Megalota bicepsunca

Yu, Haili & Li, Baoguo, 2013, First record of the genus Megalota Diakonoff from China, with the descriptions of two new species (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae: Olethreutinae), Zootaxa 3641 (4), pp. 476-480 : 477-479

Megalota bicepsunca Yu & Li, new species

( Figs 1, 2 )

Types. Holotype: ɗ, Mt. Maoer (25°53’N, 110°25’ E), Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, 19–22.IX.2007, leg. Liusheng Chen, genitalia slide no. YHL07139. Paratype: 3 ɗ, same data as holotype.

Diagnosis. This species is easily separated from other species of the genus by unmodified tegumen (i.e., not widened posteriorly), the bifurcate uncus with the distal lobe arising from a distinct narrow base, and the extremely large socius in the male genitalia.

Descriptions. Adult ( Fig. 1 ). Head: Vertex and areas between antennae grayish fuscous, frons pale brown, dusted with grayish fuscous. Labial palpus porrect; basal segment white; median segment expanded, pale yellow basally, pale yellow suffused with fuscous medially, fuscous apically; apical segment short, pale fuscous.

Thorax: Brownish fuscous with small patches of yellow; collar small, concolorous with thorax; tegula reaching base of hindwing; posterior crest fuscous with yellow-tipped scales. Hind tibia in male with conspicuously enlarged tuft of pale grayish yellow scales and hairpencil. Forewing length 7.0 mm; costa slightly arched, apex blunt, termen oblique; upperside ground color grey; costa with nine pairs of yellowish white strigulae from base to R4, striae from them leaden; basal fascia fuscous, indistinct, broken by white and ocherous spots; subbasal fascia divided into four parts, a fuscous blotch on costa, two rounded blotches between 1/3 length of Sc and midlength of lower edge of cell and between cell and 2/5 length of 1A, deep fuscous suffused with ocherous, partly or completely with white margins, a blotch between 2/5 length of fold and 1/3 length of dorsum, more or less triangular, fuscous suffused with ocherous; media fascia deep fuscous, proximal and lower part densely suffused with ocherous, narrow on costa, proximal edge almost straight except protruding slightly at base of R2, distal margin serrate, protruding at base of R3 and R4, and between 1/3 length of M1 and M2, extending to dorsum between midlengh and tornus; a narrow patch between strigulae five and six extending obliquely, confluent with postmedian fascia below midlength of R2, then reaching termen between M2 and CuA1, and extending to tornus, deep fuscous, with white suffused with ochreous margin; a patch between strigula seven and eight confluent with preterminal fascia at 4/5 length of R4, then extending obliquely to termen on M1, ochreous between costa and 4/5 length of R4, deep fuscous with ochreous margin below; terminal fascia small, deep fuscous; a deep fuscous patch at end of dorsum, outer edge with white margin, upper edge reaching postmedian fascia at midlength of R5, proximal edge reaching media fascia below midlength of M1 and below 2/3 length of CuA2, its upper part a narrow band, and lower part an irregular patch; cilia fuscous at apex and termen, with deep fuscous baseline, pale fuscous suffused with pale grey on tornus; underside yellowish grey, except the distal five pairs of strigulae white and the area of hindwing overlapping pale white. Hindwing upperside fuscous, costal area of overlap with forewing white; cubital pecten and axillary tuft well-developed; anal margin with well-developed fold bearing long scales; cilia pale grey, with pale fuscous basal line; underside concolorous with forewing underside.

Abdomen: Fuscous, darker posteriorly. Male genitalia ( Fig. 2 ) with tegumen unmodified, not expanded or broadened. Uncus bifurcate, base narrower than lobe; lobe with a distinct stalk basally, narrow and naked, terminal part semicircular, densely covered with long spines and setae. Socius weak, drooping, large, slightly less than uncus lobe in size, with long spines densely arranged. Valva narrow, straight, nearly parallel-sided throughout, rounded apically, with small triangular flange near middle of venter; basal process a broad lobe, somewhat rectangular, short, about 2 times as wide as long, with six short apical thorns; a cluster of short spines situated on the outer edge of basal excavation; a series of sparse thorns from the triangular flange to 1/3 length of ventral margin; distal 1/3 of valva densely with long spines. Phallus curved, base broad and gradually narrowed to apex; cornuti one small thorn. Female genitalia unknown.

