Epicephala lanceolaria Li, Wang & Hu

Zhang, Jing, Hu, Bingbing, Wang, Shuxia & Li, Houhun, 2012, Six new species of Epicephala Meyrick, 1880 (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) associated with Phyllanthaceae plants, Zootaxa 3275, pp. 43-54 : 44

Epicephala lanceolaria Li, Wang & Hu , sp. nov.

( Figs. 1 , 7 , 13, 19)

Type material. CHINA: Guangdong Province: Holotype 3, Southern China Botanical Garden (23°08ʹN, 113°14ʹE), Guangzhou, 25.iv.2007, leg. Houhun Li et al. Paratypes: 58 3, 57 ƤƤ, same data as holotype; Hainan Province: 1 Ƥ, 100 m, 16.iv.2008, 1 Ƥ, Mt. Diaoluo, 250 m, 2008. IV.22, leg. Bingbing Hu & Haiyan Bai (by light trap); 1 3, Mt. Bawang (19°04ʹN, 109°02ʹE), 1000 m, 4.iv.2008, leg. Bingbing Hu & Haiyan Bai (by light trap); 32 3, 76 ƤƤ, Mt. Wuzhi (18°31ʹE, 109°24ʹE), 700 m, 15–21.iv.2009, leg. Bingbing Hu; 1 3, 7 ƤƤ, Xinglong Tropical Garden (18°41ʹN, 110°13ʹE), 25.iii.2010, leg. Bingbing Hu; 1 3, 3 ƤƤ, 19–25.xi.2009, 19 3, 31 ƤƤ, 16–19.viii.2010, leg. Bingbing Hu and 8 3, 9 ƤƤ, 30.iii–16.iv.2011, leg. Jing Zhang, Yingge Mountain Nature Reserves (19°01ʹN, 109°33ʹE), 620 m. Hong Kong: 5 3, 10 ƤƤ, Tai Po Kau Headland (22°44ʹN, 114°19ʹE), 50–60 m, 20.iv.2007, leg. Houhun Li et al. (by light trap); 7 3, 3 ƤƤ, Kadoorie Agricultural Research Centre (22°43ʹN, 114°11ʹE), 210 m, 9–21.iv.2007, leg. Houhun Li et al. (by light trap); 1 3, Tai Mo Shan (22°41ʹN, 114°31ʹE), 700 m, 13.iv.2007, leg. Houhun Li et al. (by light trap); 1 3, Tai Mong Tsai, Sai Kung, (22°22'N, 114°16'E), 140 m, 15.iv.2007, leg. Houhun Li et al. (by light trap).

Description. Adult ( Fig. 1 ). Forewing expanse 7.5−12.5 mm. Head creamy white. Labial palpus white, second segment dark brown on outer surface, third segment grayish brown at base. Antenna yellowish brown, with brown rings dorsally. Thorax and tegula deep grayish brown basally, creamy white or pale yellowish white distally. Forewing grayish brown to deep brown; with three pairs of white or creamy white striae from both costal and dorsal 2/5, 2/3 and 4/5 extending obliquely outward to middle and end of cell as well as outside of cell, second dorsal stria longest and strongest, sometimes extending to end of third pair; indistinct white spot or streak at dorsal 1/5, varied among individuals; a narrow silvery-white fascia with metallic reflection from costal 6/7 to dorsum, gently arched outward; distal 1/7 yellowish brown, with a central black dot, with a smaller or indistinct white dot at costa and a larger white spot or short streak along dorsum; cilia white from distal part of costal margin along termen to tornus except black at base and apex, gray along dorsal margin. Hindwing grayish brown; cilia concolorous.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 7 ). Tegumen broad triangular, narrowly rounded on caudal margin. Tuba analis elongate triangular, apically exceeding caudal margin of tegumen. Valva broad, sub-rectangular, as long as tegumen. Costa slightly narrowed medially, distal half broadened and with a row of short spines near ventral margin; apex bluntly rounded, with a short ventral process. Transtilla broad at base, acute distally, strongly curved ventrally. Sacculus broad, 2.5 times as wide as costa medially, gently arched dorsally, straight ventrally, slightly narrowed distally, dentate ventroapically, rounded at apex. Vinculum broad V-shaped, blunt posteriorly; saccus short triangular or papillate. Juxta free, V-shaped, with lateral lobes acute at apex. Phallus straight, as long as valva, slightly thinned to narrowly rounded apex, with minute spines medially; cornutus absent.

Female genitalia (Figs. 13, 19). Ovipositor triangular, dentate laterally, acute apically. Apophysis posterioris very stout, thicker and longer than apophysis anterioris. Eighth sternite with a trapezoidal notch at middle on anterior margin. Lamella postvaginalis nearly square, W-shaped on caudal margin, median process largest. Ostium bursae U-shaped, weak and slender anteriorly. Antrum thinner, about half length of ductus bursae; ductus bursae membranous, slightly curved; ductus seminalis from base, thinner than ductus bursae. Corpus bursae small oval, granulouse, not distinctively separated from ductus bursae; without conspicuous signum.

Diagnosis. This species is similar to E. albifrons , but distinguishable by the forewing with three white striae on the dorsal margin; the broad valva closely combined with the sacculus, the sacculus dentate ventroapically, and the short triangular or papillate saccus in the male genitalia; the triangular ovipositor dentate laterally and the elongate lamella postvaginalis with W-shaped caudal margin in the female genitalia. In E. albifrons , the dorsal margin of the forewing is white; the sacculus is distinctly separated from the valva, and the saccus is slender; the ovipositor is not very stout and the short lamella postvaginalis has a Y-shaped caudal margin.

Host plant. Phyllanthaceae : Glochidion lanceolarium (Roxburgh) .

Distribution. China (Guangdong, Hainan, Hong Kong).

Etymology. The species is named after its host plant, Glochidion lanceolarium .

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 6. Adults of Epicephala spp. 1, E. lanceolaria sp. nov., paratype 3; 2, E. lativalvaris sp. nov., paratype 3; 3, E. mirivalvata sp. nov., paratype Ƥ; 4, E. vitisidaea sp. nov., paratype Ƥ; 5, E. bipollenella sp. nov., paratype Ƥ; 6, E. eriocarpa sp. nov., paratype Ƥ.

FIGURES 7 – 12. Male genitalia of Epicephala spp. 7, E. lanceolaria sp. nov., paratype, slide No. BHY 08332; 8, E. lativalvaris sp. nov., paratype, slide No. ZJ 10007; 9, E. mirivalvata sp. nov., paratype, slide No. ZJ 10080; 10, E. vitisidaea sp. nov., paratype, slide No. ZJ 10041; 11, E. bipollenella sp. nov., paratype, slide No. ZJ 10056; 12, E. eriocarpa sp. nov., paratype, slide No. ZJ 11038.