Bactrianoscythris drepanella, D’Entrèves, Pietro Passerin & Roggero, Angela, 2009

D’Entrèves, Pietro Passerin & Roggero, Angela, 2009, Eastern Palaearctic Scythrididae (Lepidoptera: Gelechioidea): description of a new genus and some new species, Zootaxa 2263, pp. 1-20 : 12-13

Bactrianoscythris drepanella sp. nov.

( Figs 8 B, 10A, 10B)

Type material. Holotype 3 ( SMNK), “O. Afghanistan, Kabulschlucht, 22 km östl. Kabul, 1650 m, 5– 12.vi.1966, H. G. Amsel leg.” [genital slide 9436 PdE].

Diagnosis. The species can be easily identified (Table 2) on the basis of the genitalic features, mainly the inwardly arched valvae, with a narrowed apex, and the very short bifid projections of S8.

Description. Wingspan 16 mm. Forewing variegated very pale grayish-brown, with irregular paler line in middle; fringe pale brown. Hindwing whitish very pale brown, glossy, fringe tawny. Head, thorax and abdomen pale brown. Legs and antennae brownish-grey.

Male genitalia. Uncus short, rectangular, anterior margin rounded. Gnathos asymmetrical, proximal part laminar, distal arm finger-like, apex rounded. Tegumen triangular. Phallus twice as long as tegumen, cylindrical, apex forked. Juxta almost as long as uncus, base narrow, apex broadened. Valvae two-thirds length of phallus, inwardly curved, apices asymmetrical, base quandrangular. Vinculum half as long as valvae, margin rounded. S8 triangular, apex bifid, with the points divergent and inwardly curved, and a deep, triangular notch at proximal margin. T8 unmodified, membranous.

Variation. At present the species is known only from the male holotype. Etymology. The species was named after the Greek word drepáne (= sickle), in reference to the shape of the valvae.

Remarks. The Kabul Gorge (or Tang-I-Gharoo) is located about 25 km from Kabul, on the road to Jalalabad and Peshawar.

Figures

FIGURE 8. A—Male of Bactrianoscythris ginevrae sp. nov. B—Male of Bactrianoscythris drepanella sp. nov.