Pararhigognostis, Baraniak & Agassiz, 2024

Baraniak, Edward & Agassiz, David, 2024, Pararhigognostis-a new genus for Plutella stichocentra Meyrick, 1932 (Lepidoptera, Plutellidae), with a redescription of its male and female genitalia, Zootaxa 5536 (2), pp. 248-260 : 249-252

Pararhigognostis gen. nov.

Type species: Plutella stichocentra Meyrick, 1932 , here designated.

The genus Pararhigognostis comprises only one species.

Diagnosis. Superficially, the forewing pattern of Pararhigonostis is composed of bands extending along the wing margin, similar to that of Plutella spp. and Rhigognostis spp. However, the male genitalia of Pararhigonostis are remarkably different from those of Plutella , Plutelloptera ( Baraniak 2007) , Eidophasia , and Rhigognostis ( Baraniak & Sohn 2015; Baraniak & Walczak 2015; Baraniak & Sohn 2016; Sohn & Baraniak 2016). They are characterized by a thick, straight, sclerotized aedeagus which is twice as long as the valva and a vesica that lacks cornuti. The valva is elongate and trapezoidal with a straight costa bearing a very small, hooked apex; and the ventral margin is straight with a distinct, sclerotized, sharp, tooth-like process. The saccus is long and triangular. In the female genitalia of species of Rhigognostis ( Kyrki 1989; Baraniak 2016a, b; Baraniak & Larsen 2017; Baraniak et al. 2017), the antrum is elongate, terminating in a membranous part, whereas the remaining part is strongly sclerotized, with more or less rounded margins. Only R. husmanniella has an elongate antrum, but it is broadest in the middle; other details are characteristic of the genus Rhigognostis ( Baraniak 2016a) . The bursa copulatrix of the genus Rhigognostis is with or without signum, and the ductus seminalis opens in its upper part. In Pararhigognostis the antrum is elongate ( Fig. 7B ), terminating in a membranous part, but its remaining part is broadest near the inception of ductus bursae. Other distinguishing features are summarized in Table 1 .

Description ( Fig. 3 ). Head: frons white appressed scales, vertex with white-grey erect scales; ocellus present; chaetosema present; antenna 2/3 of length of forewing; sensory setae of antenna short, sexually dimorphic absent; scape and pedicel white; flagellomeres white, with tiny greyish-yellow bands. Labial palp 3-segmented; outer surface of first segment white, with a narrow of dark brown scales in its upper part; outer surface of second and third segments covered with 3-coloured scales, at the base mostly white ones whereas upper part grey, with scattered brownishyellow scales. Inner side of first and second segments covered mostly with white scales and scattered 3-coloured scales. Tuft on second segment rather small, formed by similarly coloured scales. Third segment longest, curved, pointed apically. Maxillary palp small, inconspicuous, dark grey. Thorax: in part coloured like wing background and white-grey scales erected. Forewing lanceolate, long, wing tip gently rounded ( Fig. 4A ); pterostigma small, clearly visible but narrow; subcostal vein (Sc) reaching costal margin halfway along its length; all free radial veins, R 1 -R 4 extend to costal margin, only R 5 to termen margin (directly below the apex); medial (M 1 -M 3) and cubital (Cu 1a and Cu 1b) veins free; postcubital vein poorly visible in middle part of its course; anal veins (A 1 and A 2) free only at base of wings, then fused and conspicuous. Hindwing veins ( Fig. 4B ) Sc+R 1 reaching costal margin at 2/3 of its length; Rs immediately before apex; middle M 1 to M 3, cubital Cu 1a and Cu 1b veins free, postcubital vein conspicuous; anal veins free, A 1 vein, visible only in a small part of its course.

