Alara linigera Zelazny, 2011

Zelazny, B. & Webb, M. D., 2011, 3071, Zootaxa 3071, pp. 1-307 : 26-27

Alara linigera Zelazny , sp. nov.

( Fig. 141)

Description. Forewings 2.3 times longer than wide, length 3.1–3.7 mm. Colour white to stramineous; a red mark above eyes; tips of tibiae grey; abdomen stramineous. Forewings white, heavily powdered; a very faintly infuscated broad band across forewing just distad of middle; veins white to stramineous, costa orange. Hindwings white. Rostrum reaching end of abdomen; antennae elongated. Forewings with Sc+R fork in basal third; Ms1 branched well before its middle, bases of Ms1 and Cu1 connected by a cross-vein. Male genitalia with pygofer narrow. Genital styles broad, rounded, proximal dorsal process pointed, tip sclerotized, base of distal dorsal process swollen, but well separated from proximal process. Aedeagus short, a broad pointed, dorsal process near middle, its tip directed forward; apex short and rounded, slightly swollen with an irregular membranous lobe.

Etymology. The species name is a Latin adjective (liniger, -ra, -rum = wearing linen).

Type material. Holotype ♂ (forewing 3.1 mm, body 1.7 mm), PAPUA NEW GUINEA; labels: 1) NEW GUINEA (NE)/ Bubia, Markham / V . 50m. / Sept. 19, 1955 2) J.L. Gressitt / Collector ( BPBM) . Paratype. Tifamin , 1400m, 20.VIII.1963, 1 ♂ (fw. 3.7), R . Straatman ( BPBM) .

Distribution. New Guinea (Papua).

Diagnosis. Alara linigera is similar in structure and coloration to A. hyalina (Melichar) from the Philippines. It can be distinguished from that species by the tibia tips being lighter, the forewings lacking an orange or red mark around the first subcostal sector, and the male aedeagus having only one dorsal process near its middle, and only one apical lobe.