Thiotricha spinesigna, Lee & Li, 2024

Lee, Ga-Eun & Li, Houhun, 2024, A taxonomic review of Thiotricha Meyrick, 1886 (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae, Thiotrichinae) from China, with descriptions of 84 new species, Zootaxa 5449 (1), pp. 1-222 : 43-46

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.5449.1.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:CAC513A2-D2B4-4E6E-BAB6-CCE6E054680F
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03CC3667-9811-1D52-FF05-8C28DCB8E636
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Thiotricha spinesigna
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Thiotricha spinesigna sp. nov.

( Figs 9A View FIGURE 9 , 24D View FIGURE 24 , 32F View FIGURE 32 , 50B View FIGURE 50 )

Type material. Holotype ♂, CHINA, Sichuan Province, Xiaojin County, Mt. Siguniang (30.98°N, 102.83°E), 3243 m, 6.vii.2016, leg. Kaijian Teng and Xiaofei Yang, genitalia slide no. LGE17236 GoogleMaps . Paratypes. CHINA: Gansu Province: 1 ♀, Bifenggou (32.97°N, 104.68°E), 860 m GoogleMaps , Wen County, 12.vii.2005, leg. Haili Yu, genitalia slide no. LGE18437 ; Guizhou Province: 1 ♀, Huixiangping (27.90°N, 108.71°E), 1700 m GoogleMaps , Jiankou County, 29.vii.2001, leg. Houhun Li and Xinpu Wang ; 5 ♂♂, 1 ♀, Jinding (27.95°N, 108.62°E), 2100 m, Mt. Fanjing , 30, 31.vii.2001, leg. Houhun Li and Xinpu Wang, genitalia slide nos. ZJL05012m, LGE 18480m ; 6 ♂♂, 6 ♀♀, Huguosi (27.95°N, 108.62°E), 1300 m, Mt. Fanjing , 2−4.viii.2001, leg. Houhun Li and Xinpu Wang, genitalia slide nos. ZJL05011f, ZJL05209m, LGE18441f ; Sichuan Province: 1 ♀, Labahe, 1300 m , Tianquan County, 29.vii.2004, leg. Yingdang Ren, genitalia slide no. ZJL05161 ; Yunnan Province: 1 ♀, Mt. Weibao (25.18°N, 100.34°E), 2200 m GoogleMaps , Weishan County, 20.vii.2001, leg. Houhun Li and Xinpu Wang, genitalia slide no. LGE18479 ; Zhejiang Province: 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Mt. Fengyang , 1470 m , Longquan, Lishui City , 27, 30.vii.2007, leg. Qing Jin, genitalia slide nos. LGE 18138m ,

LGE18440f; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Wangdongyang Wetlands Reserves (27.41°N, 119.38°E), 1174 m, Jingning County, 17, 18.viii.2018, leg. Shuai Yu, Mengran Xing and Chen Liu, genitalia slide no. LGE 19060m .

Diagnosis. In superficial appearance, T. spinesigna very closely resembles T. angusteproducta , and it is difficult to separate them based on the external characters. The forewing patterns can vary in both species, but the oblique streak extended from dorsum often reaches costal band in T. spinesigna whereas it is usually interrupted before reaching costal band in the latter species. Thiotricha spinesigna also resembles T. cornuata , but the latter has a costal band much broadly interrupted by a costal streak and yellower thorax compared to the former.

The male genitalia of T. spinesigna are similar to those of T. cornuata , but can be distinguished from the latter by the broader valva with apex slightly constricted. Also, the anellus lobe of T. spinesigna is somewhat smaller than the latter, although it is very reduced and more or less indistinctive. The female genitalia of T. spinesigna are very similar to those of T. truncata , but the corpus bursae of T. spinesigna is larger and the signum is situated at middle whereas signum is placed at posterior 1/4 of corpus bursae in the latter species.

