Aphanostola antennata Bidzilya & Mey, 2016

Bidzilya, Oleksiy V., Mey, Wolfram & Agassiz, David, 2016, Review of the genus Aphanostola Meyrick, 1931 (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae, Anomologinae) with description of 19 new species from the Afrotropical Region, Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift 63 (1), pp. 45-74 : 52-53

Aphanostola antennata Bidzilya & Mey sp. n. Figs 13-15 , 50 , 69

Aphanostola sp. - Mey and Kühne 2014: 241.

Type material.

Holotype ♂, NAMIBIA -Exp., ZMB 1992, Kavango: Popa Falls, 18 07S / 21 35 E, lux., 26.ii.-3.iii.92 (Mey) ( MfN). Paratypes: 12 ♂, 12 ♀, NAMIBIA-Exp., ZMB 1992, Kavango: Popa Falls, 18 07S / 21 35 E, lux., 26.ii-3.iii.1992 (Mey) (gen. slide 206/12♀; 214/12♂; 433/07♂; 41/15♂, O. Bidzilya); 7 ♂, 2 ♀, NAMIBIA-Exp., ZMB 1992, East Caprivi: Mudumu NP: Nakatwa, 18 10 S / 23 26 E, lux., 8-13.iii.92 (Mey); 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Popa-Falls, Okavango River, 23-24.ii.1993 (Mey & Ebert) (gen. slide 54/08♂, O. Bidzilya; ♀ in glycerol); 1 ♀, same data but 13.xii.1993 (gen. slide 167/15, O. Bidzilya); 1 ♂, Namibia, Mt. Etjo, 30 km E Kalkrand, 14.iii.2005, LF (Mey); 1 ♀, [South Africa], RSA, Mpumalanga, Hongonyi Lodge, S 24 27,17 E 31 4,56, 30. iv-1.v.2010, LF (Mey & Kühne) (gen. slide 478/14, O. Bidzilya) (all MfN); 1 ♂, [RSA] Skukuza, 3.iv.1952 ( Vári) (gen. slide 579/14, O. Bidzilya); 1 ♀, Satara, 27.iii.1952 (Janse & Vári)) (gen. slide 27/15, O. Bidzilya); 1 ♂, Nwanedzi, K.N.P. Survey, 30.iv-1.v.1968 (Potgieter & Goode) (gen. slide 36/15, O. Bidzilya) (all TMSA).

Diagnosis.

The new species can be reliably separated from Aphanostola joannoui sp. n., Aphanostola longicornuta sp. n., and Aphanostola alternella sp. n. by comparing the genitalia. The males can be recognized further by the extremely thickened antennae. The male genitalia are similar to those of Aphanostola calderae sp. n., but can be easily recognized by the short phallus, the short postero-medial incison of the vinculum and the more prolonged tegumen. The female genitalia are characterized by the unique spinose signum and V-shaped antrum.

Description.

Adult (Figs 13-15 ). Wingspan 6.5-8.0 mm. Head, thorax and tegulae covered with grey black-tipped scales, frons off-white, labial palpus weakly up-curved, segment two black with whitish scales at base, segment three black with white basal, medial and apical rings, inner surface lighter, greyish, antenna very thick in male, thin in female, scape black, other antennal segments black with narrow whitish rings at base, underside greyish, finely ciliated by male; forewing grey densely suffused with brown along margins and particularly on apex, four diffuse brown dots in cell, cilia grey, brown-tipped; hindwing grey.

Male genitalia (Fig. 50 ). Uncus twice as broad as long, posterior margin slightly emarginated; gnathos evenly curved, of even width except for pointed tip; tegumen comparatively long, weakly narrowed distally, anteromedial emargination large, triangular; valva straight in basal half, distal portion turned outwards, weakly widened, apex rounded; sacculus narrow to moderately wide, thorn- or finger-shaped; vinculum broad, posterior margin with very short medial humps, postero-medial incision relatively broad but short; saccus triangular, tapered, slightly exceeding beyond the top of pedunculus; phallus short, about 2.5 times longer than broad, apex abruptly cut, basal projection relatively broad, distinctly shorter than phallus with rounded apex.

