forming an ovate circle in posterior 2/5 of corpus bursae.

Distribution. China (Yunnan).

Etymology. The specific epithet of the new species is derived from the Latin catenatus, referring to the sclerotized catenulate belt from the ductus bursae to the corpus bursae.

Figures

FIGURES 3‒8. Adults of Meleonoma spp. 3, M. catenata sp. nov., paratype, ♀; 4, M. dilativalva sp. nov., holotype, ♂; 5, M. dorsibacilliformis sp. nov., holotype, ♂; 6, M. longiprocessa sp. nov., holotype, ♂; 7, M. parvissima sp. nov., holotype, ♂; 8, M. tenuiuncata sp. nov., holotype, ♂. Scales = 2.0 mm.

FIGURES 19‒24. Male genitalia of Meleonoma spp. 19, M. catenata sp. nov., slide No. YAH15172; 20, M. dilativalva sp. nov., slide No. YAH15361; 21, M. dorsibacilliformis sp. nov., slide No. YAH15415; 22, M. longiprocessa sp. nov., slide No. YAH15420; 23, M. parvissima sp. nov., slide No. YAH15390; 24, M. tenuiuncata sp. nov., slide No. YAH15410.All holotypes. Scales = 0.2 mm.

FIGURES 35‒38. Female genitalia of Meleonoma spp. 35, M. catenata sp. nov., paratype, slide No. YAH15171; 36, M. parvissima sp. nov., paratype, slide No. YAH15481; 37, M. ventrospinosa sp. nov., paratype, slide No. YAH15191; 38, M. aridula, slide No. YAH15379. Scales = 0.2 mm.