Nemophora digitata Liao, Hirowatari & Huang, 2023

Liao, Cheng-Qing, Hirowatari, Toshiya, Yagi, Sadahisa, Wang, Min, Wang, Xing & Huang, Guo-Hua, 2023, The fauna of the family Adelidae (Insecta, Lepidoptera, Adeloidea) from China, Zootaxa 5348 (1), pp. 1-152 : 31-32

(29) Nemophora digitata Liao, Hirowatari & Huang , sp. nov.

(Plates III-3, XIV-3, XXIII-2)

LSID urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:C1D9709B-490C-4B1C-A2C6-194C311C97AC

Diagnosis. This species is very similar to N. basalistriata sp. nov. because of the yellow basal stria of the forewing, but the yellow basal stria of this species is relatively large and connected with costal and posterior margins. In addition, this species can also be distinguished by the transverse central fascia of the forewing, which is slightly outwardly curved at the middle part, and the costal margin is slightly narrower than the posterior margin. In the male genitalia, this species is very unique in the valvae, which expand to form digitations at the middle of the sacculus and ventral bases.

Description. Male. Forewing 8.8–9.2 mm; wing expanse about 18.8 mm.

Vertex covered with raised yellow to brown hairs; face with yellow to brownish scales. Eyes large, relatively close to each other dorsally; eye size index about 3.3. Labial palpus moderate in length, covered with brownish scales and hairs; galeae with brown to dark brown scales laterally. Antenna slender, about 20.0 mm, 2.2 × forewing length; basal 1/4 dark brown to black and apical part light brown or gray. Legs dark brown to black; base of tarsi yellow brown; hind tibiae with brown long hairs. Thoracic dorsum and tegula dark brown to black, with brass metallic luster. Forewing lanceolate, ground color dark brown to black, with blue metallic luster; base with a nearly V- or Y-shaped yellow spot, expending from base to 1/6 of posterior margin, and bending dorsally to 1/4 of costal margin; middle part with a light yellow to brown transverse central fascia bordered on both sides by black bands, slightly curved outwardly at middle, costal margin slightly narrower than posterior margin; disc of apical area with bright blue metallic luster, scattered with numerous yellow to brownish scales; cilia dark brown to black with blue metallic luster; vein R 3 and R 4 separated. Hindwing and cilia dark brown to black; vein Rs stalked with M 1 at middle. Abdomen dark brown to black.

Female. Forewing about 7.3 mm, wing expanse about 16.0 mm. Eyes small, eye size index ca. 0.7. Antenna short, about 11.7 mm, ca. 1.6 × forewing length; basal part stout with thickened black scales, apical part slender and smooth, gray-brown. Others similar to male.

Male genitalia. Uncus triangular, approximately at same level with apex of valvae, with distinct median keel. Vinculum relatively slender, about 3.5 × as long as valva; posterior margin distinctly arched. Valva nearly quadrate in ventral view and trapezoidal in lateral view, with truncated apex; sacculus distinctly expanding and forming a large digitate process at middle part, base also expanding a small digitate process ventrally and separated to each other; suspensorium nearly trapezoid, anterior part far beyond posterior margin of vinculum in ventral view. Transtilla wide laterally and slightly narrow medially; median process long and pointed.Aedeagus long and slender; basal 2/3 curved dorsally; apical portion with a slender lamellate and several small spines apically; vesica with a pair of slender cornuti dorsally and two rows of microtrichia. Juxta arrow-shaped; arrow-head pointed, lateral arms short.

Female genitalia. Ovipositor pointed, ventral margin straight. Apophyses posteriores and anteriores long and slender, subequal in length. Vestibulum membranous; vestibular lamella well developed, nearly trapezoidal in ventral view. Bursa copulatrix short, membranous.

Holotype. [Sichuan] ♁, Qinglongxia (1,800 m), Kunming City, 2017.VI.19, G.H. Huang & M. Wang leg. ( HUNAU).

Paratypes. [Sichuan] 1♁,same locality as holotype, 2017.VI.18, G.H. Huang & M.Wang leg.; 1♀, Longcanggou (1,500 m), Yingjing County, Ya’an City, 2017.VII20, G.H. Huang & M. Wang leg.; 1♀, Longcanggou (1,400 m), Yingjing County , Ya’an City , 2015.VIII.10–11, G.H. Huang leg.; 1♁, Longcanggou (1,500 m), Yingjing County , Ya’an City , 2016.VII.1, T.T. Yu leg. ( HUNAU) .

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the Latin word digitatus (digitate), referring to the special digitate processes in each base and middle part of the valvae.

Distribution. China (Sichuan).

Remarks. This species is distributed in Southwest China and mainly occurs in July and August.