Promalactis triangulivalva Wang, 2021

Wang, Shuxia & Liu, Chen, 2021, Taxonomic study of the genus Promalactis Meyrick, 1908 (Lepidoptera: Oecophoridae) X. The commotica species-group, with descriptions of twenty-two new species, Zootaxa 4980 (2), pp. 293-330 : 322

Promalactis triangulivalva Wang , sp. nov.

( Figs 22 , 44 )

Type material. CHINA, Zhejiang: Holotype ♂, Huangshayao Town (28.42°N, 118.82°E), Jiulongshan , Suichang County, Lishui City, 360 m, 24.V.2017, leg. SN Qian & JE Lee, slide No. JYY17244.

Diagnosis. The new species is superficially similar to P. scleroidea Wang, 2006 and P. svetlanae Lvovsky, 1985 by having a dark costal spot with a few white scales. It can be distinguished from P. scleroidea by the symmetrical sacculus lacking a distal process in the male genitalia, while the asymmetrical sacculus has a distal process in P. scleroidea . It can be separated from P. svetlanae by the triangular valva without a distal process and the gnathos having an ovate mesial plate, while the sub-quadrate valva has a distal process and the mesial plate of the gnathos is rectangular in P. svetlanae .

Description. Adult ( Fig. 22 ). Forewing length 5.5 mm.

Head: Vertex and frons silvery grey, occiput ocherous red. Labial palpus ocherous red, paler on inner surface of second palpomere; third palpomere rust brown distally on outer surface, acute at apical. Antenna with scape silvery white; flagellum black, with white annulations on dorsal surface.

Thorax: Dorsum of mesothorax and tegula rust brown. Forewing reddish brown; costal spot from basal 2/3 crossing anterior angle of cell, black, with a few white scales anteriorly, with a white spot posteriorly; three slender white streaks edged with black scales: basal streak oblique inward to base of fold; antemedian streak from dorsal 1/3 direct to anterior margin of cell; dorsal streak from before tornus oblique outward to before posterior angle of cell; fringe orange yellow except dark brown along distal part of costal margin. Hindwing and fringe deep grey. Fore- and midlegs white on dorsal surface, blackish brown on ventral surface, tibiae with white scale tufts at apex, basal two tarsomeres and fifth tarsomere with white dot at apex; hindleg blackish brown except white at apices of basal two tarsomeres.

Abdomen: Male genitalia ( Fig. 44 ). Uncus sub-quadrate, with shallow notch at middle of apex. Gnathos conspicuously longer than uncus; mesial plate ovate, scaly; basal arms narrowly banded, twice length of mesial plate. Tegumen broad, widened medially; lateral arms narrowed toward apex. Valva obovate, narrowed from broad base to rounded apex, with a flap near apex; costa nearly straight, with strong setae; sacculus wider, setose, with a triangular process before middle on dorsal margin. Saccus greater than twice length of uncus, nearly uniformly narrow to rounded apex. Juxta broadly V-shaped, weakly sclerotized. Aedeagus nearly twice as long as valva, tubular; cornutus short, 1/7 length of aedeagus.

Female. Unknown.

Distribution. China (Zhejiang).

Etymology. The epithet of the new species is derived from the Latin triangulus and the term valva, referring to the shape of the valva of the male genitalia.

Figures

FIGURES 17‒22. Adults of Promalactis spp. 17, P. similibellatula, holotype, ♂; 18, P. squamacea, holotype, ♂; 19, P. stenognatha, holotype, ♂; 20, P. subgladiata, holotype, ♂; 21, P. tengchongensis, holotype, ♂; 22, P. triangulivalva, holotype, ♂. Scales = 2 mm.

FIGURES 40‒44. Male genitalia of Promalactis spp. 40, P. squamacea, holotype, slide No. DZH12334; 41, P. stenognatha, paratype, slide No. JYY17582; 42, P. subgladiata, holotype, slide No. LC19714; 43, P. tengchongensis, holotype, slide No. HXM14152; 44, P. triangulivalva, holotype, slide No. JYY17244. Scales = 0.2 mm.