Nemophora mediseorsa Sun et Li, 2023

Kozlov, Mikhail V., 2023, Fairy moths of the genus Nemophora Hoffmannsegg, 1798 (Lepidoptera: Adelidae) of India and Sri Lanka, Zootaxa 5300 (1), pp. 1-81 : 18

Nemophora mediseorsa Sun et Li, 2023

( Figs. 14 , 76 , 115 , 146 )

Nemophora mediseorsa: Sun & Li 2023: 489‒493 . Holotype ♁, China, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Leye County, Huaping (approx. 24°51′ N, 106°23′ E), 3.v.2007 (Wang). Paratype: 1 ♁, same data as holotype (both in NKU) [not examined].

Other material. India. Assam. 1 ♁, Margherita (Doherty) ( NHM) .

Diagnosis. Nemophora mediseorsa is nearest to N. manipurella , from which it differs by the light glossy bronze (same as basal part) apical part of the forewing, the presence of distinct dark brown spots along the costal margin in the basal part of the forewing, very short extent of dark brown and yellow lines in the apical part of the forewing, the presence of the medial ridge on the tegumen and long (0.5 × length of valva) fused part of valvae. Nemophora mediseorsa also resembles N. stellata Hirowatari, 1995 , from which it differs by the absence of the glossy silver stripes in the basal part of the forewing and the shape of the valva, in particular by the finger-like (in the lateral view) tip of it.

Description. Male ( Fig. 14 ). FWL 4.7 mm, WLR 0.25. Vertex brownish yellow; frons covered with semitranslucent scales, colour of which varies from light brown to shining light golden, depending on illumination. PLB 0.7 × vertical eye diameter (0.8 × length of scape), coppery brown. Proboscis brown, base with coppery brown scales. Eyes not enlarged; interocular index 0.6. Antenna>3 × FWL (tip broken), uniformly bronze. Tegulae and thorax bronze, with slight coppery tint. Forewing ( Fig. 76 ) light glossy bronze; internal margin of medial yellow band straight, reaches costa at 0.5 × FWL; external margin of yellow band incomplete, and yellow band medially extends into triangular yellow field, which has thin dark brown longitudinal lines; extent of both yellow and dark brown scales is limited to 0.8 × FWL at costa and to 0.65 × FWL at dorsum. Yellow band of fascia on both sides bordered by glossy silver bands; internal silver band complete, while external silver band divided into two oblique triangular spots. Forewing base (until 0.4 × FWL) with scattered dark brown scales forming two distinct spots at costa; area between wing base and silver-grey band of fascia is ochreous-yellow proximally and ochreous-brown distally. Fringe light bronze to brownish grey. Hindwing basally light brown, apically bronze; costal area grey; fringe light brown to grey. Legs from bronze to light yellowish brown. Epiphysis at 0.5, reaching apex of tibia. Abdomen dark brown with bronze lustre.

Female unknown.

Male genitalia ( Figs. 115 , 146 ). Tegumen dome-shaped, with distinct medial ridge. Socii oval, 1.2‒1.3 × diameter of phallus. Vinculum 2.9 × length of valva, with slightly convex lateral margins; distal margin nearly straight. Tips of valvae extend far beyond tip of tegumen. Ventral margin of valva with distinct lobe reaching 0.75 × length of valva; dorsal margin shallowly S-shaped; tip of valva developed into finger-like process (see from the side). Valvae fused basally up to 0.5 × total length; their internal margins indistinct. Anellus 0.5 × length of valva. Transtilla with short pointed medial process. Juxta 0.5 × length of phallus, arrow head narrow (WLR 0.45), with pointed tip and short pointed lateral arms. Phallus 1.1 × length of vinculum, almost straight. Distal 0.3 of phallus consists of sinuate lobe developed by right wall; base of phallus narrowly funnel-shaped.

Distribution. India (Assam), China.

