Torodora unicolorella Park & Koo, 2023

Park, Kyu-Tek, Koo, Jun-Mo, Minet, Joël & Razafindranaivo, Victor, 2023, Lecithoceridae (Lepidoptera) of Madagascar: I. Descriptions of eighteen new species of Torodora Meyrick, 1894, Zootaxa 5264 (2), pp. 151-184 : 169-171

11. Torodora unicolorella Park & Koo , sp. nov.

( Fig. 13 )

LSID: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:3B96070B-61AA-43BB-94DB-3EE55CCC5181

Type specimen. Holotype: Male , “South” [recte West] Madagascar, 12 km north-east of Sakahara , Zombitsy forest Reserve, 11-13 iv 1956, leg. P. Griveaud; gen slide no. CIS-7387 (in MNHN) . Paratype: 1♁, North-East Madagascar, near Maroantsetra, Ambodivoangy, leg. P. Viette; gen. slide no. CIS-7395 (in MNHN) .

Diagnosis. This new species is somewhat similar to Torodora hildebrandtella (Viette, [1957]) in the habitus but the male genitalia are quite different from those of the latter. The male genitalia are very similar to those of the following new species ( T. pistillia sp. nov.) but exhibit some minor differences: the uncus is slender but slightly broadened medially, reaching the apex of the basal plate of the gnathos (broader, tapering distally from middle, going beyond basal plate of gnathos in T. pistillia ); the basal plate of the gnathos is somewhat rounded apically (more sharply produced in T. pistillia ) and the distal part of the cucullus is smaller and downturned (larger and slightly upturned in T. pistillia ). In addition, the forewing veins CuA 1 and CuA 2 are stalked, whereas they are coincident in T. pistillia .

Description. Male ( Figs. 13A, B ). Wingspan, 14.0–16.0 mm. Head: brownish orange centrally, with creamywhite, long erect scales laterally. Antenna (broken away in distal part); scape elongated, yellowish brown dorsally, pale yellowish laterally; flagellum pale orange, without annulations. 2 nd segment of labial palpus thickened, brownish orange on outer surface, paler on inner surface; 3 rd segment strongly upturned, as long as 2 nd segment, brownish ventrally. Thorax: tegula and thorax brownish orange dorsally. Forewing dilated distally; ground color brownish orange with no distinct markings, except for a very small wedge-shaped costal patch beyond 3/4 of costa; costa arched beyond the costal patch; apex sharply produced; termen concave below apex; fringe creamy white before middle; venation with R 5 to termen; base of M 2 remote from M 3; CuA 1 and CuA 2 stalked. Hind wing ground color similar to that of the forewing; venation complete; base of M 2 remote from M 3 +CuA 1; M 3 and CuA 1 stalked for basal 1/3. Abdomen: brownish orange dorsally; spinose zones on terga somewhat triangular ( Fig. 13F ).

Male genitalia ( Figs. 13C–E ): Uncus slender, broadened medially, reaching apex of basal plate of gnathos. Basal plate of gnathos somewhat pentagonal, with rounded apex. Tegumen weakly sclerotized, deeply concave on anterior margin. Valva broad basally, then oblique; sacculus broad, ending before lower corner of cucullus; cucullus narrowed in basal 2/3, dilated in distal 1/3 with rounded apex, directed downwards. Juxta with subtriangular laterocaudal processes. Vinculum a narrow band. Aedeagus stout, as broad as basal part of valva, dorsal margin produced apically in a sclerotized lobe; cornuti consisting of a pair of plates (which are triangularly broadened proximally, and measure about 2/5 the length of aedeagus) and a series of spinules.

Female unknown.

Distribution. Madagascar (from West to East).

Etymology. The species name is derived from the Latin words unus (= one) and color (= color), referring to the almost unicolorous forewings of the males.

Remarks. The male genitalia of the paratype (slide no. CIS-7395; specimen from near Maroantsetra, NorthEast Madagascar) look slightly different from those of the holotype (collected near Sakaraha, West Madagascar), but, in this study, we regard these differences as the result of infraspecific variation. This interpretation may be reassessed when further material becomes available.

Figures

FIGURE 13. Torodora unicolorella Park & Koo, sp. nov.: A, adult, male (holotype); B, head with labial palpus, lateral view; C, male genitalia (slide no. CIS-7387); D, ditto, aedeagus; E, male genitalia (slide no. CIS-7395); F, abdominal segments IV–VIII.