Promalactis inaequilonga 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 : 10-11

Promalactis inaequilonga Wang , sp. nov.

( Figs 9 , 42 )

Type material. Southern African: Holotype ♂, Angola (A11) Bruco , 26.II.–2.III.1972, slide No. NHMUK010317180 .

Diagnosis. The new species is similar to P. helminthias ( Meyrick, 1918) in the forewing pattern. It can be distinguished from the latter by the second white line of the forewing widely arched in a broad V-shape and lacking white dots along the upper part of termen. In P. helminthias , the second white line of the forewing is arched in a narrow U-shape, and the termen has white dots along its upper part.

Description. Adult ( Fig. 9 ). Forewing length 4.5 mm.

Head. Vertex and frons snowy white, occiput yellowish brown. Labial palpus pale yellow, second segment white basally on inner surface. Antenna black, flagellum ringed with white on dorsal surface except basal two flagellomeres white.

Thorax. Mesonotum and tegula yellowish brown. Forewing yellowish brown; markings white edged with sparse black scales: costal spot sub-ovate; basal line straight, from base of fold extending obliquely outward to dorsum; arched white line from near base above fold extending obliquely out-downward to basal 2/3 of dorsum, then arched along dorsum to end of fold, extending from fold apicodorsally to meet costal spot, forming a broad V-shaped pattern; fringe pale yellowish brown. Hindwing and fringe grey. Fore- and midlegs black, except femora pale yellow on dorsal side; hindleg light yellow.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 42 ). Uncus parallel sided from base to basal 2/5, gradually narrowed to basal 3/4, distal 1/4 sharply narrowed to pointed apex. Gnathos shorter than uncus; mesial plate elongate rectangular. Tegumen with a broad triangular anterior emargination; lateral arm narrowed anteriorly. Valva sub-rectangular, length 3 times width, obtusely broad at apex, with a ridge from below base of costa obliquely downward to ventral margin of sacculus before apex; costa concave near base; sacculus uniformly wide from base to before middle, then uniformly narrow to before pointed apex. Saccus shorter than uncus, sub-triangular. Juxta with lateral arm reaching base of uncus, pointed at apex, rounded anteriorly. Phallus as long as valva, tubular; cornutus small, 1/10 length of phallus.

Female unknown.

Distribution. South African.

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the Latin inaequilongus, referring to the unequal length of the two white lines of the forewing.

Figures

FIGURES 9–16. Adults of Promalactis spp. 9. P. inaequilonga sp. nov.; 10. P. pallidistriata sp. nov.; 11. P. auriculata sp. nov.; 12. P. furciuncata sp. nov.; 13. P. gracilenta sp. nov.; 14. P. lativalva sp. nov.; 15. P. longiclavata sp. nov.; 16. P. parvispinata sp. nov. All males and holotypes. Scale bar = 1.0 mm.

FIGURES 40–45. Male genitalia of Promalactis spp. 40. P. arcilineata sp. nov.; 41. P. curvilineata sp. nov.; 42. P. inaequilonga sp. nov.; 43. P. pallidistriata sp. nov.; 44. P. auriculata sp. nov.; 45. P. furciuncata sp. nov. All holotypes. Scale bar: 40–44 = 0.2 mm; 45 = 0.25 mm.