Scrobipalpa tripunctella, Li, Houhun & Bidzilya, Oleksiy, 2019

Li, Houhun & Bidzilya, Oleksiy, 2019, New species and new records of the genus Scrobipalpa Janse (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae) from China, ZooKeys 840, pp. 101-131 : 101

Scrobipalpa tripunctella sp. n. Figs 7-8, 9, 20, 28

Type material.

CHINA: Holotype ♂, Huangjijuan, Yanchi County, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, 17.vi.2014, coll. Houhun Li, Wei Guan and Meiqing Yang (gen. slide no. L13074) (NKU). Paratypes: 1 ♂, same data as holotype (gen. slide no. L13079); 4 ♀, Qiuqianjia, Mt. Liupan, Ningxia, 1700 m, 2.vii.2008, coll. Shulian Hao and Zhiwei Zhang (gen. slide nos. 96/15, O Bidzilya; LLJ15213; LLJ15223); 1 ♀, Guamagou Forest Farm, Mt. Liupan, Ningxia, 29.vi.2008, 2100 m, coll. Shulian Hao and Zhiwei Zhang (gen. slide no. L13061); 1 ♂, Guanliju, Mt. Liupan, Ningxia, 1700 m, 20.vi.2008, coll. Shulian Hao and Zhiwei Zhang (gen. slide no. LLJ15208); 1 ♀, Fengtai Forest Farm, Mt. Liupan, Ningxia, 12.vii.2008, 2330 m, coll. Shulian Hao and Zhiwei Zhang (gen. slide no. 122/13, O Bidzilya); 1 ♀, Qipanshan, Weichang County, Hebei Province, 17.vii.2001, coll. Yanli Du and Shulian Hao (gen. slide no. SYW05256); 2 ♀, Xizhashui, Linchuan County, Jincheng, Shanxi Province, 13.vii.2010, 900 m, coll. Haiyan Bai and Linlin Yang (gen. slide no. L14056).

Diagnosis.

The new species resembles externally S. ningxica sp. n., but it is darker and has no white subapical fascia. The male genitalia are close to those of S. heimi Huemer & Karsholt, 2010, but the sacculus is longer, the vincular process is weakly curved and the sacculus is narrower. The female genitalia are most similar to those of S. amseli Povolný, 1966, but segment VIII is longer, its anterior margin is straight rather than emarginated, the lobes of the ventromedial depression are shorter and the signum is larger.

Description.

Adult (Figs 7-9). Wingspan 15.5-17.0 mm. Head, thorax and tegulae light brown, frons light grey, labial palpus light grey, outer surface mottled with brown, underside of segment 2 with groove; scape brown, other antennal segments brown, ringed with grey; forewing covered with light grey brown-tipped scales, distal 1/2-1/3 lighter, cream mixed with light brown, subcostal vein in basal 1/2 and fold yellowish-brown, three black spots in cell: two in middle and another paired in the corner, cilia grey black tipped, hindwing and cilia light grey.

Variation. The ground colour of forewing varies from light cream to light brown, and the black marking is rather poorly expressed in some specimens.

Male genitalia (Fig. 20). Uncus broader than long, rounded in apical 1/3; gnathos short, weakly curved; tegumen moderately prolonged with deep and broad anteromedial emargination; valva approx. of equal width, evenly curved, apex inflated, rounded, extending to the top of uncus; sacculus nearly twice as broad and 4-5 times shorter than valva, subrectangular, outer margin with rounded apex, tip pointed, gap to the vincular process large, rounded; vincular process shorter and narrower than sacculus, outwardly curved; posterior margin of vinculum with broad v-shaped medial emargination; saccus broad, of even width, apex truncated, extending slightly beyond the apex of pedunculus; phallus narrow, straight, apical arm narrow, strongly curved distally, caecum strongly inflated, ca. 1/3 length of phallus.

Female genitalia (Fig. 28). Papilla analis subovate, sparsely covered with short hairs; apophyses posteriores ca. 4.5 times longer than segment VIII; sternite VIII ca. as broad as long, anteromedial edge concave, anterior margin straight, subgenital plates broad in posterior half, strongly narrowing anteriolaterally with foamy sculpture along medial margin from half-length to the base of apophyses anteriores; ventromedial depression trapezoid, densely covered with microtrichia, folded laterally, anterior margin with triangular emargination, not extending to the anterior margin of sternite VIII; apophyses anteriores as long as segment VIII; ductus bursae moderately broad, colliculum narrow, ring-shaped, corpus bursae long, pyriform; basal plate of signum broad, rounded, distal hook broad at base, with three teeth, curved in middle, distal portion narrow, straight, pointed.

Distribution.

China (Hebei, Ningxia, Shanxi).

Biology.

Host plant unknown. Adults were collected from late June to early July at an altitude of 1700 m.

Etymology.

The species name, an adjective, is derived from the Latin prefix tri- (three), punctus (spot), and suffix -ellus referring to the forewing with three spots in the cell.

Remarks.

The conspecificity of males and females is proven by study of the specimens of both sexes that externally match each other and were collected in close localities in Mt Liupan: 20.vi (male) and 2.vii.2008 (female). Scrobipalpa punctulata differs in less distinct wing pattern and in the smaller size of adults.