Morophaga plana, Osada, Yohei & Hirowatari, Toshiya, 2016

Osada, Yohei & Hirowatari, Toshiya, 2016, A review of the Japanese species of the choragella - group of the genus Morophaga Herrich-Schäffer (Lepidoptera: Tineidae), with description of a new species, Zootaxa 4127 (1), pp. 192-200 : 195-197

Morophaga plana sp. nov.

[Japanese name: Ezo-usumadara-ohirozukoga]

Morophaga facsiculata: Hori & Sakurai 2015: 218 , fig. 1719 (collected in Tomakomai-shi, Hokkaido).

Diagnosis. The coloration of the forewing of this species is slightly paler than that of M. fasciculata . In the male genitalia, the saccus is flat ventrally, not round as in M. fasciculata ; the serrate process of the valva is shorter and stouter than that of M. fasciculata ; and the phallus is dorso-ventrally thinner medially than that of M. fasciculata . In the female genitalia, the ventral margin of the ostium bursae is more strongly concave, and the antrum is narrower than that of M. fasciculata .

Description. Head: Vertex and frons clothed with whitish yellow hairs. Antenna filiform, scape and pedicel covered with yellowish scales and more than 30 bristles; each flagellomere covered with dark brown scales dorsally. Maxillary palpus covered with dark brown scales. Labial palpus forwardly directed, 1st and 2nd segments covered with dark brown scales, 3rd segment covered with yellowish white scales; 1st and 2nd segments with 12– 15 bristles. Thorax: Mesonotum covered with yellowish white scales; tegula covered with dark brown scales anteriorly and yellowish white posteriorly; metanotum covered with yellowish white scales. Legs extensively covered with dark brown scales. Length of forewing 6.4–6.6 mm; forewing expanse 14.0– 14.2 mm. Forewing dorsal surface ( Fig. 1 A) with pale brown ground color, with numerous small dark brown maculae. Basal part and 3/ 5 of costal margin with large dark brown spots. Fringe consisting of alternating dark brown and brownish white scales. Hindwing dorsal surface pale brown; basal 1/2 of costa covered with brownish white, slender scales; apex with dark brown maculae. Fringe consisting of alternating dark brown and brownish white scales. Forewing venation ( Fig. 2 A) with all free veins present; R1 arising from 1/3 of discoidal cell; R3 and R4 stalked; 1A + 2A twice as long as 3A; chorda weak. Hindwing venation with all free veins present; 1A + 2A sinuate. Abdomen: Covered with yellowish white scales. Male genitalia ( Figs. 3 A–F) with tegumen and vinculum fused into a ring; tegumen membranous dorsally, united with uncus by a pair of narrow subdorsal bands; uncus divergent, apex rounded with setae; subscaphium elongate; gnathos absent; vinculum narrow; saccus broad and flat ventrally. Valva with a deep emargination ventrally; outer surface with a band of long, thick bristles laterally; apical serrate process short and stout, 1/3 length of width of valva; anterior part of costa of inner surface with membrane with dense setae; dorsal lobe with dense setae; subbasal portion of ventral lobe of valva with a bundle of thick bristles; transtilla absent; valval apodeme 1/3 length of valva; juxta nearly trapezoidal. Phallus basally stout, apically and medially thin dorso-ventrally, slightly arched and apically tapered to acute apex, with 3–4 lobate carinae dorsally; phallus about 10 times as long as broad in middle; subzonal sheath about 1/5 length of phallus with a spatulate process ventrally; suprazonal sheath about 4/5 length of phallus with membrane dorsally; vesica with elongate cornuti. Female genitalia ( Figs. 4 A–B) with eighth abdominal tergite bearing long setae posteriorly; posterior margin of 8th abdominal sternite truncate and laterally projected into a pair of short setose lobes; concavity of posterior margin of ostium bursae as long as width of ostium bursae. Antrum developed and sclerotized; width of antrum 1/6 length of antrum. Bursa copulatrix about 1.3 times as long as apophysis anterioris. Corpus bursae about 1/3 length of bursa copulatrix; signum absent.

Distribution. Japan: Hokkaido.

Etymology. The name plana , ‘flat’ in Latin, refers to the saccus of the male genitalia, which is ventrally flat.

Specimens examined. HOLOTYPE, ♂, JAPAN: Hokkaido, Kitasanjo-nishi, Chuo-ku, Sapporo-shi, Hokkaido, 13.viii.2005, K. Sugisima leg., deposited in OPU.

PARATYPES, 2♂, 1♀, same data as holotype.

Remarks. The larvae were collected from fungus on Kalopanax septemlobus (Thunb.) Koidz.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Adults of Japanese species of the choragella - group of Morophaga. A. M. plana, sp. nov., Holotype ♂. B. M. fasciculata Robinson, 1986, ♂.

FIGURE 2. Wing venation of Japanese species of the choragella - group of Morophaga. A. M. plana, sp. nov. B. M. fasciculata.

FIGURE 3. Male genitalia of M. plana, sp. nov. A. Lateral view, phallus removed. B. Ventral view. C. Dorsal view. D. Valva, internal view. E. Phallus, lateral view. F. Phallus, dorsal view (car. carina, cor. cornuti, sa. saccus, sb. subzonal sheath, sp. suprazonal sheath, tg. tegumen, un. uncus, ve. vesica, zo. zone).

FIGURE 4. Female genitalia of M. plana, sp. nov. A. Lateral view. B. Ventral view (aa. apophysis anterioris, ap. apophysis posterioris, at. antrum, cb. corpus bursae, db. ductus bursae, ds. ductus seminalis, ob. ostium bursae).