Distribution. China (Guangxi).

Etymology. This specific name is derived from the Latin prefix biceps- (= bifurcate) and uncus, referring to the shape of uncus.

Megalota curvativa Yu & Li, new species ( Figs. 3, 4 )

Types. Holotype: ɗ, Datian nature reserve (19°03' N, 108°49' E), Hainan Province, 1.VII.2009, leg. Zhaohui Du & Linlin Yang, genitalia slide no. YHL07117.

Diagnosis. This species resembles M. fallax Meyrick, 1909 in the male genitalia, but can be separated from it by the valva being curved at the neck, the cucullus shorter than half the length of the valve, and the phallus having two large cornuti. In M. fallax , the valva is straight, the cucullus is about half the length of the valva, and the phallus has pair of small cornuti.

Description. Adult ( Fig. 3 ). Head: Vertex roughly scaled, creamy white, frons white. Antenna creamy white suffused with fuscous. Labial palpus porrect; basal segment creamy white, with a black dot laterally; median segment expanded ventrally, with inner side white, outer side fuscous, end pale brown; terminal segment pointed.

Thorax: Creamy white with fuscous fringes; collar small, fuscous basally, pale brown apically; tegula creamy white except fuscous medially; posterior crest distinct. Hind tibia in male with enlarged tuft of scales and a pale yellow hair pencil. Forewing length 4.8 mm; costa slightly arched, apex blunt, termen oblique; upperside ground color creamy white with scattered pale brown; costa with nine pairs of creamy white strigulae from base to R4, strigulae five and six indistinct; basal fascia indistinct; subbasal fascia dusted with deep fuscous dots, suffused with pale brown, narrow on costa, broadened below, lower edge occupying basal one-third of dorsum; median fascia confluent with leaden striae from strigulae five and six and postmedian fascia between costa and cell, forming a semicircular spot, deep fuscous; lower part fuscous, irregular, proximal edge from base of R2 to midlength of dorsum, almost straight, distal edge curved from base of R2 to 1/5 length of M2, then to 4/5 length of lower edge of cell, and to midlength of M3, finally reaching end of dorsum; two narrow bands of umbrae set on depression of median fascia; preterminal fascia a deep fuscous dot; terminal fascia indistinct; a fuscous line from 4/5 length of R3 to termen on M1; a narrow blotch from midlength of R4 to termen between M2 and CuA1; discal dot present; termen with a series of deep fuscous dot on veins; cilia deep fuscous at apex, pale fuscous suffused with deep fuscous on termen and creamy white on tornus; underside pale yellowish fuscous, except the distal seven pairs of strigulae white and the area of hindwing overlapping pale white. Hindwing upperside fuscous, costal area overlapping with forewing white; cubital pecten well developed; anal margin with well-developed fold bearing long fine hairs; cilia pale fuscous, with fuscous baseline; underside concolorous with forewing underside.

Abdomen: Male genitalia ( Fig. 4 ) with tegumen long, enlarged posteriorly, slightly protruded laterally. Uncus bilobed, with lobes large, rounded, densely spined, broad basally, terminal edge nearly semicircular. Socius absent. Valva slender, curved; basal process short, stout, densely spined, wider in middle, about 2.3 times as long as wide, with two thorns at end; neck distinct, curved and naked; cucullus narrow, less than half length of valva, with dense spines; two spine clusters: one at end of sacculus, the other at base of cucullus. Phallus short, broad, weakly curved; cornuti two strong thorns. Female genitalia unknown.

Distribution: China (Hainan).

Etymology. This specific name is derived from the Latin curvativus (= curved), referring to the character of the valva.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 4. Megalota species. 1, Paraype of M. bicepsunca Yu & L i, sp. n. 2, Male genitalia of holotype (slide no. YHL 07139) of M. bicepsunca. 3, Holotype of M. curvativa Yu & Li, sp. n., holotype. 4. Male genitalia of holotype (slide no. YHL 07117) of M. curvativa.