Meleonoma foliiformis Yin

Yin, Aihui & Cai, Yanpeng, 2019, Two new species of the genus Meleonoma Meyrick from China (Lepidoptera, Gelechioidea, Xyloryctidae), ZooKeys 871, pp. 79-87 : 79

Meleonoma foliiformis Yin sp. nov. Figs 1 , 3 , 5

Material examined.

Holotype: China • ♂; Guangxi Province, Daming Mountain; alt. 1200 m, 4 Jun. 2018; Yuping Li leg.; YAH18108. Paratype: 1 ♂, same collection data as for preceding; YAH19001.

Diagnosis.

This new species resembles M. facunda (Meyrick, 1910b) in both appearance and genitalia. The differences between M. foliiformis and M. facunda in the male genitalia are as follows: M. foliiformis with the ventral process of the sacculus in a distinct leaf shape and the phallus with the distal 1/4 hooked; M. facunda with the ventral process of sacculus tiny, triangular in shape and the phallus straight.

Description.

Head: vertex mixed with pale gray scales, front pale yellow; labial palpus long and recurved, extending well beyond vertex, with smooth scales; outer surface of labial palpus with segment 1 and distal half as well as end of segment 2 densely covered with dark-brown scales, inner surface yellow; segment 3 yellow, about 3/4 length of segment 2; antenna with scape pale yellow; flagellum alternately pale yellow and dark brown on dorsal surface, ventral surface pale yellow; ocelli absent; scales of proboscis pale yellow.

Thorax: Tegula and mesonotum blackish brown anteriorly, yellow posteriorly; legs whitish yellow, tibiae scattered with blackish brown scales and tarsi with blackish brown speckles on outside. Forewing ( Fig. 1 ): Length 6.0-7.0 mm (N = 2), about 3.5 X as long as wide, along costa with blackish brown streak from base to about basal 1/5, distal 1/3 of costa with several blackish brown dots; a dark-brown fascia extending from near middle of costa obliquely to tornus, slightly wider posteriorly; cell with 2 blackish brown dots, one set at middle of cell, the other set at distal 2/5 of fold; apex dark brown, somewhat forming a triangular patch along termen; cilia yellow except dark brown on tornus. Ventral surface yellowish brown. Hindwing ( Fig. 1 ): translucent grayish brown, gradually darkening towards apex; cilia grayish brown.

Abdomen ( Figs 3 , 5 ): Male genitalia ( Fig. 5 ): Uncus long and thin, wider basally, sparsely setose at basal 2/5; tegumen inverted V-shaped, lateral arms about same width, posterior margin arched inwards, anterior margin deeply concave, V-shaped; valva gradually widening to middle from a narrow base, distal half long oval in shape, distal half of ventral surface densely covered with long hairs; costa broadly arched forming a shallow notch; transtilla short and weakly sclerotized, with rounded apex; sacculus with basal 1/3 of dorsal margin joined with valva, two sclerotized processes at end of dorsal and ventral margin respectively: dorsal process somewhat semicircular, ventral process leaf-shaped, outer margin heavily sclerotized; saccus inverted triangular in shape, apex narrowly rounded; juxta U-shaped; phallus with basal 1/4 thin, gradually thickened to about 1/4, nearly same width from basal 1/4 to about distal 1/4, distal 1/4 hooked, apex pointed. Female genitalia: unknown.

Biology.

The host plant of the larva stage is unknown. The adults were collected using lamp attraction in June.

Distribution.

China (Guangxi Province).

Etymology.

The specific name, the Latin adjective foliiformis , means leaf-like, and refers to the leaf-shaped ventral process of the sacculus.

Figures

Figures 1 - 6. Meleonoma species, morphology 1 adult of Meleonoma foliiformis Yin, sp. nov., holotype, male (gen. slide no. YAH 18108) 2 adult of M. projecta Yin, sp. nov., holotype, male (gen. slide no. YAH 18125) 3 abdomen of M. foliiformis Yin, sp. nov., holotype, male (gen. slide no. YAH 18108) 4 abdomen of M. projecta Yin, sp. nov., holotype, male (gen. slide no. YAH 18125) 5 male genitalia of M. foliiformis Yin, sp. nov., paratype, phallus illustrated separately (gen. slide no. YAH 19001) 6 male genitalia of M. projecta Yin, sp. nov., holotype, phallus illustrated separately (gen. slide no. YAH 18125). Scale bar: 2.00 mm (1, 2); 0.25 mm (3 − 6).