Eridachtha crococorypha Park, 2024

Park, Kyu-Tek, Minet, Joël, Koo, Jun-Mo & Yu, Tae-Uk, 2024, Review of the Afrotropical members of the genus Eridachtha Meyrick, 1910 (Lepidoptera: Lecithoceridae: Lecithocerinae), with descriptions of 12 new species, Zootaxa 5468 (2), pp. 275-307 : 304

12. Eridachtha crococorypha Park , sp. nov.

LSID: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:D099C4F6-B32E-4D7D-9DD0-30C973B4C5ED ( Fig. 20 )

Type specimens. Holotype female: Kenya, Rift Valley , Gilgil, 2,100 m, 0˚32’S 36˚22’E, 26 xi 2005, leg. D.J.L. Agassiz, gen. slide no. CIS-7595, in NHMUK.

Paratype: 1♀, Uganda, Mpigi, Mpanga For., 0˚12'24"N 32˚18'05"E, 27–30 iv 2019, leg. K.T. Park, J.M. Koo & J.D. Kim, gen. slide no. CIS-7430, in NIBR .

Diagnosis. The new species can be distinguished from the previously presented two new species by the hind tibia, which has yellowish-white rough scales without blackish scale tuft apically. The female genitalia differ from its allies by the antrum which is as a broadly modified semi-rounded plate with a triangular process on the caudal margin.

Description. Female ( Figs 20A–C ). Wingspan 14.5 mm.

Head: no differences can be observed from the new species, E. atrihispida Park , sp. nov., except the hind tibia of which is covered by yellowish-white rough scales, and is devoid of blackish scale-tuft apically. The forewing ground colour is pale orange. The hindwing ground colour is yellowish-white broader than the forewing.

Abdomen: no spinous zones dorsally.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 20D ): apophyses anteriores longer than 1/2 the length of apophyses posteriores. Lamella post-vaginalis with a triangular process on caudal margin, which is not well separated from the antrum. Antrum broadened, with broadly modified semi-rounded plate, with a triangular process on its caudal margin. Ductus bursae membranous, slightly longer than corpus bursae; ductus seminalis arises before corpus bursae. Corpus bursae large, ovate; signum with heavily sclerotized central ridge, and with weakly sclerotized upper and lower plates.

Male unknown.

Distribution. Kenya (Rift Valley), Uganda (Mpigi).

Etymology. The species name is derived from the Ancient Greek, - croco (= orange), - coryph (= head), referring to the orange colour of the head.

Figures

FIGURE 20. Eridachtha crococorypha Park, sp. nov.: A, female, holotype (corresponding slide: no. CIS-7595); B, labial palpus; C, head, dorsal view; D, female genitalia of holotype. Scale bar for D: 0.5 mm.