Hypatima melanecta ( Meyrick, 1914 )

Bidzilya, Oleksiy, 2021, New host-plants records of Afrotropical Gelechiidae (Lepidoptera), with description of three new species, Zootaxa 4952 (3), pp. 495-522 : 501

Hypatima melanecta ( Meyrick, 1914)

Figs 12–14

Chelaria melanecta Meyrick, 1914: 246 . TL: South Africa: Gauteng, Johannesburg.

Hypatima melanecta ( Meyrick, 1914) — Janse 1949: 45.

Material examined. 1♂, 15HSS107b, Gelechioidea, reared on Searsia magalismontanum , Anacardiaceae , Malonye’s Eye, farm, South Africa, Gauteng, Magaliesburg, 26˚01’23’’S, 27˚33’50’’E, 1480 m, Wooded kloof, 08.ii.2016 eclosed (H. S. Staude) (gen. slide 133/19, O. Bidzilya); 1♂, 15HSS107a, Gelechioidea, reared on Searsia magalismontanum , Anacardiaceae , Malonye’s Eye, farm, South Africa, Gauteng, Magaliesburg, 26˚01’23’’S, 27˚33’50’’E, 1480 m, Wooded kloof, 03.ii.2016 eclosed (H. S. Staude); 1♀, 15HSS107, Gelechioidea, reared on Searsia magalismontanum , Anacardiaceae, Steenkoppies farm, South Africa, Gauteng, Magaliesburg, 26˚01’25’’S, 27˚32’36’’E, 15480 m, Grassland/wooded kloof, 13.xi.2013 eclosed (H. S. Staude); 1♂, 1♀, 18HSS249, South Africa, Gauteng, Magaliesburg, Hornbill Lodge, 25 58 22 S, 27 32 36 E, p. 7.ii.2019, 21.ii.2019 eclosed (H. S. Staude) (all HSS).

Biology. The larvae were observed feeding on Searsia magalismontanum (Anacardiaceae) in January and October. Adults emerged 3–12.ii and 13.xi ( Staude et al. 2020: 55).

Distribution. South Africa ( Meyrick 1914; Janse 1949: 17).

The male genitalia are described here for the first time ( Fig. 13 ).

Uncus elongated, 3–4 times longer than broad, densely covered with hairs, apex rounded, gnathos stout, weakly curved at 2/3-3/4 length, apex pointed, longer than uncus, extending beyond anterior margin of tegumen; tegumen longer than broad, roughly parallel-sided with distinct lateral fold, anterior margin weakly emarginated; valva gradually broadened from very narrow base to 1/2, distal half subovate, strongly broadened, extending nearly to the apex of uncus; valvella 1/4-1/5 length of valva, narrow, distal portion covered with spines; juxta weakly sclerotized with short medial incision, covered with short setae; vinculum narrow, band-shaped; saccus nearly parallel-sided, weakly broadened at base, apex rounded; phallus weakly inflated in basal half, then distinctly curved, apex weakly narrowed and rounded.

Remarks. The male genitalia of H. tetraptila (Meyrick, 1919) ( Fig. 16 ) are very similar to those of H. melanecta except for the saccus being slightly shorter and the valvella broader at base in the latter species. The female genitalia of both species are also similar, those of H. melanecta has distinguished by the more elongate corpus bursae constricted from the right side ( Fig. 12 ), and narrower medial ridge of signum (see for comparison Janse 1949, pl. 20, fig. 1, pl. 29, fig. 23).

Figures

FIGURES 12–16. Hypatima spp. 12–14. H. melanecta (gen. slide 133/19, O. Bidzilya). 12. Adult, male. 13. Male genitalia. 14. Female genitalia (gen. slide 292/20, O. Bidzilya). 15, 16. H. tetraptila. 15. Adult, male. 16. Male genitalia (gen. slide 122/19, O. Bidzilya).