Aphanostola joannoui 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 : 54-55

Aphanostola joannoui Bidzilya & Mey sp. n. Figs 22 , 23 , 53 , 75 , 75a

Type material.

Holotype ♂, [South Africa] RSA, Mpumalanga, Hongonyi Lodge, S24°27,17', E31°4,56', 30.iv-1.v.2010, LF (Mey & Kühne) (MfN). Paratypes: 8 ♂, 2 ♀ same data as holotype (gen. slide 28/12♂, W. Mey, 81/12♀; 82/12♂; 208/12♂; 209/12♀; 482/14 ♂; 383/14♂, O. Bidzilya) (all MfN); 1 ♂, RSA, Natal, Mkuzi, [15'sq NW cnr, 27 30'S, 32 05'E], 23-26.iv.1982 (Scoble, Laurenson & Kroon) (gen. slide 54/15, O. Bidzilya); 1 ♂, Punda Milia, K.N.S. Survey, 6-15.v.1975 (Potgieter & Scoble) (gen. slide 21/15, O. Bidzilya); 1 ♂, Pretoriuskop, 1.iv.1952 ( Vári) (gen. slide 10/15, O. Bidzilya); 1 ♂, Malelane, 24.iii.1952 (Janse & Vári) (gen. slide 40/15, O. Bidzilya) (all TMSA).

Diagnosis.

The new species can reliably be separated from Aphanostola antennata sp. n., Aphanostola longicornuta sp. n., and Aphanostola alternella sp. n. by the genitalia. The male genitalia are well recognizable by the large and broad sacculus. The female genitalia are characterized by the unmodified sclerite VIII in combination with the funnel-shaped antrum and the small corpus bursae.

Description.

Adult (Figs 22 , 23 ). Wingspan 6.0-7.2 mm. Head, thorax and tegulae covered with grey black-tipped scales, frons off-white, labial palpus weakly up-curved, black with white apex, antenna in male thick, finely ciliated, antenna in female thin, scape black, other antennal segments black with narrow whitish rings at base, underside greyish; forewing grey densely suffused with brown along margins and particularly on apex, three very indistinct brown spots in cell area, cilia grey, brown-tipped; hindwing grey.

Male genitalia (Fig. 53 ). Uncus as broad as long, weakly widened distally, posterior margin straight or weakly emarginated; gnathos weakly curved at ¼, wide at base, tapered apically with pointed tip; distal portion of tegumen rectangular, basal part broad, anteromedial emargination broadly rounded; basal part of valva comparatively broad, distal portion distinctly inflated, apex rounded, shortly ciliated; sacculus large, broader than distal portion of valva, with curved posterior margin; vinculum moderately broad, posterior margin without medial projections, postero-medial incision deep and narrow; saccus basally broad, then strongly narrowed, apex rounded; phallus gradually tapered, basal projection distinctly shorter than phallus, narrow, apically weakly inflated.

Female genitalia (Figs 75 , 75a ). Segment VIII weakly sclerotized, rectangular, twice as long as broad, without modifications; antrum funnel-shaped, strongly edged; sub-ostial sclerite a transversely prolonged plate; apophyses anteriores moderately thick, distinctly longer than segment VIII; ductus bursae long, slender, papillated in middle portion; corpus bursae small, rounded; signum absent.

Variation. The antrum is variable in width.

Etymology.

Named in memory of the lepidopterist John Joannou (1949-2013), who participated in the collecting campaign around Hongonyi Lodge with the second author in 2010.

Distribution.

South Africa.

Biology.

The host plant is unknown. The adults were collected from late March to mid-May.

Figures

Figures 22 - 39. Adults of Aphanostola spp. (scale bar 1.0 mm) 22. Aphanostola joannoui sp. n., HT, RSA, Hongonyi Lodge; 23. Aphanostola joannoui sp. n., RSA, Hongonyi Lodge (209 / 12); 24. Aphanostola namibiensis sp. n., HT, Namibia, Brandberg; 25. Aphanostola namibiensis sp. n., Namibia, Auas Mts.; 26. Aphanostola brandbergensis sp. n., Namibia, Brandberg (gen. slide 74 / 05); 27. Aphanostola aarviki sp. n., HT, Tanzania, Morogoro Town; 28. Aphanostola africanella sp. n., Namibia, Mt. Etjo (gen. slide 597 / 14); 29. Aphanostola africanella sp. n., Namibia, E. Etosha (gen. slide 151 / 15); 30. Aphanostola africanella sp. n., Kenya, Baringo; 31. Aphanostola emarginata sp. n., HT, RSA, Mkuzi; 32. Aphanostola melliferae sp. n., Kenya, L. Bogoria (gen. slide 143 / 15); 33. Aphanostola melliferae sp. n., HT, Kenya, L. Bogoria; 34. Aphanostola maxima sp. n., Ethiopia, Tana-See; 35. Aphanostola maxima sp. n., HT, Ethiopia, Tana-See; 36. Aphanostola longicornuta sp. n., Kenya, L. Bogoria (gen. slide 577 / 14); 37. Aphanostola longicornuta sp. n., Kenya, Kakamega Forest (gen. slide 590 / 14); 38. Aphanostola longicornuta sp. n., Kenya, Kakamega Forest; 39. Aphanostola atripalpis, PT, India, Pusa (gen. slide 411 / 14).

Figures 53 - 58. Male genitalia of Aphanostola spp. 53. Aphanostola joannoui sp. n., HT, RSA, Hongonyi Lodge (gen. slide 208 / 12); 54. Aphanostola namibiensis sp. n., Namibia, Brandberg (gen. slide 107 / 05); 55. Aphanostola brandbergensis sp. n., Namibia, Brandberg (gen. slide 103 / 05); 56. Aphanostola aarviki sp. n., HT, Tanzania, Morogoro Town (gen. slide 2380); 57. Aphanostola africanella sp. n., HT, Namibia, Omatjete Farm (gen. slide 553 / 14); 58. Aphanostola africanella sp. n., Namibia, Okahanja (gen. slide 198 / 12).

Figures 74 - 76. Female genitalia of Aphanostola spp. 74. Aphanostola centripunctella sp. n., Namibia, Katima Mulilo (gen. slide 508 / 14); 74 a. Signum (gen. slide 76 / 05); 75. Aphanostola joannoui sp. n., RSA, Hongonyi Lodge (gen. slide 81 / 12); 75 a. Subostial sclerite (gen. slide 209 / 12); 76. Aphanostola namibiensis sp. n., Namibia, Etosha (gen. slide 534 / 14).