Promalactis polyptycha Wang, 2024

Wang, Shuxia, Liu, Chen & David, Lees, 2024, Partial revision of Promalactis Meyrick (Lepidoptera: Oecophoridae), based on specimens deposited in the Natural History Museum, London, Zootaxa 5536 (1), pp. 1-58 : 27-28

Promalactis polyptycha Wang , sp. nov.

( Figs 27 , 60 )

Type material. Thailand: Holotype ♂, Plateau 500 m N of HQ, Phu Khieo WS , Chaiyaphum, 900 m, 5–10.XI.1991, leg. I.J. Kitching & A.M. Cotton, slide No. NHMUK010317019 .

Paratype. 1♂, same data as holotype .

Diagnosis. The new species can be distinguished from other known species of the group by the valva produced into a bird head-shaped process distally and the phallus with many pleats distally. It is similar to P. apicuncata Wang, 2018 , but can be distinguished by the gnathos with a sub-digitate mesial plate, the costa concave beyond the middle, and the juxta without distinct lateral lobes. In P. apicuncata , the gnathos has a sub-trapezoidal mesial plate, the costa is concave before middle, and the juxta has elongate slender lateral lobes.

Description. Adult ( Fig. 27 ). Forewing length 4.0– 4.5 mm.

Head. Vertex snowy white; frons brown; occiput ochreous brown, with tufted yellow scales laterally. Labial palpus with second segment rust brown on outer surface, orange yellow on inner surface; third segment black except white apically. Antennal scape white dorsally, greyish white ventrally; flagellum dark brown, alternating with white dorsally.

Thorax. Mesonotum and tegula ochreous brown. Forewing orange yellow; markings white edged with black scales: costal spot triangular, from distal 1/3 oblique outward to above posterior angle of cell, sinuate laterally; basal streak from dorsum to above base of fold; antemedian streak from middle of dorsum to basal 2/5 of anterior margin of cell, slightly curved outward, subparallel with basal streak; dorsal streak finely slender, from before end of fold oblique outward and reaching inner margin of tornal spot; tornal spot large, ovate, reaching below posterior angle of cell; apical spot ovate; termen with two small spots below costal spot, interrupted by black scales; fringe yellow. Hindwing and fringe grey. Foreleg black except femur greyish white dorsally, tibia with white spot at base and middle, with a tuft of white scales at apex, tarsus white at apices of basal two tarsomeres; midleg brown ventrally, black dorsally, tibia with a white spot at base, with a tuft of white scales at apex, tarsus white at apices of basal two and apical tarsomeres; hindleg yellowish brown ventrally, black dorsally, tarsus white at apices of basal four tarsomeres and on entire apical tarsomere.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 60 ). Uncus wide at base, narrowed to distal 1/3, thereafter uniformly slender to apex, heavily sclerotized distally and laterally. Gnathos longer than uncus; mesial plate short, sub-digitate, rounded apically; basal arm widely band-like, longer than mesial plate. Tegumen furcate from near posterior margin; lateral arm triangular, narrowed to anterior end. Valva with basal 2/3 parallel sided, distal 1/3 slightly narrower, produced into a broad bird head-shaped process acute at apex and finely serrate on dorsal margin; costa concave beyond middle; sacculus slightly concave beyond middle dorsally, distal 2/5 setose, produced into a free process narrowed to pointed apex and curved dorsad. Saccus small, triangular, narrowed to rounded apex, shorter than uncus. Juxta shorter than uncus, U-shaped, produced anteriorly. Phallus as long as valva, with dense longitudinal pleats distally; cornutus spine-shaped, with tiny spines around its base.

Female unknown.

Distribution. Thailand.

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the Latin polyptychus, referring to the pleats of the phallus.

Figures

FIGURES 24–29. Adults of Promalactis spp. 24. P. magnisaccata sp. nov.; 25. P. minuticornuta sp. nov.; 26. P. parvissima sp. nov. (female and paratype); 27. P. polyptycha sp. nov.; 28. P. indica sp. nov.; 29. P. similidierli sp. nov. 24–25, 27–29: Males and holotypes; 26: Male and paratype. Scale bar = 1.0 mm.

FIGURES 58–63. Male genitalia of Promalactis spp. 58. P. minuticornuta sp. nov.; 59. P. parvissima sp. nov.; 60. P. polyptycha sp. nov.; 61. P. indica sp. nov.; 62. P. similidierli sp. nov.; 63. P. spinellosa sp. nov. All holotypes. Scale bar: 58, 60, 62–63 = 0.2 mm; 59, 61 = 0.25 mm.