Agathiphagama, Mey & Léger & Lien, 2021

Mey, Wolfram, Leger, Theo & Lien, Vu Van, 2021, New taxa of extant and fossil primitive moths in South-East Asia and their biogeographic significance (Lepidoptera, Micropterigidae, Agathiphagidae, Lophocoronidae), Nota Lepidopterologica 44, pp. 29-56 : 34-36

Agathiphagama gen. nov.

Type species.

Agathiphagama perdita sp. nov., Gender: feminine.

Etymology.

Composed of the generic name Agathiphaga and the added syllable “ma”.

Diagnosis.

Burmese amber, middle-sized species, terminal segments of maxillary palpi annulated, basal segment of labial palpi with dorsal hair-brush, tibial spurs 1.3.4., epiphysis present on short foretibia, forewings with R 1 shortly branched into R 1a and R 1b, female with long, telescoping ovipositor, apophyses posteriores fused in apical half into a single apophysis extending in midline towards slender papillae anales.

The fossil genus differs from extant homoneurous moths of Agathiphaga Dumbleton, 1952 by differences in the morphology of the maxillary and labial palpi, the spur formula 1.3.4. (1.4.4. in Agathiphaga ) and the long, fused terminal part of the apophyses posteriores (shorter in Agathiphaga ).

The flexible form of the terminal segment of the maxillary palpi seems to be due to a mottled loss of sclerotization, which gives the segment an annulated appearance. In Agathiphaga , this segment is very short and not annulated ( Dumbleton 1952).

The new genus is here assigned to Agathiphagidae . An alternative placement considered was the establishment of a new family as sister to Agathiphagidae in Agathiphagoidea. However, there is presently insufficient morphological basis to establish a new family.

Description.

See description of A. perdita sp. nov. below.