Epicephala relictella Kuznetzov, 1979

Jiang, Yurong, Zhao, Yang, Wang, Encui, Zhang, Tongyou & Liu, Tengteng, 2021, Taxonomic review on Acrocercopinae, Gracillariinae and Ornixolinae from Shandong, China, with new data on distribution and host associations (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae), Zoological Systematics 46 (3), pp. 240-257 : 253-254

Epicephala relictella Kuznetzov, 1979 ( Figs 2E , 4E , 5G )

Epicephala relictella Kuznetzov, 1979: 854 ; Kuznetzov, 1981: 179; de Prins & de Prins, 2005: 181; Hu et al., 2011: 50 . TL: Russia. TD: ZIN.

Diagnosis. This species is extremely similar to E. vitisidaea Li, Wang et Zhang, 2012 in Zhang et al. (2012), on the forewing pattern and the outline of the genitalia, but can be separated from the latter by the valva arched on dorsal margin of costa and phallus with 1–3 bundles of compact micro spines as cornuti in the male genitalia, the triangular signum in the female genitalia. In E. vitisidaea , the dorsal margin of the costa of valva is more or less straight, the cornuti are comprised of two clusters of strong spines, and the signa are two weak rectangular sclerotization.

Description. Adult. Wingspan 8.0–11.0 mm. Head bright white, tufted. Maxillary palpus and labial palpus white, with gray outer surface. Antennae brown, with white scape. Thorax bright white. Abdomen brown dorsally and white ventrally, with about 5 equidistant V-shaped brown lines opening backward. Tegula and forewing brown, one white line from near base of costa, extending along costa to 2/5 then curved to middle of wing, three similar oblique white lines from costal 1/2, 2/3, 5/6 to middle of wing, sometimes inlaid with black scales, a white stripe along dorsum from base to tornus, with one white stripe protruded to end of first costal line; four to five oblique white stripes above tornus; one black spot at apex, cilia on termen white, with two black lines, light brown on dorsum. Hindwing and cilia light brown.

Male genitalia. Tegumen wide, distal 2/5 tapering, rounded apically. Tuba analis wide and obvious. Valva narrow, slightly longer than tegumen, inflated near apex, with dense setae, rounded apically; costa sclerotized, slightly concave; sacculus strongly sclerotized, separated from valva, about 4/5 of length of valva, inner margin arched, ventral margin slightly concave, pointed apically. Vinculum wide, heavily sclerotized. Saccus thin and short, about 1/3 length of tegumen. Phallus tubular, as long as valva, cornuti 1–3 bundles of compact micro spines. Two pairs of coremata present.

Female genitalia. Ovipositor weakly dentated apically. Apophysis posteriores slightly longer than anteriores. Ostium bursae broad, lamella antevaginalis nearly trapezoid, with caudal margin concave. Antrum a sclerotized short tube, parallelsided. Ductus bursae short, posterior half broad, with numerous irregular spines, gradually narrowed towards corpus bursae, anterior half with longitudinal folds. Ductus seminalis originated from base of ductus bursae. Corpus bursae membranous, elliptic, signum a small conical sclerotization, pointed apically, placed near anterior end of bursae.

Material examined. Shandong: 9♀ 10♂, 2 ex. without abdomen, Mt. Laoshan , Qingdao, 36.211°N, 120.593°E, 390 m, 2015.VII.10, leg. Tengteng Liu, genitalia slide nos. LIU0042 ♀, JYR17046 ♀, JYR17055 ♂, registration nos. SDNU. Ent 150078, 107, 211, 214, 215, 234, 608, 613, 614, 617, 618, 688, 716, 751, 763, 806, 823, 851, 874, 886, 890 ; 1♀, Mt. Kunyu National Nature Reserve , Yantai, 121.737°E, 37.300°N, 80–300 m, 2017.VII.17, leg. Zhenquan Gao, Nan Wang & Encui Wang, registration nos. SDNU. Ent 170651 .

Host plant. Flueggea suffruticosa (Pall.) Baill. ( Hu et al., 2011) (Euphorbiaceae) .

Distribution. China (Hebei, Heilongjiang, Gansu, Shandong, Tianjin) ( Hu et al., 2011 for distribution except Shandong), Russia ( Kuznetzov, 1979).

Figures

Figure 2. Adult habitus. A. Spulerina parthenocissi, male, registration no. SDNU.QD160704. B. Telamoptilia grewiae, male, registration no. SDNU.JN160818. C. Eteoryctis picrasmae, female, registration no. SDNU.YT170704.3. D. Liocrobyla lobata, male, registration no. SDNU.YT170702.6. E. Epicephala relictella, male, registration no. SDNU.Ent150763. F. Conopomorpha flueggella, female, registration no. SDNU.Ent161934. Scale bars=2.0mm.

Figure 4. Male genitalia. A. Spulerina parthenocissi, slide no. LIU16009. B. Telamoptilia grewiae, slide no. LIU0033. C. Eteoryctis picrasmae, slide no. LIU0034. D. Liocrobyla lobata, slide no. LIU0028. E. Epicephala relictella, slide no. JYR17055. F. Conopomorpha flueggella, slide no. LIU0041. Scale bars=0.2mm.

Figure 5. Female genitalia. A. Calybites phasianipennella, slide no. JYR17048. B. Caloptilia (Caloptilia) chrysolampra, slide no. JYR17054. C. Acrocercops transecta, slide no. LIU0027. D. Spulerina parthenocissi, slide no. LIU16010. E. Telamoptilia grewiae, slide no. JYR17052. F. Eteoryctis picrasmae, slide no. JYR17053. G. Epicephala relictella, slide no. JYR17046. H. Conopomorpha flueggella, slide no. LIU0041. Scale bars=0.5mm.