Ethmia apispinata S. Wang

Wang, Jing-Jing & Wang, Shu-Xia, 2012, One new species and two new synonyms in the genus Ethmia (Lepidoptera: Elachistidae: Ethmiinae), Zootaxa 3260, pp. 47-52 : 47-49

Ethmia apispinata S. Wang , sp. nov.

( Figs. 1 , 4 , 7 )

Type material. Holotype 3, China: Xishuangbanna (21°55' N, 101°16' E), Yunnan Province, 531 m, 15.viii.2010, coll. Yinghui Sun and Lixia Li, genitalia slide No. WJJ10094 (NKU). Paratypes: 1 Ƥ, same data as holotype, genitalia slide No. WJJ10095 (NKU); 1 Ƥ, Jingdong County (24°26' N, 100°50' E), Yunnan Province, 18.viii.2009, coll. Xicui Du (NKU); 1 3, 1 Ƥ, Mengla County (21°56' N, 101°15' E), Yunnan Province, 630 m, 7.viii.2010, coll. Yinghui Sun and Lixia Li, genitalia slide Nos. WJJ10096 3, WJJ11011 Ƥ (NKU).

Diagnosis. The new species belongs to the crocosoma group. It is more similar to the Australian endemic species E. sphaerosticha (Meyrick, 1887) superficially and in the genitalia, but can be distinguished by markings on the forewing differently arranged, the oral part of gnathos apparently two times wider than the caudal part in the male genitalia, and the short and stout apophysis anterior slightly curved inward in the female genitalia. In E. sphaerosticha , the oral part of gnathos is almost as wide as the caudal part, and the long and slender apophysis anterior is strongly hooked inward in the female genitalia.

Description. Adult ( Fig. 1 ): Wingspan 26.0−27.5 mm. Head creamy white. Labial palpus creamy white, black on dorsal surface of basal segment, as well as on basal half of second segment and third segment. Antenna with scape creamy white, brown on anterior margin and distal 1/2 of posterior margins flagellum greyish black, in male basal 1/2 dilated, compressed dorsoventrally, creamy white on posterior part, in female basal half creamy white dorsally. Collar black basally, creamy white distally. Thorax and tegula greyish white, thorax with a pair of black spots anteriorly and posteriorly, tegula with a black spot at base near outer margin.

Forewing pale greyish yellow; costal margin black on basal 1/3, with an elongate brown stripe distally; overlaid with 12 black markings surrounded by white scales: an elongate irregularly shaped stripe near base of costa, one spot at basal 1/3 near costal margin and at middle of costa respectively; cell with spot set near base, at 3/ 4 and distal end respectively, first one smallest, last one largest; fold with spot at base, 1/3 and below 1/2 respectively; three distal spots arranged triangularly; nine marginal dots extending from apex, termen to tornus, dot at distal end of costa sometimes indistinct; cilia concolorous to wing. Hindwing and cilia greyish brown. Legs dominantly white; fore leg with ventral surface and tarsus black, tibia with fine white rings; mid leg with femur black on basal half, tibia with three black patches on outer surface, distal patch largest, tarsus black, with a small white mark near middle on outer surface; hind leg with basal half of femur black on ventral surface, tibia pale brown near distal, tarsus with dark brown patches on outer surface of basal 2/5, distal half black. Abdomen orange yellow, tergites 5−7 with paired black dots.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 4 ). Uncus nearly squared, shorter than tegumen; distal 2/5 V-shaped, thumblike, narrowed gradually to bluntly rounded apex. Gnathos about equal length to uncus; caudal part narrower, strongly dentate posteriorly; oral part twice as wide as caudal part, with fine spines anteriorly, anterior margin concave inward at middle. Labis finger-shaped, 2/3 as long as uncus. Valva with stout costa shorter than half of valva; sacculus narrowed at base, ventral margin straight on basal 1/2, concave inward on distal 1/2, with a large ventroapical spine; cucullus elongate triangular, heavily sclerotized, nearly as long as costa, with a small apical spine. Juxta arched anteriorly, posterolateral lobes equal to length of labis. Aedeagus stout, without cornutus.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 7 ). Ovipositor collarlike in shape, densely covered with long bristles. Apophysis posterior slender, as long as ovipositor; apophysis anterior extremely short, wider basally, slightly thinned distally, with an incurved pointed tip. Eighth sternite with anterior margin folded backward medially. Ostium bursae rounded. Antrum sclerotized dorsally. Corpus bursae large, elongate saccate; signum absent.

Distribution. China (Yunnan).

Etymology. The specific name is derived from the Latin prefix apic -(apical) and the word spinatus (spinate), referring to the small apical spine on cucullus.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 3. Adults of Ethmia spp. 1, E. apispinata sp. nov., paratype; 2, E. guangzhouensis Liu, Ƥ; 3, E. pingxiangensis Liu, 3

FIGURES 4 – 6. Male genitalia of Ethmia spp. 4, E. apispinata sp. nov., holotype; 5, E. guangzhouensis Liu; 6, E. pingxiangensis Liu

FIGURES 7 – 9. Female genitalia of Ethmia spp. 7, E. apispinata sp. nov., paratype; 8, E. guangzhouensis Liu; 9, E. pingxiangensis Liu.