Halista Park, 2020

Park, Kyu-Tek & Kim, Sora, 2020, Two new genera, Halista Park, gen. nov. and Mireana Park, gen. nov. and six new species of the family Lecithoceridae (Lepidoptera) from the Philippines, Zootaxa 4803 (2), pp. 316-328 : 317

Halista Park , gen. nov.

Type species: Halista batillosa Park & Kim , sp. nov. Type locality: Palawan, Philippines .

Diagnosis. The genus Halista Park & Kim is superficially similar to Frisilia Walker, 1864 , with atypical labial palpus. However, it is defined by the uniquely specialized 2 nd segment of the labial palpus which is shovel-shaped, broadened, concaved on inner surface, with a minute spine-like 3 rd segment, whereas in the latter, it is long, strongly angled, covered with rough scales in male. The other diagnostic morphological characters differentiating the new genus from all other genera of Lecithoceridae are the following: the front leg with long hair-like scales above; the hindwing venation with very unusual M 2 extending from near base of R-vein to termen; the male genitalia lacking caudal process in juxta; the abdomen with a long hair-pencil arising from segment V.

The new genus belongs to the subfamily Lecithocerinae .

Etymology. The generic name is derived from the Greek, hali (= sea) with a Greek superlative ending - ista, referring to the type locality on the Pacific Ocean.