Scythris plocogastra Meyrick, 1931

Nupponen 1, Kari & Sihvonen, Pasi, 2022, Revision of Neotropical Scythrididae moths and descriptions of 22 new species from Argentina, Chile, and Peru (Lepidoptera, Gelechioidea), ZooKeys 1087, pp. 19-104 : 19

Scythris plocogastra Meyrick, 1931

Figs 23 , 68

Scythris plocogastra Meyrick, 1931. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 37: 282.

Material examined.

Holotype. Paraguay • ♀; Chaco: Makthlawaiya; • GSC [G. S. Carter]; 5.27.; [genitalia slide] JFGC No. 8063; NHMUK ID 010922365; NHMUK slide ID 010316672; coll. NHMUK.

Diagnosis.

Wings rather uniform purplish-grey, speckled weakly with white, without distinguishing external features. Genitalia examination is necessary for confident determination. In the female genitalia, the candleflame-shaped sterigma is characteristic.

Description.

The original description is quoted: "Wingspan ♀ 12 mm. Head and thorax purplish-grey, irregularly mixed white. Palpi dark grey sprinkled white, base white. Abdomen blackish, thickly strewn with white hair-scales, anal segment whitish, ventral surface wholly suffused white, apex ochreous-yellow. Forewings purplish-grey speckled dark fuscous and sprinkled whitish: cilia pale grey; cilia grey."

Female genitalia. Sterigma distinct, candleflame-shaped plate; posterior apex melanised; anterior margin weakly concave. Sternum VII rectangular, 1.4 × as high as wide; posterior margin with medial incision. Apophyses anteriores 0.7 × length of apophyses posteriores.

Distribution.

Paraguay.

Remarks.

Male unknown.

Figures

Figure 68. Female genitalia of Scythris plocogastra Meyrick, 1931, holotype, slide J. F. G. C. No. 8063.

Figures 18 - 24 A. Scythrididae adults, genus Scythris 18 S. caimancitoensis Nupponen, sp. nov., male, holotype 19 S. ejiciens Meyrick, 1928, male, holotype 20 S. fluvialis Meyrick, 1916, male, lectotype 21 S. inanima Meyrick, 1916, male, holotype 22 A S. lequetepequensis Nupponen sp. nov., male, holotype 22 B S. lequetepequensis Nupponen sp. nov., male, paratype 23 S. plocogastra Meyrick, 1931, female, holotype 24 A S. tibicina Meyrick, 1916, male, lectotype.