Promalactis serpenticapitata, Du, Zhaohui & Wang, Shuxia, 2013

Du, Zhaohui & Wang, Shuxia, 2013, Genus Promalactis Meyrick (Lepidoptera, Oecophoridae) from China: Descriptions of twelve new species, ZooKeys 285, pp. 23-52 : 36-37

Promalactis serpenticapitata sp. n. Figs 82434

Type material.

Holotype ♂ − China,Fujian Province: Sangang (27°45'N, 117°40'E), Mt. Wuyi, 740 m, 25.VII.2008, coll. Weichun Li, Yongling Sun & Haiyan Bai, genitalia slide No. DZH12055 (NKU). Paratypes − 6 ♂, 18 ♀, Guadun (27°44'N, 117°38'E), Mt. Wuyi, 1100 m, 28.VII−2.VIII.2008, coll. Weichun Li, Yongling Sun & Haiyan Bai. Zhejiang Province: 2 ♀, Qingliang Peak (30°07'N, 118°51'E), Linan City, 900 m, 8, 12.VIII.2005, coll. Yunli Xiao; 1 ♀, Sanmuping, Mt. Tianmu (30°26'N, 119°34'E), 1000 m, 29.VII.2011, coll. Linlin Yang & Na Chen, genitalia slide Nos. W04148 ♀, DZH12046 ♂, DZH12047 ♀, DZH12048 ♀ (NKU). Jiangxi Province: 1 ♀, Xiaoxidong II (26°28'N, 114°11'E), 5.VII.1978, genitalia slide No. DZH12038 ♀ (IOZ).

Diagnosis.

This new species is similar to Promalactis maculosa (Wang & Li, 2001), but can be separated by the forewing without white streak on the cell from basal 1/3 to middle; the distal process of the sacculus nearly L shaped and far exceeding the tip of the costa, the nearly rod-like juxta without lateral lobes and the aedeagus with a heavily sclerotized distal process and one cornutus in the male genitalia. In Promalactis maculosa , the forewing has a white streak on the cell from basal 1/3 to middle, the distal process of the sacculus is digitate and not exceeding the tip of the dorso-apical process, the juxta has strong lateral lobes and the aedeagus has no distal process and has two cornuti in the male genitalia. This species is also similar to Promalactis uncinispinea sp. n. The differences between them are stated under the latter species.

Description.

Adult (Fig. 8). Wingspan 10.5−13.0 mm. Head dark brown, vertex white or lateral sides white only. Labial palpus with basal and second segments dark brown on outer surface, basal segment pale white on inner surface, second segment yellowish grey on inner surface; third segment black except white at base and apex, about same length as second. Antenna with scape white except black on anterior and posterior margins; flagellum black, with white annuli on dorsal surface. Thorax and tegula dark ochreous brown, tinged with dark brown scales. Forewing with basal 3/5 ochreous brown, distal 2/5 ochreous yellow; markings silvery white or white, edged with dense black scales; costal margin with a semicircular or quadrate silvery white spot at middle; cell with a small silvery white dot on upper margin under costal spot; three silvery white streaks arising from dorsal margin: basal streak to base of fold, second streak from dorsal 1/3 straight to basal 1/3 of cell, third streak from dorsal 3/5 obliquely to distal 1/4 of cell on lower margin; fold with a white dot at end; apex with an elliptic white spot, edged with dense black and ochreous brown scales; cilia ochreous yellow, grey along distal part of dorsal margin. Hindwing and cilia dark grey.

Male genitalia (Fig. 24). Uncus subtriangular, broad at base, gradually narrowed to rounded apex, with a subapical tooth. Gnathos about 3/5 length of uncus, broad at base, gradually narrowed to 2/3, distal 1/3 broadened and rounded, ventrally with a small, snake head-shaped subapical process; lateral arm band shaped, about 2/3 length of gnathos. Tegumen narrow posteriorly, convex laterally at posterior 1/3, branched from posterior 2/3, anterior 1/3 nearly parallel sided, rounded apically. Valva sclerotized except an ovate membranous area medially before apex; basal 2/3 almost parallel dorso-ventrally, distally produced to a setose papillary process; costa concave basally and distally, slightly projected at middle. Sacculus broad at base, slightly narrowed distally, concave between 1/2−2/3 dorsally, distal 1/3 produced to a free, setose, L-shaped distal process, directing dorsad, apically serrate and far exceeding tip of costa. Vinculum widened anteriorly, with a slender transverse band joining left and right sides, forming a fan-shaped area between this band and posterior margin of saccus. Saccus short and broad, about 3/4 length of uncus, subtriangular, pointed at apex. Juxta long, nearly rod-like, slightly curved, with a short digitate basal process, distal 7/10 with a bundle of setae on dorsal surface, with longer setae on distal 2/3, apically with dense spinules or teeth, reaching near middle of uncus. Aedeagus straight and strong, about 4/5 length of valva; with two pieces of dense microtrichia and a heavily sclerotized plate distally, basal half of the plate thick and somewhat conical, distal half spine-like and curved; cornutus spine-like, situated at middle, about 1/3 length of aedeagus, with three short spines and one triangular plate basally.

Female genitalia (Fig. 34). Apophysis anterioris stronger than and about 1/2 length of apophysis posterioris. Eighth abdominal segment very short, sternum heavily sclerotized postero-medially, rounded on posterior margin. Seventh abdominal segment sclerotized. Antrum large, inverted trapezoidal, sclerotized except an oval membranous area anteriorly on left side, slightly convex at middle on posterior margin ventrally, lateral margin sinuate. Ductus bursae membranous, slightly longer than corpus bursae, with some short spines posteriorly; ductus seminalis arising from near antrum. Corpus bursae large, nearly rounded, membranous; signum absent.

Distribution.

China (Fujian, Jiangxi, Zhejiang).

Etymology.

This specific name is derived from the Latin prefix serpent- (= snake-like), and the adjective capitatus (= having a head), referring to the small, snake head-shaped subapical process on the ventral surface of the gnathos.