Parastenolechia medispina Li

Liu, Linjie & Li, Houhun, 2016, Taxonomic review of the genus Parastenolechia Kanazawa (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae, Litini) from Mainland China, with descriptions of six new species, Zootaxa 4178 (1) : -

Parastenolechia medispina Li , sp. nov.

( Figs. 14 , 3 , 32 , 40 )

Type material. CHINA: Hainan Province: Holotype Ƌ, Mt. Diaoluo (18.72°N, 109.86°E), Lingshui County, 980 m, 24.iv.2014, leg. Tengteng Liu, Wei Guan and Xuemei Hu, genitalia slide No . LLJ15043. Paratypes: 2Ƌ, 1♀, same data as holotype, genitalia slide No . LLJ15111♀; 1Ƌ, 2♀, Mt. Wuzhi , 710 m, 21.iv.2014, leg. Tengteng Liu, Wei Guan and Xuemei Hu.

Adult ( Fig. 14 ). Wingspan 8.0–11.0 mm. Head white. Labial palpus white; second segment blackish brown in basal half and brown before apex on outer surface, longer than third; third segment blackish brown near base and at apex. Antenna with scape white, with brown dots on dorsal surface; flagellum alternately white and black. Thorax and tegula creamy, tegula brown at base. Forewing blackish brown, with a broad pale yellowish white fascia at base, with an ill-defined white patch at costal 2/3 diffused to upper corner of cell; other markings black: sub-basal patch subrectangular, extending obliquely from costa across fold, joined with plical spot, with raised scales at fold; costa with larger spot at 2/5 and 2/3 respectively, both with raised scales; discal and tornal spots with erect scales; discocellular spot very small; several tiny dots of black scales scattered between outer margin of cell and apex; cilia grayish white to grayish brown, mixed with black scales. Hindwing and cilia grayish brown. Fore and mid legs black, mid tibia and each tarsomere of tarsus white at apex; hindleg yellowish white, tarsus usually with black rings.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 3 ). Eighth sternum subtrapeziform, convex on anterior margin, concave on posterior margin. Uncus inverted subtrapeziform, posterior margin blunt, setose. Gnathos with median process large triangular, acute at apex. Tegumen furcate from middle, roundly projected posteriorly; lateral branch slender, asymmetrical: left branch (ventral view) longer than right branch. Glandiductor asymmetrical: left glandiductor about 2/3 length of right glandiductor, both extremely slender, curved, dilated triangularly at base, strongly curved beyond basal 1/6. Valva asymmetrical: right valva narrow, shrunk and folded mesially, longer than left valva, left valva broader, subrectangular; right apical lobes longer than left apical lobes, outer lobe clubbed, slightly dilated and setose distally, inner lobe elongate triangular, pointed at apex, slightly shorter than outer lobe. Juxta longer than outer lobe of valva, widened triangularly in basal half, slender in distal half, curved inward distally. Vinculum short, inverted triangular; saccus slender, longer than vinculum, slightly curved near apex. Aedeagus slightly shorter than 1/2 length of tegumen-uncus complex, slightly dilated basally, curved mesially, distal 1/2 obliquely truncate.

Female genitalia ( Figs. 32 , 40 ). Eighth sternum straight on posterior margin, sparsely setose. Apophyses posteriores longer than two times length of apophyse anteriores. Ostium bursae small and rounded; lateral lobes narrow, V-shaped. Antrum very short, ring-like. Ductus bursae about same length as corpus bursae. Corpus bursae ovate; signum subrounded, posterior margin rounded, anterior margin almost straight, spines arising from middle laterally.

Diagnosis. This new species is characterized in the male genitalia by the asymmetrical glandiductor and valva as well as the asymmetrical lateral branches of the tegumen. It is similar to P. arciformis sp. nov. in the forewing pattern, and the detailed differences between them are stated under the latter species.

Distribution. China (Hainan).

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the Latin prefix medi- (middle) and spinus (spine), referring to the signum with spines arising from middle laterally in the female genitalia.

Figures

FIGURES 12 – 15. Adults of Parastenolechia spp. 12, P. t r ap e z ia sp. nov., holotype, male; 13, P. semielliptica sp. nov., holotype, male; 14, P. medispina sp. nov., holotype, male; 15, P. longifolia sp. nov., holotype, male (Scale bars = 2.0 mm).

FIGURES 3 – 5. Morphology of Parastenolechia spp. 3. Male genitalia of P. medispina sp. nov., holotype, slide No. LLJ 15043; 4. Eighth sternum of P. semielliptica sp. nov., holotype, slide No. LLJ 15054; 5. Female genitalia of P. trapezia sp. nov., paratype, slide No. LLJ 15049 (Scale bars = 0.3 mm).

FIGURES 26 – 32. Female genitalia of Parastenolechia spp. 26, P. albicapitella, slide No. LLJ 14113; 27, P. argobathra, slide No. LLJ 15047; 28, P. collucata, slide No. LLJ 15048; 29, P. arciformis sp. nov., paratype, slide No. LLJ 15089; 30, P. papillaris sp. nov., paratype, slide No. LLJ 15064; 31, P. claustrifera Meyrick, slide No. LLJ 15050; 32, P. medispina sp. nov., paratype, slide No. LLJ 15111 (Scale bars = 0.3 mm).

FIGURES 33 – 40. Enlarged lateral lobes of female ostium bursae of Parastenolechia spp. 33, P. albicapitella, slide No. LLJ 14113; 34, P. argobathra, slide No. LLJ 15047; 35, P. collucata, slide No. LLJ 15048; 36, P. arciformis sp. nov., paratype, slide No. LLJ 15089; 37, P. papillaris sp. nov., paratype, slide No. LLJ 15064; 38, P. claustrifera Meyrick, slide No. LLJ 15050; 39, P. trapezia sp. nov., paratype, slide No. LLJ 15049; 40, P. medispina sp. nov., paratype, slide No. LLJ 15111 (Scale bars = 0.1 mm).