Female genitalia (Fig. 69 ). Segment VIII twice as long as broad, evenly sclerotized; apophyses anteriores moderately thick, twice as long as segment VIII; antrum short, funnel-shaped; lateral sub-ostial sclerite narrow horn-shaped; ductus bursae gradually broadened towards large, globular corpus bursae; signum a spinose plate.

Etymology.

The specific name refers to the thickened antenna of the male.

Distribution.

South Africa, Namibia.

Biology.

Host plant unknown. Adults occur from November to December and from February to early May.

Figures

Figures 1 - 21. Adults of Aphanostola spp. (scale bar 1.0 mm) 1. Aphanostola acaciae sp. n., Namibia, Brandberg (gen. slide 73 / 05); 2. Aphanostola acaciae sp. n., Namibia, Mirabib (gen. slide 548 / 14); 3. Aphanostola acaciae sp. n., Kenya, Logumgum (gen. slide 1362); 4. Aphanostola pentastigma, HT, RSA, Pretoria; 5. Aphanostola pentastigma, Kenya, L. Naivasha; 6. Aphanostola morogorensis sp. n., HT, Tanzania, Morogoro Town; 7. Aphanostola calderae sp. n., RSA, Asante-Sana; 8. Aphanostola calderae sp. n., HT, RSA, Asante-Sana; 9. Aphanostola kenyella sp. n., Kenya, between Limuru and Mai Mahiu (gen. slide 1497); 10. Aphanostola kenyella sp. n., HT, Kenya, between Limuru and Mai Mahiu; 11. Aphanostola kruegeri sp. n., RSA, Pretoria (gen. slide 8 / 15); 12. Aphanostola alternella sp. n., HT, Kenya, Turi; 13. Aphanostola antennata sp. n., HT, Namibia, Popa Falls; 14. Aphanostola antennata sp. n., RSA, Nwanedzi (gen. slide 36 / 15); 15. Aphanostola antennata sp. n., Namibia, Kavango; 16. Aphanostola rooiklipella sp. n., HT, Namibia, Rooiklip Farm; 17. Aphanostola griseella sp. n., HT, Namibia, Grootfontein; 18. Aphanostola griseella sp. n., Kenya, Nakuru NP (gen. slide 596 / 14); 19. Aphanostola centripunctella sp. n., Namibia, E. Caprivi (gen. slide 76 / 05); 20. Aphanostola centripunctella sp. n., Namibia, E. Caprivi; 21. Aphanostola centripunctella sp. n., Namibia, E. Caprivi (gen. slide 155 / 15).

Figures 47 - 52. Male genitalia of Aphanostola spp. 47. Aphanostola kenyella sp. n., Kenya, between Limuru and Mai Mahiu (gen. slide 1497); 48. Aphanostola kruegeri sp. n., RSA, Pretoria (gen. slide 4 / 15); 49. Aphanostola alternella sp. n., HT, Kenya, Turi (gen. slide 307 / 14); 50. Aphanostola antennata sp. n., Namibia, Popa Falls (gen. slide 54 / 08); 51. Aphanostola rooiklipella sp. n., Namibia, Omatako (gen. slide 213 / 12); 52. Aphanostola centripunctella sp. n., Namibia, Brandberg (gen. slide 106 / 05).

Figures 68 - 70. Female genitalia of Aphanostola spp. 68. Aphanostola morogorensis sp. n., Tanzania, Morogoro Town (gen. slide 2375); 69. Aphanostola antennata sp. n., Namibia, Popa Falls (gen. slide 206 / 12); 70. Aphanostola rooiklipella sp. n., Namibia, Rooisand (gen. slide 203 / 12).