Ptilothyris drepanodes Park, 2019

Park, Kyu-Tek, Mey, Wolfram, Koo, Jun-Mo, Prins, Jurate De & Cho, Soowon, 2019, Revision of the genus Ptilothyris Walsingham, 1897 (Lepidoptera: Gelechioidea: Lecithoceridae), with descriptions of eight new species from Africa, Zootaxa 4567 (2), pp. 201-235 : 218-219

8. Ptilothyris drepanodes Park , sp. nov.

( Figs. 11 A–N)

Type specimens. Holotype: male, Uganda, Kibale Nat. Park, Biol. Field Station , 19–24 xi 2014, LF leg. W. Mey, gen slide no. CIS-7 0 19, COI barcode CBNU046 . Paratypes: 3♂, same data as holotype, gen slide no. CIS-7079, COI barcode CBNU044 ; 1♀, same data as the preceding specimen, gen slide no. CIS-7029, COI barcode CBNU011 ; 1♂, same data as holotype, gen slide no. CIS-7 0 77, COI barcode CBNU047 ; 1♂, same data as holotype, wing slide no. CIS-7081 ; 1♂, Uganda, Mpigi Mpanga Forest , 25-30 xi 2014, wing slide no. CIS-7028, COI barcode CBNU003 ; 1♂, same data as holotype, gen slide no. CIS-7080, wing slide no. CIS-7117, COI barcode CBNU012—above types are deposited in MfN ; 2♀, Western, Uganda, Kibale Forest, Kanyawara , 1520 m, 0˚33ʹ39N 30˚21ʹ27E, 20-21 x 2014, leg., D.J.L. Agassiz. gen slide no. CIS-7091, COI barcode CBNU075 ; 1♀, Central Mpanga Forest , 1207 m, 0˚12ʹ22N 32˚18ʹ08E, 26 x 2014, leg., D.J.L. Agassiz. —above types are deposited in NHMUK .

Diagnosis. Ptilothyris drepanodes is superficially similar to the preceding new species, but can be distinguished by the absence of the white patch on the hind wing, and the juxta in the male genitalia with near symmetrical, slightly curved caudal processes. Even though apparent variations are found in the shape of juxta among specimens (see Figs. 11F, 11J, and 11H ) and in the venation of the forewing between the wing slides no. 7028 and no. 7117, with M 1 nearly connate with R 3+4 or M 1 remote from R 3+4 at base, the COI barcode sequences obtained from several specimens are all identical or nearly identical, strongly suggesting that these are conspecific even with notable infraspecific morphological variations.

Description. Male and female ( Figs. 11 A-E): Forewing length 10.0– 11.5 mm.

Head: Vertex covered with blackish scales; pale orange erect scales laterally arising from upper margin of compound eye. Antenna of male ( Fig. 11B, C ) with basal segment slender, dark fuscous dorsally, pale orange ventrally; flagellum bipectinate, dark purple in basal 3/5, creamy white beyond with gradually shortened flagellomeral branches; each branch somewhat clavate with cilia on both sides and tip; female antenna slightly serrate. Labial palpus ( Fig. 11D ) with second segment thickened, pale orange on outer surface, sparsely speckled with dark-fuscous scales; 3 rd segment as long as 2 nd segment, pale orange on inner surface, speckled with darker fuscous scales on outer surface.

Thorax: Notum and tegula purplish dark fuscous dorsally. Hind tibia dark fuscous with pale orange band near middle on dorsal surface; apex pale orange. Forewing elongate, ground color dark purple, with broad, black antemedian fascia in basal 2/5 and postmedian fascia just outside the cell; costa slightly expanded anteriorly along basal 1/4, and slightly arched in distal 2/5; apex obtuse; termen oblique; cell weakly closed; venation with R 1 arising just before middle of discal cell; venation ( Fig. 11E ) with R 3 and R 4 stalked for about basal 1/4, R 4 to costa near apex; R 5 absent; M 1 close to R 3+4 at base (in the wing slide no. CIS-7117) or connate (in wing slide no. CIS- 7028); M 2 arising from lower corner of cell; M 3, CuA 1 and CuA 2 on a common stalk; CuA 1 and CuA 2 stalked for basal 1/4; 1A+2A narrowly forked about basal 1/4; cell about 3/5 the length of wing; cell closed. Hind wing much broader than forewing; ground color same as that of forewing; apex obtuse; termen slightly concave medially; cell short, weakly closed before middle of the wing; venation with Rs and M 1 short-stalked; M 2 absent; M 3 and CuA 1 short-stalked; 1A+2A forked at base; cell short, weakly closed.

Abdomen ( Fig. 11L ): Spinous zones on tergites; pale orange on ventral surface throughout; a pair of long hairpencils laterally along the anterior margin of segment VIII, about twice the length of segment VII; sternite VIII with strongly arched sclerite along anterior margin.

Male genitalia ( Figs. 11 F–K) with uncus broadly expanded distally; caudal margin slightly emarginate medially. Median lobe of basal plate of gnathos relatively long, subovate, with lateral lobes produced apically. Valva elongate; costa nearly straight basally, strongly upturned beyond middle, with nearly straight margin; cucullus narrowed toward rounded apex, with long hair-like scales around ventro-proximal margin. Juxta bifurcate, with sickle-shaped, nearly symmetrical caudal processes; caudal processes about 1/3 the length of juxta, directed sideward apically, small ovate process on anterior margin; dorsal plate with concave dorsal margin and slightly arched anterior margin. Vinculum narrow, band-like, heavily sclerotized. Phallus slender, shorter than valva; cornuti consisting of a small spine near apex and a line bearing numerous minute spines in distal part.

Female genitalia ( Figs. 11M, N ) with abdominal sternite VIII emarginated in U-shape medially. Ostium bursae similarly emarginated. Apophyses anteriores shorter than half of apophyses posteriores Antrum large, cup-shaped, sclerotized in posterior half, then narrowed, membraneous anteriorly. Ductus bursae broadened posteriorly, bearing a large, longitudinal plate; plate as long as half of ductus bursae. Corpus bursae ovate; signum large, somewhat trapezoidal.

Distribution. Uganda.

Etymology. The species epithet is derived from the Greek, drepane (= sickle), referring to the sickle-shaped caudal processes of the juxta.

Figures

FIGURE 11. Ptilothyris drepanodes Park. A, Paratype, male; B, Antenna; C, Flagellomeral branches near base of antenna; D, Labial palpus; E, Venation, slide no. CIS-7028; F, Male genitalia, holotype, gen. slide no. CIS-7019; G, Phallus, holotype; H, Phallus (specimen same as 11I); I, Juxta, paratype, gen slide no. CIS-7080; J, Male genitalia, paratype, gen slide no. CIS-7077; K, Phallus, with a close-up of cornutus (specimen same as 11J); L, Abdomen, with hair-pencils, holotype; M, Female genitalia, gen. slide no. CIS-7029; N, Signum.