Meleonoma triacantha, Wang & Zhu, 2020

Wang, Shuxia & Zhu, Xiaoju, 2020, Study of the genus Meleonoma Meyrick, 1914 (Lepidoptera: Autostichidae) from China, with descriptions of fifteen new species, Zootaxa 4838 (3), pp. 331-357 : 341

Meleonoma triacantha sp. nov.

( Figs. 10 , 26 )

Type material. CHINA, Guangxi: Holotype ♂, Shaoping Forest Farm (22.05°N, 106.92°E), Pingxiang , 280 m, 28.VI.2012, leg. XF Yang, slide No. YAH15369 . Paratype: Guizhou: 1♂, Shuizu Town, Limingguan , Libo County, 820 m, 21.VII.2015, leg. MQ Yang & GE Lee.

Diagnosis. The new species is similar to M. ventrospinosa sp. nov. in the male genitalia by the valva triangularly produced dorsoapically. It can be distinguished by having a short triangular uncus, a valva without spines on the ventral margin, and a sacculus lacking a process above ventral corner in the male genitalia; in M. ventrospinosa , the uncus is long clubbed, the ventral margin of the valva has spines, and the sacculus has a process above the ventral corner.

Description. Adult ( Fig. 10 ). Forewing length 3.8−4.0 mm.

Head whitish yellow, tipped with blackish brown on vertex. Labial palpus yellow; first segment with dense blackish grey scales on outer surface; second segment with scattered blackish grey scales, with a greyish black ring apically; third segment slightly shorter than second segment, with a blackish grey spot at distal 1/3 on dorsal surface. Antenna yellow; scape mixed with blackish brown scales; flagellum annulated with greyish brown on dorsal surface except basal several flagellomeres.

Thorax yellow, mixed with greyish black scales anteromedially; tegula yellow, with dense greyish black scales basally. Forewing with costal margin arched, apex rounded; ground color yellow, with scattered yellowish brown and greyish black scales, with a blackish grey spot near base between Sc and fold; costal margin with a round blackish grey spot at base, with a blackish grey stripe running from basal spot to basal 1/3; costal spot beyond middle, inverted triangular, blackish grey; apical patch blackish grey, sparsely diffused along termen to tornus; discal and plical spots black, plical spot larger; discocellular spots black, small; dorsum with a black spot near base; fringe blackish grey except yellow around apex and tornus. Hindwing and fringe yellowish grey. Legs yellow; on ventral surface, all femora black, fore coxa black, tibiae of fore- and midlegs black except yellow apically, hind tibia with dense black scales distally, tarsi of fore- and midlegs black except yellow at apices of basal two tarsomeres, hind tarsus greyish black except yellow at apex of each tarsomere.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 26 ). Uncus sub-triangular, weakly sclerotized. Tegumen widened medially; lateral arm nearly same width, pointed anteriorly. Valva with basal half narrow, widened from middle to setose and obtuse apex, triangularly produced dorsoapically; ventral margin heavily sclerotized from beyond sacculus, forming a wide ventral band, produced to three apical spines: dorsal spine longest and strongest, median spine shortest, indistinct sometimes, ventral spine slender; costa narrow, reaching before apex of valva, concave medially, with sparse long setae; transtilla slender, weakly sclerotized, touching each other medially. Sacculus sub-rectangular, length about half as long as width, not separated from valva, heavily sclerotized on margins, with dense short setae on ventral margin and apex. Saccus narrowed to rounded apex, more than three times length of uncus. Juxta V-shaped. Aedeagus longer than valva, basal 2/3 tubular, slightly widened before basal 1/3, distal 1/3 with wrinkles, produced to a clubbed process ventrally; cornutus spine-shaped, in vesica.

Female unknown.

Distribution. China (Guangxi, Guizhou).

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the Latin triacanthus, referring to the three ventroapical spines of the valva.

Figures

FIGURES 9‒12. Adults of Meleonoma spp. 9, M. tianmushana sp. nov., paratype, ♂; 10, M. triacantha sp. nov., holotype, ♂; 11, M. ventrospinosa sp. nov., holotype, ♂; 12, M. aridula, ♂. Scales = 2.0 mm.

FIGURES 25‒28. Male genitalia of Meleonoma spp. 25, M. tianmushana sp. nov., holotype, slide No. YAH15512; 26, M. triacantha sp. nov., holotype, slide No. YAH15369; 27, M. ventrospinosa sp. nov., paratype, slide No. YAH15197; 28, M. aridula, slide No. YAH15165. Scales = 0.2 mm.