Agrionympha jansella Gibbs

Gibbs, George W. & Kristensen, Niels P., 2011, Agrionympha, the long-known South African jaw moths: a revision with descriptions of new species (Lepidoptera, Micropterigidae), Zootaxa 2764, pp. 1-21 : 10-11

Agrionympha jansella Gibbs sp. nov.

( Figs. 2 G, 3D, 8E, F, 11)

Material examined. Holotype Ƥ, South Africa, Kwazulu Natal, Karkloof Falls, 29º24ʹS 30º17ʹE, 1020 m, 5 Feb 1986, G.W. Gibbs ( TMP). Paratypes 3Ƥ, data as above ( TMP, ZMUC). Female genital prep G1021 ( TMP).

Description. Head: Antennae black throughout; 33–34 flagellomeres in female with basal 11 scale-covered. Piliform scales on scape and pedicel black. Head piliform scales black on dorsum but creamy-white on frons. Thorax tegulae black-scaled and with black scales ventrally on all coxae; mesonotum black-scaled with bronzy iridescence. Hindfemora greyish; fore and midtibiae black with whitish band at 0.5; tarsi black with whitish bands at proximal ends of tarsomeres 1, 2 and 3, except that hindtarsomere 1 is entirely black.

Thorax. FW length (female) 3.2 mm. FW maculation ( Fig. 2 G) lacking a claval mark; a very narrow, slightly convex median band; an incomplete postmedian band from costa to half; a large apical spot.

Male postabdomen: sex unknown.

Female postabdomen: Segment V gland 0.4 mm diam., with about 10 long fluted scales. Genital segments ( Fig. 8 E) with segment X approximately equidimensional, lateral sclerites C-shaped with anterior edge emarginated. Papilla large (0.12 mm deep), approximately equidimensional with its antero-ventral edge strongly reflexed into the bursa, dorsal margin deeply cut away; thick-walled proximal ductus section of spermatheca with its bulbous end about half diameter of ductus length, thin-walled mid-section of utriculus shorter than the ductus, anterior sac of utriculus 0.1 mm diameter (female genital prep G1021, TMP).

Diagnosis. The only Agrionympha lacking a forewing claval mark.

Etymology. Named in honour of A.J.T. Janse, who revealed the presence of micropterigids in southern Africa when he collected A. pseliacma at the same locality (Karkloof Falls) in 1917.

Bionomics. This species was discovered amongst ferns and seedlings on a steep slope under a thin, low, exotic canopy, while one of us (GWG) was searching for additional specimens of A. pseliacma Janse in the vicinity of its type locality.

Distribution. South Africa, Eastern Cape. Known only from the type locality at Karkloof Falls, near Howick.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Forewing maculation of Agrionympha species: A, A. capensis; B, A. karoo, C, A. pseudovari, D, A. fuscoapicella; E, A. kroonella, F, A. sagittella; G, A. jansella; H, A. pseliacma; I, A. vari.

FIGURE 8. Agrionympha genitalia. A – D, A. fuscoapicella sp. nov. male, Hogsback: A, lateral, inset - ventral view of median plate; B, dorsal, C, phallus lateral; D, phallus dorsal. E – F, A. jansella sp. nov. female, Karkloof Falls: E, extended terminal segments of abdomen; F, internal female genitalia.