Pafazaria faboidica Diškus & Stonis, 2023

Stonis, Jonas R., Diškus, Arūnas, Remeikis, Andrius, Orlovskytė, Svetlana, Solis, Alma, Paulavičiūtė, Brigita, Xu, Jiasheng & Dai, Xiaohua, 2023, Genera of Tischeriidae (Lepidoptera): a review of the global fauna, with descriptions of new taxa, Zootaxa 5333 (1), pp. 1-131 : 74-75

Pafazaria faboidica Diškus & Stonis , sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:CA02E7BE-8BCA-4BDC-8058-4A2CB1CE0274

( Figs 312, 313 , 341 , 350 , 353–364 )

Type material. Holotype: Ô, LAOS: Luang Prabang Prov., Nong Khiaw, 20°32’48”N, 102°38’21”E, elevation 410 m, mining larva on Dalbergia sp. (Fabaceae) 12.ii.2020, ex pupa iii. 2020, field card no. 5330, leg. A. Diškus & M. Jocius, genitalia slide no. AD 1060 ( MfN). Paratypes: 1 Ô, same label data as holotype, genitalia slide no. AD 1096 Ô ( MfN); 1 Ô, same label data as holotype ( GNU); 1 Ô, 3 ♀, Vientiane Prov., Vang Vieng, 18°55’56”N, 102°26’14”E, elevation 230 m, mining larvae on Dalbergia sp. (Fabaceae) , 2.ii.2020, field card no. 5306, leg. A. Diškus & M. Jocius, genitalia slide nos AD 1038 Ô (from adult in pupal skin), AD 1061 ♀ ( MfN).

Diagnosis. Externally, this new species can be confused with some dark speckled species, including the most externally similar P. capitata Diškus & Stonis , sp. nov. (described above); however, P. faboidica sp. nov. is smaller and paler. From the related P. jingdongensis (Xu & Dai) (comb. nov.), the new species differs in the grey frontal tuft (ochre in P. jingdongensis ) and smaller overall size. In the male genitalia, the combination of a unique anellus, elaborated membranous structures around the phallus ( Figs 348–350 ), and a rounded base of the phallus makes P. faboidica easily recognizable. Note that in the related P. jingdongensis , the anellus has rounded lateral arcs ( Figs 351, 352 ) and the phallus possesses slender lateral extensions. The characters of the female genitalia are of limited use for species differentiation. However, the new species is characterized by the coalescent distal tips of inner prela ( Fig. 354 ), relatively slender processes of transverse prela (wide in P. jingdongensis ), a well-developed caudal plate, and slightly smaller ovipositor lobes but with a large gap between these lobes.

So far, P. faboidica and the related P. jingdongensis are the only Dalbergia- feeding Tischeriidae species. However, P. faboidica occurs in the lowland tropical habitats of Laos, while P. jingdongensis is known from the mountains of Yunnan (Jingdong Yi Autonomous County, China).

DNA barcode. We barcoded one specimen, but not the holotype; the sequence is available in the GenBank database under the accession number OQ413565.

Description. Male ( Fig. 313 ). Forewing length 2.5–2.8 mm; wingspan 5.4–6.1 mm (n = 3). Head: frons and palpi glossy, greyish cream to ochreous cream; frontal tuft comprised of pale grey, cream-tipped scales; collar grey; antenna only slightly longer than one half the length of forewing; flagellum pale grey, annulated with grey scales. Tegula and thorax glossy, dark ochre-grey with some purple iridescence. Forewing with purple iridescence, densely covered with dark ochre-brown scales, and speckled with blackish brown scales along the costal margin and apically; fringe grey, without a fringe line; forewing underside dark grey-brown, without spots or androconia. Hindwing grey-brown on upper side and underside, without androconia; fringe ochre-grey. Legs dark brown-grey or black-grey on upper side, golden cream on underside. Abdomen glossy dark grey with some purple iridescence on upper side, glossy greyish cream on underside; genital plates ochreous cream; anal tufts coalescent, comprised of relatively long but slender lamellar scales, almost inconspicuous.

Female ( Fig. 312 ). Forewing length 2.4–2.8 mm; wingspan 5.1–6.1 mm (n = 3). Forewing with stronger purple iridescence, densely speckled with brown-grey or dark brown, ochre-tipped scales. Otherwise, similar or identical with male.

Male genitalia ( Figs 341–350 ) with capsule about 320 µm long, 210 µm wide. Uncus comprised of two larger, distally wide lobes ( Figs 343, 344 ). Socii relatively small, weakly paired, membranous. Valva slender, ca. 250 µm long. Anellus mostly membranous, slender, folded laterally. Vinculum very short, widely rounded distally. Phallus about 345 µm long, apically truncate, with lateral projections, covered by a “hood” ( Fig. 349 ).

Female genitalia ( Figs 353–356 ) about 1245 µm long. Ovipositor lobes medium large, rounded, with weakly thickened peg-like setae; second pair of ovipositor lobes large, divided, with numerous long setae; lateral lobes very short. Posterior apophyses significantly longer than anterior apophyses; prela comprised of three pairs of rod-like projections; processes of inner prela with coalescent distal tips. Corpus bursae long, gradually widening towards base. Ductus spermathecae with 6–8 large and small coils.

Bionomics ( Figs 357–364 ). Host plant is Dalbergia sp. , Fabaceae ( Fig. 358 ). Larvae mine leaves in February. The blotch-like mine is irregular or round, without frass. Adults occur in March. Otherwise, biology is unknown.

Distribution. This species is known from two lowland tropical localities in Laos, Luang Prabang and Vientiane provinces, at elevation of 280– 410 m.

Etymology. The species is named after the host-plant subfamily Faboideae Rudd (=Papilionoideae DC.), Fabaceae .

Figures

FIGURES 306–313. Adults of new Pafazaria species. 306, P. capitata Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov., Laos, frontal tuft, dorsal view; 307, same, fragment of antenna; 308, same, head, frontal view; 309, same, general view without abdomen, male holotype; 310, same, with abdomen, female paratype; 311, same, another female paratype (MfN); 312, P. faboidica Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov., female paratype; 313, same, male holotype, without abdomen (MfN)

FIGURES 341–345. Male genitalia of Pafazaria faboidica Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov., Laos, holotype, genitalia slide no.AD1060 (MfN). 341, fragment of capsule with juxta and phallus inside, ventral view; 342, capsule with juxta and phallus inside, ventral view; 343, capsule with valvae, juxta and phallus removed, ventral view; 344, lateral view of uncus; 345, lateral view of valva

FIGURES 346–352. Male genitalia of Pafazaria spp. 346–350, details of P. faboidica Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov., Laos, holotype, genitalia slide no.AD1060 (MfN); 351, 352, details of P. jingdongensis (Xu & Dai, 2017) comb. nov., China, holotype, genitalia slide no. BH16008 (GNU) (after Xu et al. 2017)

FIGURES 353–356. Female genitalia of P. faboidica Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov., Laos, paratype, genitalia slide no. AD1061 (MfN). 353, 354, ovipositor and apophyses; 355, corpus bursae; 356, coils of ductus spermathecae

FIGURES 357–364. Bionomics of P. faboidica Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov., Laos. 357, lowland tropical habitat, elevation of 230 m, Vientiane Prov., Vang Vieng, 18°55’56”N, 102°26’14”E; 358, host plant, Dalbergia sp. (Faboideae, Fabaceae); 359–364, leaf mines