Dichomeris brevicornuta, Li, Houhun, Zhen, Hui & Mey, Wolfram, 2013

Li, Houhun, Zhen, Hui & Mey, Wolfram, 2013, Notes on Dichomeris Hübner, 1818 from Southern Africa and Kenya, with description of seven new species (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae, Dichomeridinae), Zootaxa 3608 (7), pp. 561-574 : 563-565

Dichomeris brevicornuta sp. nov.

( Figs 2 , 14 )

Type material. REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA: Holotype 3, RSA, Transvaal, Nylsvley, Sericea-Farm, 28–30.xi.2004, LF, leg. W. Mey, genitalia slide no. ZH09091 (MfN). Paratype: 1 3, data same as holotype.

Diagnosis. This new species is related to members of the former genus Daemonarcha (regarded as a synonym of Dichomeris ) distributed in South Africa by the forewing with R3 and R4 stalked, R5 absent; the valva with distal half broad and rounded, and the phallus bearing four sclerotized lobes from zone, with one strong and straight cornutus in the male genitalia. The new species is most similar to D. hamata (Janse, 1954) , but can be separated from the latter by the acanthoid cornutus about 2/5 the length of the phallus, whereas the cornutus is slender and slightly shorter than the phallus in D. hamata .

Description. Adult ( Fig. 2 ): Wing expanse 10.0–11.0 mm. Head brown, frons grey. Ocellus absent. Labial palpus with second segment about three times length of diameter of eye, having scales on dorsal surface, longer scales on distal part of ventral surface, third segment about 1/3 length of second; first and second segments dark brown on outer surface, greyish brown on inner surface; third segment dark brown, yellowish white apically. Antenna dark brown on dorsal surface, with brown rings on flagellum; ventral surface pale yellow on scape, pale ochreous on flagellum; flagellum not ciliate on ventral surface. Thorax and tegula dark brown; mesothorax without hair pencil arising from anepisternum. Forewing with costal margin and dorsum almost parallel, distal 1/4 almost isosceles triangular, apex blunt, termen oblique; ground colour dark brown, without obvious markings; fringe dark brown. Hindwing and fringe dark grey. Legs yellowish white on inner surface; fore and mid legs dark brown on outer surface, tarsomere pale yellow apically; hind leg bluish white on outer surface, tinged with shinning reflections, tarsomere dark brown basally. Abdomen with basal two segments grey, remaining segments dark brown, greyish brown apically.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 14 ): Uncus semioval, slightly broad basally, anterior margin slightly concave in trapezium. Gnathos curved at basal 1/3, sharp apically; culcitula nearly semioval. Valva slightly shorter tegumen-uncus complex, basal 2/5 narrow, parallel-sided, gradually broadened from 2/5 to 3/5 along ventral margin, distal 2/5 broad, parallel-sided, blunt apically; ventral free lobe clubbed, slightly shorter than 1/2 length of valva, more or less narrowed mesially, with sparse setae distally. Vinculum shorter than tegumen-uncus complex, distal half slightly broad; lateral lobe arising from near middle, about 3/5 length of vinculum, slightly narrowed from base to sharp apex, distal 2/5 with carinae on dorsal surface. Saccal region broad, saccal margin almost straight; sicae broad and short, irregularly shaped. Setose patch small. Phallus parallel-sided, with four sclerotized lobes arising from zone: one lobe in left side, slender, gradually narrowed from base to apex, about 3/4 length of phallus, with a short horned process basally on outer side; one lobe in right side, stout, slightly curved at basal 1/3, biforked distally; two slender lobes from ventral surface, one near left side, clubbed, slightly longer than 3/4 length of phallus, the other near right side, slightly curved mesially, sharp apically, about equal to length of lobe near left side; cornutus acanthoid, sharp apically, about 2/5 length of phallus.

Female unknown.

Distribution. South Africa.

Remarks. The venation of the forewing is unique in this new species: R3 and R4 stalked on basal 2/5, R5 and M3 absent, CuA1 and CuA2 fused absolutely.

Etymology. The specific name is derived from the Latin prefix brev- (= short), and the Latin word cornutus (= cornutus), referring to the cornutus shorter than that of D. hamata .

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 6. Adults of Dichomeris spp. 1. D. arquata sp. nov., holotype 3; 2. D. brevicornuta sp. nov., holotype 3; 3. D. dentata sp. nov., holotype 3; 4. D. ligulacea sp. nov., holotype 3; 5. D. paulidigitata sp. nov., holotype 3; 6. D. tenextrema sp. nov., holotype 3.

FIGURES 13 – 18. Male genitalia of Dichomeris spp. 13. D. arquata sp. nov., holotype, genitalia slide no. ZH 09101; 14. D. brevicornuta sp. nov., holotype, genitalia slide no. ZH 09091; 15. D. dentata sp. nov., holotype, genitalia slide no. ZH 09093; 16. D. ligulacea sp. nov., holotype, genitalia slide no. ZH 09095; 17. D. paulidigitata sp. nov., holotype, genitalia slide no. ZH 09113; 18. D. tenextrema sp. nov., holotype, genitalia slide no. ZH 09115.