Description. Adult ( Fig. 9A View FIGURE 9 ). Wingspan 7.0−9.0 mm. Head light yellow to golden ochre. Labial palpus light yellow to golden ochre; segment II sometimes suffused with black on ventral surface apically; segment III as long as II, black on ventral surface. Antenna with scape light yellow, fuscous on posterior margin; flagellum dark fuscous to black except basal 1/3 or 1/4 of dorsal surface yellow, male cilia shorter than diameter. Thorax dark fuscous except lateral margins light yellow to golden ochre. Tegula light yellow to golden ochre, fuscous along anterior margin, sometimes anterior 1/2 fuscous. Forewing ground color light yellow to golden ochre, tinged with dark fuscous apically; apical spot sometimes slightly tinged with white inwardly; markings fuscous to black: a broad band from base to near apex along costa, interrupted by two yellowish costal streaks at middle and at distal 1/4 of wing, respectively; first costal streak obliquely running to distal 1/3 within costal band; second costal streak mixed with white, obliquely running toward apical spot, nearly reaching posterior end of costal band; a broad band on dorsum from base to basal 2/3, attenuated beyond middle; a narrow, outwardly oblique streak arising from former band, extended from distal 1/2 to 1/3 or 1/4 across wing, reaching costal band distally; an inwardly directed, Vshaped marking in distal 1/3 above fold, anteriorly reaching apical spot and posteriorly reaching near tornus; a short tornal streak bordered inwardly by a white streak, anteriorly reaching former V-shaped marking; fringe on costa, termen and dorsum dark fuscous, mixed with white at apex medially, mixed with brown on termen. Hindwing dark fuscous; fringe dark fuscous except apical area white with a terminal black band. Legs cream to light yellow; fore coxa strongly mixed with dark fuscous; fore femur, tibia and tarsus black on outer surface; mid tibia black at base, with an oblique black streak beyond middle on outer surface; mid tarsus with each tarsomere black on basal half of outer surface; hind tibia with a broad, oblique black streak before apex on outer surface; hind tarsus black except apex of each tarsomeres.

Male sternum VIII ( Fig. 24D View FIGURE 24 ). Approximately 1/6 length of abdomen, posterior 1/3 melanized, lateral margins slightly concave; posterior apex deeply concave one-sided, leaving a narrow tine on the right side, triangular on the left side.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 32F View FIGURE 32 ). Uncus oval, distal margin setose in 1/2. Gnathos hook long, simple. Tegumen approximately 4 times as long as uncus. Valva asymmetrical, basal 1/2 wrinkled and curved inward, apex slightly constricted and rounded; left valva broad in basal 1/2, then slightly narrowed distally; right valva narrower than left one in basal 1/2, gradually broadening from base to middle, then uniformly elongate to before apex. Anellus lobe very small, ovate, with long setae along lateral margin; apical bristle weak, longer than anellus lobe. Juxta with asymmetrical, subtriangular projections at base of inner margin, left one slightly longer and acute apically. Vinculum with a short projection at middle of posterior margin. Saccus broad, subtriangular, blunt at apex, slightly exceeding tegumen pedunculus.Aedeagus with basal 1/3 dilated, then gradually narrowing toward blunt apex, distal 1/4 strongly curved upward.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 50B View FIGURE 50 ). Papillae anales moderately sclerotized. Apophyses anteriores 3/4 length of apophyses posteriores. Tergum VIII weakly sclerotized medially. Sternum VIII longer than tergum VIII, concave on posterior margin; a widely oblong sclerotization above ostium bursae; anterior 1/3 weakly sclerotized except anterior margin. Ostium bursae broad, opening at middle of sternum VIII. Ductus bursae very slender, broadened at base; a short, teardrop-shaped sclerite near base; ductus seminalis arising from posterior 1/5. Corpus bursae ovate, approximately 1/3 length of ductus bursae; signum situated at middle, basal plate small and round, with a slender thorn-like process; appendix bursae clavate, opening at anterior 1/3 or 1/2 of corpus bursae, as long or slightly shorter than corpus bursae.

Distribution. China (Gansu, Guizhou, Sichuan, Yunnan, Zhejiang).

Etymology. The species name is derived from Latin, spineus (spinous) and signum, referring to the thorn-like signum.

Remarks. This species is Thiotricha sp. 4 in Lee et al. (2021) for the phylogenetic study of Thiotrichinae , and the genetic sequences are available from GenBank.