Lecithocera cyclisca Park, 2018

Park, Kyu-Tek, 2018, Three new genera and ten new species of the subfamily Lecithocerinae (Lepidoptera, Lecithoceridae) from Cameroon, Africa, based on material collected in 1913 - 18, Zootaxa 4415 (3), pp. 561-579 : 567-568

Lecithocera cyclisca Park , sp. nov.

( Figs. 11, 12a, 12b, 13a, 13b , 17, 17a–b )

Type. Holotype: ♂, Cameroon, Efulen , H.L. Weber, C.M. Acc. 5251; Apr. 6 1914, gen. slide no. CIS-6842 . Paratypes: 1♂, same locality as holotype, Carn. Mus. Acc. 5251, Apr. 17 1914, gen. slide no. CIS-6852 ; 1♂, same locality, H.L. Weber, Acc. 6257; Apr. 14 1918, gen. slide no. CIS-6855 ; 1♂, same locality, H.L. Weber, Acc. 6122, Apr. 20 1918, gen. slide no. CIS-6856 ; 1♂, same locality, H.L. Weber, CM Acc. 5 175. Jan. 5 1914 ; 1♂, same locality, Acc. 4794, Oct. 24, 1917, gen. slide no. CIS-6873 ; 1♀, same locality, H.L. Weber, Ac. 4938, May 23 1913, gen. slide no. CIS-6891.

Diagnosis. The wing venation ( Fig.12a, 12b ) is consistent with that of other Lecithocera , except R3 is free in the forewing. The male genitalia can be distinguished from its allies by the semi-ovate cucullus with a rounded outer margin.

Description. Male ( Fig. 11 ): Wingspan 15–16 mm. Head yellowish brown dorsally. Basal segment of antenna relatively short, broader toward apex, light orange dorsally; flagellum orange white, with distinct brown annulations. Second segment of labial palpus thickened, yellowish brown on outer surface, orange white on inner surface; 3rd segment slender, about 2/3 length of 2nd segment, with color pattern similar to 2nd segment. Tegula and thorax yellowish brown dorsally. Forewing ground color pale orange to yellowish brown, brown scales irregularly scattered throughout; discal stigma absent; costa obliquely bent downward beyond 3/4; apex rounded; termen slightly oblique; fringe dark brown with indistinct yellow basal line; venation ( Fig. 12a ) with R1 arising from about middle; distance between origin of R1 and R2 about 1.5 times that between R2 and R3; R3 and R4+5 nearly connate at base; R4 and R5 stalked to middle; R5 to apex; M1 close to R4+5; M2 close to M3 at base; CuA1 and CuA2 stalked in basal 1/6; cell weakly closed. Hindwing orange grey; apex more or less obtuse; termen oblique; venation ( Fig. 12b ) with M2 closer to M3+CuA1; M3 and CuA1 stalked at 1/3; cell short, weakly closed. Female unknown.

Male genitalia ( Figs. 17, 17a ): Basal lobes of uncus short, ovate, directed latero-caudally, caudal margin deeply emarginated. Gnathos with short median process, gently bent, with acute apex. Costal bar connecting tegumen and valva broad, with median angle. Valva broad in basal half, with numerous hairs on dorsal surface; cucullus ovate with round apex, shorter, about2/3 length of basal part of valva, with dense hairs especially in lower half, with a bundle of short bristles near lower corner and short conic spines along outer margin; sacculus broad in basal half of ventral margin, sclerotized, terminating in a triangular process, then overlapped with crescent ridge arising from lower corner of cucullus. Vinculum broad, with round apex. Juxta shield-shaped, a small emargination on caudal margin medially, with long, digitate, membranous latero-caudal lobes bending outwardly beyond middle. Phallus stout, with various shapes of cornuti consisting of a ladle-shaped one with a large ring, a broad, long sclerotized plate, and some other spinous patches. Abdominal segment VII with a bundle of long hair-pencils; sternite VIII deeply concave on caudal margin ( Fig. 17b ).

Female genitalia ( Figs. 13a, 13b ): Abdominal sternite VIII deeply concave on anterior margin. Apophyses anteriores ca. 2/3 length of apophyses posteriors. Antrum large, cup-shaped, weakly sclerotized. Ductus bursae ca. twice length of corpus bursae, wrinkled in distal 1/3, strongly bent at anterior 1/4; ductus seminalis broad basally, arising from distal 1/5. Corpus bursae ovate; with more or less conical heavily sclerotized signum with round basal plate.

Distribution. South Africa, Cameroon.

Etymology. The species name is derived from the Greek, kyclos (= ring, circle), referring to the ring-shaped cornutus in the male genitalia.

Figures

FIGURES 8–13. Adults, venation, and female genitalia of Lecithocera: 8, L. binotata Meyrick; 9, L. afrotella sp. nov., holotype, with its label; 10, L. dysmica sp. nov., holotype, with its label; 11, L. cyclisca sp. nov., holotype, with its label; 12, forewing venation of L. cyclisca, paratype; 12a: ditto, hindwing venation, paratype; 13, female genitalia of L. cyclisca, 13a, close-up of signum.

FIGURES 14–17. Male genitalia of Lecithocera: 14, L. binotata Meyrick; 14a, ditto, phallus; 14b, ditto, abdomen with hairpencil; 15, L. afrotella sp. nov.; 15a, ditto, phallus; 15b, ditto, abdominal segments VII–VIII; 16, L. dysmica sp. nov.; 16a, ditto, phallus; 16b, ditto, abdominal segments VII–VIII; 17, L. cyclisca sp. nov.; 17a, ditto, phallus; 17b, ditto, abdominal segments VII–VIII.