Promalactis subclavata, Du & Wang & Li, 2013

Du, Z. H., Wang, S. X. & Li, H. H., 2013, A review of the genus Promalactis Meyrick, 1908 (Lepidoptera: Oecophoridae) from Taiwan, China, Journal of Natural History 48 (1 - 2), pp. 87-108 : 103-105

Promalactis subclavata sp. nov.

( Figures 1G , 3C )

Diagnosis

Promalactis subclavata is close to P. clavata Du, Li and Wang, 2011 by having similar forewing patterns and male genitalia. It can be separated from the latter by the gnathos nearly trapezoidal, the valva produced to a digitate dorsoapical process and lacking a ventroapical process, and the juxta with asymmetrical lateral lobes in the male genitalia. In P. clavata , the gnathos is conical, the valva has a spine-like dorsoapical process and a digitate ventroapical process, and the lateral lobes of the juxta are symmetrical.

Description

Adult ( Figure 1G ). Wingspan 9.0−11.0 mm. Head with vertex shining white, frons shining grey except brown laterally, occiput ochreous brown. Labial palpus with basal and second segments pale yellow on inner surface, dark yellow mixed with black scales on outer surface; third segment with basal two-thirds white, distal third black, slightly longer than second segment. Antenna with scape white; flagellum with basal three flagellomeres white, remaining flagellomeres alternately black and white on dorsal surface, dark brown on ventral surface. Thorax and tegula ochreous yellow. Forewing yellowish brown; a white fascia from costal quarter extending obliquely to about dorsal three-quarters, edged with black scales on outer margin, broader anteriorly, narrowed posteriorly; costal margin with a large white oval patch at about three-quarters, extending down across lower angle of cell, surrounded by dense black scales except on anterior margin; greyish black streak from end of fold to tornus; cilia brown along distal part of costal margin, white mixed with black scales at apex, yellowish grey mixed with black scales along termen. Hindwing and cilia grey. Foreleg black, tarsus with two white spots on dorsal surface; midleg with tibia and tarsus black on dorsal surface, tibia greyish white on ventral surface, with a tuft of long white scales at apex on dorsal surface, tarsus yellow on ventral surface, with three white spots on dorsal surface; hindleg yellow on ventral surface, grey on dorsal surface, tarsus with five white spots on dorsal surface.

Male genitalia ( Figure 3C ). Uncus broad at base, gradually narrowed to three-fifths, then abruptly narrowed to three-quarters, distal quarter very slender, rounded at apex. Gnathos nearly trapezoidal, broad basally, narrowed distally, straight apically; lateral arms band-shaped, about two-thirds the length of gnathos. Tegumen branched from middle, triangularly narrowed to pointed apex. Valva narrow, apex produced to a digitate dorsoapical process; ventral margin broadly concave distally; costa short, concave along basal half, distally serrate. Sacculus long, about twice length of costa, narrowed distally. Saccus narrow, expanded subapically, about three-quarters length of sacculus. Juxta slender, slightly expanded and rounded at base; lateral lobes asymmetrical: right lobe very thin, linear, about half length of left one; left lobe relatively strong and very long, acute at apex, reaching near middle of uncus. Aedeagus thin, straight, slightly shorter than total length of genital capsule, broadened basally; cornutus spine-like, shorter than one-tenth length of aedeagus.

Female. Unknown.

Type

Holotype, Male , Hueisun Exp. Forest (24 ◦ 05 ′ N, 121 ◦ 02 ′ E), Nantou County, Taiwan, China, 1100 m, 22−24 April 1999, leg. Mey and Ebert, genitalia slide No. MNHU- NK056 ( MNHU).

Paratypes. Two males, same data as holotype ( MNHU); one male, Mt. Wuzhi Reserves, Hainan Province, China, 740 m, 14 April 2009, leg. Qing Jin and Bingbing Hu; one male, Mt. Yingge, Hainan Province, 620 m, 6 May 2010, leg. Bingbing Hu and Jing Zhang, genitalia slide No. DZH09005 male, DZH10127 male .

Distribution

China (Taiwan).

Etymology

This specific name is derived from the Latin prefix sub-, meaning near, and another species name clavata , referring to the similarity of the two species.

Figures

Figure 1. Adults of Promalactis spp. (A) P. albilateralis sp. nov., holotype; (B) P. apicicircularis sp. nov., paratype; (C) P. brevisaccata sp. nov., paratype; (D) P. dilatata sp. nov., holotype; (E) P. flavicapitata sp. nov., holotype; (F) P. latiloba sp. nov., paratype; (G) P. subclavata sp. nov., holotype; (H) P. peculiaris Wang and Li (A, D, E, G. male; B, C, F. female).

Figure 3. Male genitalia of Promalactis spp. (A) P. flavicapitata sp. nov., holotype, slide No. MNHU-NK072; (B) P. latiloba sp. nov., holotype, slide No. MNHU-NK068; (C) P. subclavata sp. nov., holotype, slide No. MNHU-NK056; (D) P. peculiaris Wang and Li, slide No. MNHU-NK027.