Thiotricha polyaula Meyrick, 1918

Lee, Ga-Eun & Li, Houhun, 2024, A taxonomic review of Thiotricha Meyrick, 1886 (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae, Thiotrichinae) from China, with descriptions of 84 new species, Zootaxa 5449 (1), pp. 1-222 : 81-82

publication ID	https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5449.1.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:CAC513A2-D2B4-4E6E-BAB6-CCE6E054680F
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.11233067
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03CC3667-986B-1D2E-FF05-8E62DF64E54A
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Thiotricha polyaula Meyrick, 1918
status

Treatment

Thiotricha polyaula Meyrick, 1918 View in CoL

( Figs 2D View FIGURE 2 , 4A View FIGURE 4 , 12C View FIGURE 12 , 25I View FIGURE 25 , 37A View FIGURE 37 , 53E View FIGURE 53 , 64G, H View FIGURE 64 , 71A View FIGURE 71 )

Thiotricha polyaula Meyrick, 1918: 125 View in CoL ; 1925: 103; Gaede, 1937: 306; Clarke, 1969: 464; Ivinskis et al., 1984: 39. TL: Assam, India. TD: NHMUK.

Type material ( Figs 64G, H View FIGURE 64 , 71A View FIGURE 71 ). Lectotype ♂ INDIA, Assam, Khasi Hills , v.1907, genitalia slide no. J. F.G.C. 8375 ( NHMUK).

Additional material examined. CHINA: Hainan Province: 1 ♂, Mt. Diaoluo ( 18.67°N, 109.94°E), 940 m, 31.v.2007, leg. Zhiwei Zhang and Weichun Li GoogleMaps ; 1 ♀, Wuzhishan Nature Reserves ( 18.90°N, 109.67°E), 740 m, 14.iv.2009, leg. Qing Jin and Bingbing Hu GoogleMaps ; 2 ♂♂, 5 ♀♀, Shuiman Town ( 18.88°N, 109.67°E), 630 m, Wuzhishan City , 16, 17.iv.2009, leg. Qing Jin and Bingbing Hu GoogleMaps , genitalia slide nos. LGE 15079m, LGE15080f, LGE18385f; 1 ♂, Yinggeling ( 19.08°N, 109.50°E), 620 m, 3.vi.2010, leg. Bingbing Hu and Jing Zhang GoogleMaps ; 2 ♀♀, Tianchi, Jianfengling , 11, 12.vi.2010, leg. Bingbing Hu and Jing Zhang , genitalia slide no. LGE18384; 4 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀, Hongxin Village ( 19.08°N, 109.52°E) 430 m, Yuanmen , Baisha County, 15−17.iv.2014, leg. Tengteng Liu, Wei Guan and Xuemei Hu GoogleMaps , genitalia slide nos. LGE 15075m, LGE 15076m, LGE15077f, LGE15078f; 1 ♂, Tropical Arboretum ( 18.70°N, 108.79°E), 40 m, Jianfeng Town , Ledong County, 30.iv.2014, leg. Tengteng Liu, Wei Guan and Xuemei Hu GoogleMaps ; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Bawangling Nature Reserves ( 19.12°N, 109.08°E), 161 m, 7, 10.vi.2015, leg. Peixin Cong, Wei Guan and Sha Hu GoogleMaps , genitalia slide no. LGE17235f; 2 ♂♂, Yaxing Village ( 19.02°N, 109.40°E), 321 m, Nankai Town , Baisha County, 20, 21.vi.2015, leg. Peixin Cong, Wei Guan and Sha Hu GoogleMaps ; 1 ♀, Bawangling ( 19.08°N, 109.10°E), 261 m, 22.vii.2015, leg. Qingyun Wang, Suran Li and Mengting Chen GoogleMaps ; 1 ♂, Yinggezui ( 19.05°N, 109.57°E), 623 m, Yinggeling , 6.i.2018, leg. Mujie Qi and Shuai Yu GoogleMaps , genitalia slide no. LGE18387; Yunnan Province: 1 ♂, Nanlahe ( 21.59°N, 101.58°E), 652 m, Bubang Town , Mengla County, 12.vii.2013, leg. Shurong Liu, Yuqi Wang and Kaijian Teng GoogleMaps ; 1 ♂, Xiaoheishan Nature Reserves ( 24.52°N, 98.84°E), 1974 m, Longling County, 18.vii.2013, leg. Shurong Liu, Yuqi Wang and Kaijian Teng GoogleMaps ; 1 ♂, Bubang ( 21.60°N, 101.59°E), 656 m, Xishuangbanna , 22.vii.2014, leg. Kaijian Teng, Wei Guan, Xiuchun Wang and Shurong Liu GoogleMaps , genitalia slide no. LGE18386.

Diagnosis. Adult ( Figs 2D View FIGURE 2 , 4A View FIGURE 4 , 12C View FIGURE 12 ). Wingspan 9.5−13.0 mm. Externally, T. polyaula can be defined by the brownish forewing marked with cream to ochreous white longitudinal streaks. The wing patterns are somewhat similar to those of T. latistriata , T. contracta and T. projecta , but T. polyaula has brighter coloring and the brown trapezoidal basal patch on dorsum is distinct. The male sternum VIII ( Fig. 25I View FIGURE 25 ) of T. polyaula is easily distinguished from other species as the lateral margins are serrate and the posterior apex is deeply concave in U-shape. The male genitalia ( Fig. 37A View FIGURE 37 ) are diagnosed by the large uncus, the narrow valva with distal half slightly expanded, the broadly convex juxta and the narrow aedeagus with a pointed projection near apex. The gnathos is distinctive as the apex is abruptly narrowed and shortly hooked. The female genitalia ( Fig. 53E View FIGURE 53 ) cannot be confused with other related species as the appendix bursae is present.