Sitotroga pseudopsacasta, Ponomarenko, Margarita & Park, Kyu-Tek, 2007

Ponomarenko, Margarita & Park, Kyu-Tek, 2007, Two new species and a new record of Gelechiidae (Lepidoptera) from Korea, Zootaxa 1437, pp. 55-60 : 57-59

Sitotroga pseudopsacasta , sp. n.

(Fig. 2)

Sitotroga Heinemann, 1870 was placed in Pexicopiini on the basis of a synapomorphy of the male genitalia: the abductors of the valvae (m2) are attached to the junction of the valva and tegumen. In addition, the male genitalia of Sitotroga have tergosternal muscles m22 and possess valva that are fused with the tegumen dorsobasally as in other genera of Pexicopiini ( Ponomarenko, 1992, 2005).

Sitotroga Heinemann, 1870 includes five species which can be divided into two species groups that differ mainly in the shape of the valva. Species belonging to the cerealella -group have a rounded valva with a strongly sclerotized hook at the apex. This group includes S. horogramma ( Meyrick, 1921) , which is known from Fiji and Samoa Islands, and the cosmopolitan S. cerealella (Olivier) . The latter is an important pest of Poaceae but also has been recorded on peas and beans ( Zimmerman, 1978).

In the psacasta -group the valva is divided into a cucullus and a sacculus, lacks a hook, and has a distinct separated lobe on the ventral margin of cucullus bearing a bunch of the spines. The psacasta -group includes at least three species together with the one described in this paper. Sitotroga psacasta (Meyrick) (= nea Walsingham, 1920) was described from Merwe (near Pretoria), and as Meyrick presumed ( Meyrick, 1929), it probably was introduced into the Mediterranean region from South Africa with some kind of grain. The moth from Solomon Islands identified and illustrated as S. psacasta by J. D. Bradley (Bradley, 1961) has asymmetric male genitalia with an undivided uncus, longer apophyses, and a different shaped signa in the female genitalia. It apparently belongs to an undescribed species.

Diagnosis. Sitotroga pseudopsacasta is most similar to Sitotroga psacasta ( Meyrick, 1908) from South Africa. The new species can be distinguished from the latter by the shape of the uncus with two hornlike processes, the wide flat lobe on the ventral margin of the cucullus, and the aedeagus with a heavily sclerotized thickened apex.

Description. Wingspan 11 mm. Head, frons, proboscis whitish. Antenna with fuscous scape and basal segments and pale flagellum. Second segment of labial palpus fuscous from base to 2/3 of length, whitish on inner surface, distal 1/3 of second segment and all third segment whitish. Thorax whitish, tegula same colour, but with fuscous anterior margin. Ground colour of forewing whitish with yellowish-brown scales scattered along dorsal half of wing and termen; two distinct dark brown round spots: one above anal fold at near 1/3 of wing length and the other at end of cell; a small brown patch on the costa before apex. Under surface of forewing with fuscous costal margin and subcostal area from base to about 2/3 length. Fringe whitish. Hindwing whitish with pale fringe along costal margin, whitish along dorsal margin and termen. Fore- and midlegs greyish-brown; hindlegs whitish.

FIGURES. 4–10. 4–6, Teleiopsis motleella , sp. n.: 4, Male genitalia, general view, a - glandiductor; 5, Eighth tergite; 6, Eighth sternite. 7–8, Sitotroga pseudopsacasta , sp. n.: 7, Male genitalia, general view; 8, Aedeagus, lateral view. 9–10, Scrobipalpa spumata (Povolný) : 9, Male genitalia, ventral view; 10, Aedeagus, lateral view.

Male genitalia (Figs. 7, 8). Uncus broad, gutterlike, elongate longitudinally, with two small, horn-like projections on posterior margin. Tegumen broad, dilated in anterior lateral parts. Gnathos heavily sclerotized, curved near base, then gently arched, with truncate pointed apex. Valva wide, oval, distal part divided into two lobes: cucullus setose, wide, with round apex, bearing flat round lobe on ventral margin with strong long spines; sacculus narrowed towards pointed apex. Inner surface of valva with small finger-like membranous setose lobe dorso-anteriorly and with setose, slightly inflated zone ventro-anteriorly. Aedeagus stout, moderately expanded basally, with heavily sclerotized, thickened apex. Vinculum narrow and arcuate. Female. Unknown.

Material examined. Holotype: ɗ, Korea, Mt. Juwang-san, Gyungbug Prov., 18.VIII.1993 (K. T. Park & B. K. Byun); genit. prep. CIS-5127, euparal, M. Ponomarenko.

Distribution. Korea.

Etymology. The specific name originates from the Greek word root “pseud-”, meaning false, and the name of a related species psacasta .