Lecithocera triasgonia Park, 2024

Park, Kyu-Tek, Yu, Tae-Uk & Jeong, Su-Yeon, 2024, The genus Lecithocera (Lepidoptera: Lecithoceridae: Lecithocerinae) in Kenya and Tanzania, with descriptions of six new species, Zootaxa 5538 (6), pp. 575-588 : 579-580

Lecithocera triasgonia Park , sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:4FC36DBF-83E9-4E07-AC18-FC692D9326FD

( Figs 4 , 9 )

Type specimen. Holotype male, Tanzania, Morogoro Distr. & Town, 550−600 m, 9 iv 1993, leg. L. Aarvik, gen. slide no. CIS-7173, in MNHO.

Diagnosis. The new species is superficially similar to L. hadroidia Park & Heppner, 2023 which was described from Malawi, but can be distinguished from the latter by the forewing with the costa arched beyond 2/3 and rounded apex, and by the male genitalia: basal lobes of uncus semi-ovate; cucullus narrowed toward apex beyond 3/4, juxta with small, thumb-like median process (whereas in L. hadroidia , it is triangular); cornuti consisting of a long rectangular, sclerotised plate beyond middle (whereas in L. hadroidia , with two spine-like processes at middle).

Description. Male ( Figs 4, 4a, b ). Wingspan 14.0 mm.

Head: vertex shiny, mustard brown, with pale-orange appressed scales on lateral sides. Antenna about 1.2 times longer than forewing; scape slightly dilated laterally, dark-brown dorsally; flagellum dark brown, paler towards apex. Second palpomere thickened, slightly arched, greyish orange on the outer surface, paler on the inner surface; 3rd palpomere shorter than 2nd, strongly upturned, yellowish orange dorsally and dark brown ventrally.

Thorax: tegula and notum yellowish brown, concolourous with the forewing ground colour. Forewing ground colour yellowish brown, densely scattered with evenly distributed dark-brown scales; costa arched beyond basal 3/4; apex rounded; termen convex medially; fringe concolourous with ground colour; venation with R 4 and R 5 stalked for basal 3/5; R 5 to apex; M 1 close to R 4+5 at base; CuA 1 and CuA 2 short-stalked. Hindwing greyish whites, scattered with brownish scales 4; venation with M 3 and CuA 1 stalked for basal 1/3; apex rounded; fringe concolourous with ground colour.

Abdomen ( Fig. 9c ): segment VII with short linear processes laterally; sternite VIII deeply concave on caudal margin.

Male genitalia ( Figs 9a, b ): uncus basal lobes semi-ovate, emarginated medially on caudal margin. Gnathos basal plate triangularly produced distally; median process slender, gently turndown beyond 2/3. Tegumen weakly sclerotised, gently concave on anterior margin. Costal bar narrow, sharply angled medially. Valva with broad basal part; cucullus narrowed beyond 2/3 toward apex, densely setose, with minute conical spines along ventral margin; sacculus broadened, followed by a crescent line from before termination. Vinculum broad; saccal zone more or less rounded. Juxta with short, thumb-like, sclerotised median process and with large latero-caudal membranous processes which is strongly bent outward apically; anterior margin slightly produced. Aedeagus somewhat stout, as long as valva; cornuti consisting of a long, rectangular plate with heavily sclerotised lateral margins, and several rows of irregular spines situated apically.

Female unknown.

Distribution. Tanzania (Morogoro Distr.).

Etymology. The species name is derived from the Greek word, -trias (= three) and - gonia (= angle), referring to the triangular signum in the female genitalia.

Figures

FIGURES 4–6. Adults: 4, Lecithocera triasgonia Park, sp. nov. (male, holotype): 4a, head, dorsal view; 4b, labial palpus; 5, L. majorella Park, sp. nov. (female, holotype): 5a, head, dorsal view; 5b, labial palpus; 6, L. namizimuensis Park & Heppner, 2023 (female); 6a, head, dorsal view; 6b, labial palpus.

FIGURES 9–10. 9. Male genitalia of Lecithocera triasgonia Park, sp. nov. (holotype, gen. slide no. CIS-7173): 9a, aedeagus; 9b, close-up central part of genitalia; 9c, pregenital segments. 10, female genitalia of L. namizimuensis Park & Heppner, 2023 (gen. slide no. CIS-7172). Scale bar: 1.0 mm.