Abdomen: Male genitalia (prep. gen. no. YPO 19/2016) ( Figs 5–6 ) with anal tube wide, socius long, membranous ( Fig. 5C ) conspicuously wider in apical part, terminating in 4 distinct, irregularly spaced, pointed outgrowths, covered with fine, scanty spinules ( Fig. 5A ); valva irregular, rhomboid in outline, broadest at 2/3 of its length, distal part constricted, forming a gently rounded apex near costal margin ( Fig. 6A ); valva longer than wide; in middle part with a conspicuous group of long, pointed, thin thorns, apically adhering to ventral margin, with two hairy areas; costal margin of valva from its basal margin to half its length straight, broadening into a small rounded outgrowth; from outgrowth to apex, costal margin gently rounded; ventral margin straight in proximal part, distal part slightly broader, forming a strongly sclerotized appendage, clearly separated from it, with sparse, minute spinules; appendage pointed apically; very short distal part of ventral margin at half its length with a poorly distinguished, sclerotized appendage; posterior margin oblique, slightly concave at 1/3 of its length, gently rounded to its apex; basal margin of valva short, oblique; processus basalis narrow, short, straight, apex with a conspicuous pointed appendage; apodema absent; vinculum narrow, saccus as long as valva, slightly constricted, with rounded apex. Aedeagus straight, thin, long, twice as long as valva, membranous, of even width, slightly widened basally ( Fig. 5B ); vesica with minute spinules in apical part, from base to 2/3 its length markedly sclerotized, with 3 short linear groups of gently rounded spines ( Fig. 6B ); bulbus ejaculatorius membranous, large, irregular ( Fig. 6C ).

characters Plutella Plutelloptera E. messingiella -group E. syenitella — group Rhigognostis Pararhigognostis course of R1 vein in foreving reaches the costal margin within reaches the costal margin beyond pterostigma reaches the costal margin within the pterostigma (Fig. 4A) pterostigma course veins of M1 and M3 in hindving stalked M1 and M2 free (Fig. 4B) male valva shape elongate with rounded apex broad, square or trapezoid outline broad, obovate elongate, rectangular in outline elongate, gently rounded apex constricted at 2/3 of its lenght elongate, trapezoid (Fig. 6A) costal margin of valva gently curved straight slightly bent straight with a gently rounded, broad apex, constricted at 2/3 of its length straight with a very small, hooked top halfway along (Fig. 6A) posterior margin of valva distinctly elongated gently rounded rounded, at the ventral margin gently rounded distinctly elongated straight with a small recess one ventral margin of valva straight slightly convex at 2/3 of its lenght straight gently rounded straight, with a distinct, sclerotized tooth-shaped appendage immediately (Fig. 6A) posterior/ costal apex oval rounded oval rounded (Fig. 6A) posterior/ventral apex rounded raised, rounded with a group of small thorns rounded oval triangular (Fig. 6A) sacculus fololded with distinct spines absent deeply folded basally, which two complicated arms which bear stout spines long, club-shaped, margins conspicuously denticulate absent length of aedeagus as compare to valve shorter slightly longer shorter twice as long shape of aedeagus straight curved straight (Fig. 5B) base of aedeagus broadened with a pair broadened slightly dilated expanded on one side unilaterally extended slightly, dilated (Fig. 6C) of lateral hooks apex of aedeagus needle shaped narrowed slightly wider gently tapering sharpened one-sided sharpened (Fig. 6B) aedeagus sclerotized weakly membranous sclerotized weakly sclerotized sclerotized (Fig. 5B) sclerotized

with a clear concentration of third of the way through (Fig. 6A) raised thorns

Female genitalia (prep. gen. no. YPO 20/2016) ( Fig. 7A ), with labii long, triangular, covered with very small, scanty, hair-like bristles; apophyses posteriores very thin, longer than anteriores; apophyses anteriores markedly wider; antrum narrow and elongate, with gently rounded margins, broadening terminally ( Fig. 7B ); ductus bursae short, membranous, narrow anterior of antrum, slightly broader and terminally constricted, to inception of ductus seminalis short section of ductus ( Fig. 7A ), to inception of bursa copulatrix, slightly dilated; bursa copulatrix small, oval, membranous, with very small sclerites with small teeth on walls of bursa; signum absent; ductus seminalis narrow, membranous.

Etymology. The name of the new genus is derived from Rhigognostis , proposed by Staudinger (1857), with the addition of the prefix “para.”

Distribution. The newly described genus is represented by one species presently known from several localities in Africa.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Pararhigognostis stichocentra adult male: labial palpus, Kenya, Rift Valley, Turi, 06.VII.1999, 8000 ft., D.J.L. Agassiz leg.

FIGURE 4. Pararhigognostis stichocentra, wing venations: A, forewing, B, hindwing.

FIGURE 5. Pararhigognostis stichocentra male genitalia, gen. slide YPO 19/2016: A, general view, B, aedeagus, C, socii.

FIGURE 6. Pararhigognostis stichocentra male genitalia, gen. slide YPO 19/2016: A, separated valva, B, tip of aedeagus, C, aedeagus base with ductus ejaculatorius.

FIGURE 7. Pararhigognostis stichocentra female genitalia, gen. slide: YPO 20/2016: A, general view, B, antrum.