Sergeya palescens, Bidzilya & Mey & Rajaei, 2024

Bidzilya, Oleksiy V., Mey, Wolfram & Rajaei, Hossein, 2024, First record of the genus Sergeya Ponomarenko, 2008 (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae) from the Afrotropical and Oriental regions, with description of ten new species, Zootaxa 5493 (5), pp. 486-506 : 499-500

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.5493.5.2
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:39F78B17-8C72-4609-BBBF-1E86BE6E2280
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13330479
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/990087D9-2023-FFB8-FF03-7438A95C1296
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Sergeya palescens
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Sergeya palescens View in CoL sp. nov.

( Figs 9, 10 View FIGURES 1–10 , 21 View FIGURES 21–26. 21–23 , 33, 34 View FIGURES 27–34 , 44 View FIGURES 42–46 )

Type material. Holotype ♂, Uganda, Mpigi, Mpanga Forest , 25–30.xi.2014, LF, leg. W. Mey (gen. slide 550/23, O. Bidzilya) ( MfN) . Paratypes: 11 ♂, 1 ♀, same data as for holotype (gen. slide 551/23♀, 196/24♂, 199/24♂, O. Bidzilya) ( MfN) . 1 ♀, RSA, East Cape, Sneeuberg, Asante Sana , 22–26.i.2012, LF, leg. W. Mey (gen. slide 137/21, O. Bidzilya) ( MfN) .

Diagnosis. The new species resembles S. malawica sp. nov., as both species have separated costal and dorsal medial spots, but S. palescens sp. nov. has indistinct tornal and dorsal medial spots (in S. malawica sp. nov. tornal and dorsal medial spots are well developed). Male genitalia of S. palescens sp. nov. resemble those of S. malawica sp. nov., as both species have digitate basal lobe of glandiducor, but in S. palescens sp. nov. cuccullus is narrow, knife-shaped broadened in distal 2/3; basal lobe of glandiductor is long; saccus extending top of pedunculus (in S. malawica sp. nov. cucullus is narrow, of even width; basal lobe of glandiductor is short; saccus not extending top of pedunculus). The female genitalia of S. palescens sp. nov. are characterized by comparatively wide ductus bursae; corpus bursae covered with microspines in posterior part only; signa short, triangular (the similar species, S. lobata sp. nov. has corpus bursae covered with microspines in posterior part and along lateral side; signa needle-shaped).

Description ( Figs 9, 10 View FIGURES 1–10 , 21 View FIGURES 21–26. 21–23 ). Wingspan 6.8–7.1 mm. Head pale, yellowish-white; some brown-tipped scales present above eyes; labial palpus recurved, segment 2 brown mottled with yellowish-white and with white apex; segment 3 brown with white basal and apical rings; antennal scape yellowish-white, with diffuse brown ring at apex, flagellum light brown alternating with white in basal half, in distal half 4 white flagellomeres followed by 3–4 brown, and then 1–2 white alternating with 3–4 brown, terminal 1–2 flagellomeres white; thorax and tegulae yellowish-white; forewing pale yellow especially in basal half, sparsely irrorated with brown along margins, diffuse brown spot on 1/2 of costal margin, apex and termen spotted with brown, diffuse tornal spot on 3/4 of dorsal margin, fringes light grey; hindwing and fringe light grey.

Male genitalia ( Figs 33, 34 View FIGURES 27–34 ). Uncus slender, elongate, gradually narrowed apically, densely covered with modified feather-like scales and strong setae, about twice as long and 1/2 width of tegumen, extending to 1/2 length of cucullus; tegumen slightly broader than long, anterior margin broadly rounded and projecting anteriorly; cucullus knife-shaped, ventral margin straight, dorsal margin gradually convex in distal 2/3, densely covered with feather-like scales, apex pointed; glandiductor with long digitate basal lobe, distal process straight, consisting of 2–3 needles, extending to 3/4 length of cucullus; juxta lobes short, hump-shaped; vinculum broader than long; saccus broadly triangular, far extending top of pedunculus; phallic tube gradually narrowed from base to rounded apex, dorsal margin with 4-5 small teeth.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 44 View FIGURES 42–46 ). Papillae anales narrow, ovate, sparsely covered with short hairs; apophyses posteriores straight, thin, 2 times longer than apophyses anteriores; sternum VIII subrectangular, broad, unmodified; apophyses anteriores straight, as long as sternum VIII; ostium U-shaped; ductus moderately broad, of even width; corpus bursae large, pear-shaped, covered with minute spines in posterior part, signa represent by 4–5 pairs of short triangular sclerites between membranous and spinose parts of ductus bursae.

Biology. Host plant unknown. Adults have been collected in late November in Uganda, and in January in South Africa.

Distribution. This species is known only from Uganda and South Africa.

Etymology. The species name derives from the Latin word “ palescens ” meaning “ashen” and suffix “- escens ” meaning “becoming”, referring to pale forewing of this new species in compare with other species of the genus.