Rhotana papuensis Zelazny, 2011

Zelazny, B. & Webb, M. D., 2011, 3071, Zootaxa 3071, pp. 1-307 : 91-92

Rhotana papuensis Zelazny , sp. nov.

( Fig. 231)

Description. Forewings 1.9 times longer than wide, length about 5.2 mm. Colour stramineous; margins of facial carinae and mesonotum light brown; a central longitudinal band on clypeus, sides of clypeus, and a faint mark in front of eyes orange-red; labium dark red; fore femora reddish, hind legs stramineous (middle legs missing in the only specimen available). Forewings glassy, but portions along Ms1 and Ms2 covered with white powder; infuscated, except for the following areas: the very base of forewings, a band from middle of first subcostal cell to middle of claval vein, triangular areas just before and just after anterior apical cross-veins, around apices of Cu1, Ms1a and Ms1b, and several small elongated marks in middle of forewings; an elongated, almost black area around the apical cross-veins between Cu, Cu1, Ms1a, Ms1b, and Ms2, veins in this mark narrowly lined with bright red colour; last subcostal sector surrounded by a small red mark; veins red, but most claval veins, apices of Sc+R, Cu1, Ms1a, Ms1b, Ms2 and 3rd subcostal sector colourless. Hindwings with faint infuscation near apical margin, part of hind margin, and around cross-veins between Sc, R, and M; most veins red. Facial carinae contiguous at their bases only; rostrum slightly surpassing hind coxae; subantennal processes and lateral carinae of pronotum well developed. Forewings with costal margin and Sc nearly straight; Sc+R fork near middle of forewings; Ms1 branched at apex of basal median cell, both branches nearly parallel; apical section of Ms1b connected to Cu1 by a cross-vein; a large triangle at base of Ms1. Pygofer of male genitalia with prominent, pointed, lateral projections. Apical part of aedeagus large, ending in two prominent pointed processes, the dorsal one curved to the right, the ventral one hook-like, directed ventrad.

Etymology. Derived from Papua, the latinized species name ( papuensis , -ensis, -ense) is an adjective.

Type material. Holotype ♂ (forewing 5.2 mm), PAPUA NEW GUINEA; labels: 1) NEW GUINEA: PAPUA / Kokoda - Pitoki / 400m. III-23-1956 2) J.L. Gressitt / Collector ( BPBM).

Distribution. New Guinea (Papua).

Diagnosis. Rhotana papuensis shows some similarities to R. pellax Fennah from Samoa and R. marmorata Zelazny from Indonesia and the Philippines. It can be distinguished from both by the absence of white dots on the forewings near the hind margin, by the prominent lateral projections of the male pygofer, and by the shape of the male aedeagus.