Tawaya armeniaca Ponomarenko, M. Omelko et N. Omelko, 2021

Ponomarenko, Margarita G., Omelko, Michail M. & Omelko, Natalia V., 2021, New genus of gelechiid moths (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) from Borneo, and its four new species, Zootaxa 5004 (3), pp. 465-480 : 474-476

Tawaya armeniaca Ponomarenko, M. Omelko et N. Omelko sp. n.

Type material. Holotype: ♂, Borneo, E Malaysia, state of Sabah, 24 km N Tawau , 18.08.2019 (leg. M. Omelko) . Paratypes: 5♂, 5♀, same locality, 17.08– 05.09.2019 (leg. M. Omelko); GS 154 (♂), 158 (♀) MP .

Diagnosis. The new species is easily distinguished by characters of the male genitalia: the tegumen has a knob on the posterior margin; the processes of the juxta are dilated into wide trapezoidal plates, distally bearing strong thorns on the outer margin; and the aedeagus has ribbon-like sclerotization expanded into an oval plate apically on the left side. The female genitalia are distinguished by the sternal part of the 8 th segment represented by triangular plates and the antrum cup-shaped. In contrast, in the closely species T. luteola and T. rutila , tegumen lacks a knob on the posterior margin; the juxta processes narrow distally or are slightly dilated before their apices and lack thorns; the aedeagus lacks a distal expansion; and the female has a transverse band-like sclerotization on the 8 th segment and the antrum is narrow with sclerotized sides.

Adult ( Figs 6, 7 ). Head pale sandy. Antennal scape pale sandy in proximal part and distally, in distal part with blackish or brownish band; flagellum with pale sandy or whitish segments alternating with segments having a black upper surface, distal part with 1–3 alternating pale sandy or whitish and 1–3 black segments. Labial palpus with basal segment brownish; second segment brown and white-ringed distally; third segment white, black-ringed near base, beyond middle and with black apex.

Forewing length 2.5–2.8 mm. Forewing ground colour yellowish-red; proximal part with two indistinct brownish strokes; at middle a black spot in whitish border and with indistinct brownish strigula under it; apical part with two black spots—costal and subdorsal, both in whitish border and with brownish indistinct strigula posteriorly; a row of black dots along costal margin and termen in apical part. Fringe yellowish-red along costa and termen in apical part of wing, dark-grey along dorsal margin. Hindwing and fringe dark-grey in male, dark sandy in female. Legs pale sandy or sandy, with darkening on fore- and mid-tibiae and tarsi of all legs. Forelegs tibia with white spot in middle and white-ringed distally; mid-leg tibia with raised elongate scales on outer surface in proximal part and pale sandy rings in middle part and distally; proximal part of hind tibia with a brush of pale sandy hair-like scales on lateral and medial sides.

Male genitalia ( Figs 19‒21 ). Tegumen sub-rhomboidal, with sclerotized lateral margins, oval anteriorly, with triangularly pointed lobe on posterior edge. Cucullus digitate, evenly narrowing at middle, slightly inflated basally, with dense crest of flattened chaetae along rounded apex, with large quadrangular basal process. Aedeagus long, exceeding total length of genitalia, tubular, with almost parallel sides in proximal 0.5; left side of distal part with ribbon-like sclerotization expanded into an oval plate apically. Ejaculatory duct entering along longitudinal axis. Vinculum, juxta, and probably sacculi fused into a single ventral sclerite surrounding aedeagus latero-ventrally; distal processes of juxta dilated into wide trapezoidal plates, each bearing three short strong thorns distally. Saccus relatively narrow and long, its width 0.2 times that of base.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 26 ). Ovipositor short, membrane between 8 th and 9 th segments ca/ 0.5 length of papillae anales, with large, membranous sack (of uncertain function) arising from near posterior margin of 8 th tergite. Papillae anales sclerotized, moderate in length, 0.75 length of apophyses posteriores. Apophyses anteriores and apophyses posteriores of equal length. 8 th segment splitted ventrally, with narrow membranous insertion between sternal trapezoidal sclerites. Ostium at level of anterior margin of 8 th segment. Antrum cup-shaped. Ductus bursae tube-like, membranous. Bursae copulatrix membranous, ovaoid, slightly shorter than ductus bursae, signum absent; ductus seminalis arising in posterior part of bursae. Tergite of 7 th segment with lateral triangular pockets containing strong subulate chaetae ( Fig. 27 ).

Distribution. Malaysia (Sabah).

Etymology. The species name is derived from the Latin “ armeniaca , ”the species name of the apricot tree, which has orange-yellow fruits; the name refers to the bright reddish-yellow colour of the forewings.

Figures

FIGURES 1–9. Adults, wing venation and 2nd sternite of Tawaya gen. n. spp. 1, T. flaventia sp. n., holotype, male; 2, T. flaventia, paratype, female; 3, T. rutila sp. n., holotype, male; 4, T. rutila, paratype, female; 5, T. luteola sp. n., holotype, male; 6, T. armeniaca sp. n., paratype, male; 7, T. armeniaca, paratype, female; 8, T. flaventia, venation, voucher V-MP-621; 9, T. luteola sp. n., 2nd sternite of the female. Scale bar 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 16–21. Male genitalia of Tawaya gen. n. spp. 16, T. luteola sp. n., holotype, GS 157 MP; 17, T. luteola, ventral view; 18, T. luteola, dorsal view; 19, T. armeniaca sp. n., voucher V-MP-623, GS 154 MP; 20, T. armeniaca, ventral view; 21, T. armeniaca, dorsal view. Scale bar 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 22–28. Female genitalia, 2nd sternite and 7th abdominal segments of Tawaya gen. n. spp. 22, T. flaventia sp. n., paratype, GS 156 MP; 23, T. flaventia, 2nd sternite; 24, T. rutila sp. n., paratype, GS 159 MP; 25, T. rutila, 7th abdominal segment, paratype; 26, T. armeniaca, paratype, GS 158 MP; 27, T. armeniaca, 7th abdominal segment, paratype; 28, ditto, 2nd sternite, paratype. Scale bar 0.2 mm.