Ptilothyris leifaarviki Park, 2019

Park, Kyu-Tek, Mey, Wolfram, Koo, Jun-Mo, Prins, Jurate De & Cho, Soowon, 2019, Revision of the genus Ptilothyris Walsingham, 1897 (Lepidoptera: Gelechioidea: Lecithoceridae), with descriptions of eight new species from Africa, Zootaxa 4567 (2), pp. 201-235 : 223-224

11. Ptilothyris leifaarviki Park , sp. nov.

( Figs. 14 A–K)

Type specimens. Holotype: male, Uganda, Kesese Distr. , Kibale Nat. Park, 36N TF 0 582 6208, 1500 m, 19–24 x 2014, Leif Aarvik & Knud Larsen, gen slide no. CIS-7112 . Paratypes: 1♂, same data as holotype, COI barcode CBNU077—above types are deposited in NHMO ; 1♂, Uganda, Kibale Nat. Park, Biol. Field Station , 19–24 xi 2014, LF leg. W. Mey, gen slide no. CIS-7018, wing. slide no. CIS-7021 ; 1♀, same data as the preceding species, gen slide no. CIS-7017 ; 2♂, same data as the preceding species, barcode CBNU030 ; 1♂, same locality as the preceding species, 25–30 xi 2014, gen slide no. CIS-7076, COI barcode CBNU058 ; 1♀, Mpigi Mpanga Forest , 25– 30 xi 2014, LF leg. W. Mey, COI barcode CBNU010.—above types are deposited in MfN .

Diagnosis. Ptilothyris leifaarviki is distinguished from its allies by the forewing with two orange white or white, elongated patches before and after antemedian fascia on inner margin, and M 1 stalked with R 3+4. However, the patches are sometimes not present. The male genitalia are similar to those of P. crassiella , but can be distinguished by the uncus convex on caudal margin or slightly truncated in median part of caudal margin; caudal processes of juxta similarly rounded apically, but left one much shorter; and the phallus strongly bent in basal 1/4, with more spines in spiny plate. It is also differentiated from P. crassiella by the COI barcode sequence.

Description. Male and female ( Figs. 14 A–D). Forewing length 10.5–11.5 mm.

Head: Dark purple dorsally, with erect pale orange scales laterally. Antenna, in male, strongly bipectinate, dark purple and more or less thickened in about basal 2/5, then white in distal part; in female, serrate, dark brown dorsally in about basal half, then white. Labial palpus second segment more or less flattened and thickened, sabershaped, pale orange speckled with greyish scales on outer surface, orange white on inner surface, with black scales dorsally; 3 rd segment shorter than 2 nd segment, pale orange, densely mixed with black scales on outer surface.

Thorax: Forewing dark purple, usually with a lengthy, orange-white or white patch along dorsum; patch broken into two by the median fascia ( Fig. 14B ), patch sometimes absent ( Fig. 14C ); antemedian fascia metallic brown or dark brown; postmedian fascia inconspicuous, not clearly developed; costa slightly convex in basal 1/3, then straight medially, slightly arched in apical 2/5; apex obtuse; termen nearly vertical; fringe with orange-white basal line; venation ( Fig. 14D ) differentiated from those of the preceding new species, by having M 1 stalked with R 3+4 for basal 1/6; cell about 3/5 the length of wing, weakly closed. Hind wing much broader than forewing; ground color pale brownish grey with more or less arched inner margin; cell about 3/5 the length of wing, weakly closed; apex obtuse; termen oblique; venation with Rs and M 1 stalked for basal 2/5; M 2 absent, M 3 and CuA 1 short-stalked; 1A+2A forked in basal 1/4; cell closed.

Abdomen: Orange white throughout on ventral surface with caudal tuft greyish; a pair of hair-pencils welldeveloped ( Fig. 14I ).

Male genitalia ( Figs. 14 E–H) with uncus broadened distally, with truncate median part on caudal margin. Basal plate of gnathos with median lobe longer than lateral lobes; median process relatively small, strongly curved downward beyond middle and recurved. Tegumen weakly sclerotized, with caret-shaped anterior margin. Valva elongate; costa slightly expanded in basal 1/3; cucullus elongate, upturned, with round apex, with long, hair-like scales around ventro-proximal margin. Ventral plate of juxta with short, semi-ovate, latero-caudal lobes, concave medially between lobes on caudal margin. Vinculum banded, narrow, heavily sclerotized. Phallus much shorter than valva, bent at 1/4 to 1/3 on ventral margin, with a lot of minute spinules scattered beyond middle, denser near apex; cornuti with a conical spine apically, and a bundle of spines near middle, about 1/4 the length of phallus.

Female genitalia ( Figs. 14J, K ) with abdominal sternite deeply emarginated medially. Ostium bursae slightly emarginate. Apophyses anteriores relatively short. Antrum divided into two parts, separated by slight constriction; posterior part cup-shaped, with dense spinules; anterior part slightly narrowed toward the junction with corpus bursae, with deep emargination anteriorly. Ductus bursae abruptly broadened at junction, short, about 1/4 the length of corpus bursae. Corpus bursae large, ovate; signum divided by a sclerotized transversal ridge medially; upper part hood-shaped; lower part D-shaped, roughly indented along anterior margin.

Distribution. Uganda.

Etymology. This species name is in honor of Leif Aarvik, Zoological Museum, University of Oslo, Norway, who collected the holotype.

Remarks. One male (gen. slide no. CIS-7076) paratype and one female paratype lack the orange-white patch along the inner margin of the forewing, but their COI barcode sequences are consistent with that of the holotype. It is considered to be an infraspecific variation.

Figures

FIGURE 14. Ptilothyris leifaarviki Park. A, Holotype, male, in NHMO; B, Paratype, with white patch on the wing; C, Paratype, without white patch on the wing; D, Venation, slide no. CIS-7021; E, Male genitalia, holotype, gen. slide no. CIS- 7112; F, Phallus, holotype; G, Male genitalia, paratype, gen. slide no. CIS-7018; H, Phallus (specimen same as 14G); I, Abdominal segment VIII, with hair-pencils (specimen same as 14G); J, Female genitalia, gen slide no. CIS-7017; K, Signum.