Comments. The specimen kept in NHM bears the following label: ‘Typ │ angusta │ W. ♁ │ Named by Wlsm.’ Nevertheless, Walsingham never published the description of this species. Left antenna of this specimen is glued to the moth’s head; this antenna differs in colour (light grey in distal part) from the right antenna (bronze). There exists a slight possibility that the investigated specimen from India belongs to another species than N. mediseorsa ; however, the observed differences (e.g. in shape of vinculum and in structure of apical part of phallus) are minor and may be interpreted as geographical or individual variation.

Figures

FIGURES 9–16. Adults of Nemophora spp. 9, N. ornamentella Kozlov, sp. nov., male, holotype, from Khasi Hills, Meghalaya, India; 10, ditto, female, paratype, from Khasi Hills, Meghalaya, India; 11, N. fluorites (Meyrick, 1907), male, from Khasi Hills, Meghalaya, India; 12, ditto, female, from Khasi Hills, Meghalaya, India; 13, N. manipurella Kozlov, sp. nov., male, holotype, from Mao, Manipur, India; 14, N. mediseorsa Sun et Li, 2023, male, from Margherita, Assam, India; 15, N. tenuitella Kozlov, sp. nov., paratype, from Khasi Hills, Meghalaya, India; 16, N. assamensis Kozlov, 1997, male, holotype, from Margherita, Assam, India. Scale: 2 mm.

FIGURES 69–92. Forewing pattern of Nemophora spp. 69, N. sporodesma (Meyrick, 1928); 70, N. phryganeella Kozlov, sp. nov.; 71, N. seraphias (Meyrick, 1907); 72, N. engraptes (Meyrick, 1907), typical form; 73, N. ornamentella Kozlov, sp. nov.; 74, N. fluorites (Meyrick, 1907); 75, N. manipurella Kozlov, sp. nov.; 76, N. mediseorsa Sun et Li, 2023; 77, N. tenuitella Kozlov, sp. nov.; 78, N. assamensis Kozlov, 1997; 79, N. augantha (Meyrick, 1907); 80, N. chionites (Meyrick, 1907); 81, N. cassiterites (Meyrick, 1907); 82, N. griseella (Walsingham, 1880); 83, N. ischnodesma (Meyrick, 1928); 84, N. asterodoxa (Meyrick, 1928); 85, N. chalcomis (Meyrick, 1907); 86, N. phoenicites (Meyrick, 1907); 87, N. atkinsonii (Moore, 1887); 88, N. gemmella (Walsingham, 1880); 89, N. neurias (Meyrick, 1922); 90, N. chrysoprasias (Meyrick, 1907); 91, N. indica (Walker, 1863); 92, N. ceylonella Kozlov, sp. nov. Scale 2 mm.

FIGURES 115–121. Male genitalia of Nemophora spp. 115, N. mediseorsa Sun et Li, 2023; 116, N. tenuitella Kozlov, sp. nov.; 117, N. augantha (Meyrick, 1907); 118, N. chalcomis (Meyrick, 1907); 119, N. phoenicites (Meyrick, 1907); 120, N. gemmella (Walsingham, 1880); 121, N. neurias (Meyrick, 1922); a: genital complex, ventral view (right valva not shown); b: genital complex, lateral view; c: juxta; d: phallus, ventral view; e: phallus, lateral view. Scale: 0.2 mm.

FIGURES 144–147. Male genitalia of Nemophora spp. 144, N. ornamentella Kozlov, sp. nov., holotype, from Khasi Hills, Meghalaya, India, gen. prep. 29998 (NHM); 145, N. manipurella Kozlov, sp. nov., holotype, from Mao, Manipur, India, gen. prep. 29991 (NHM); 146, N. mediseorsa Sun et Li, 2023, from Margherita, Assam, India, gen. prep. 29994 (NHM); 147, N. tenuitella Kozlov, sp. nov., holotype, from Darjeeling, Bengal, India, gen. prep. 31812 (NHM); a: genital complex, ventral view; b: phallus; c: apex of phallus. Scale: 0.2 mm (valid for a and b only).