Perittia falciferella, Sruoga, Virginijus & Prins, Jurate De, 2009

Sruoga, Virginijus & Prins, Jurate De, 2009, The Elachistinae (Lepidoptera: Elachistidae) of Kenya with descriptions of eight new species, Zootaxa 2172, pp. 1-31 : 14

Perittia falciferella , new species

( Figs. 4 , 15 , 33 , 41–43 )

Type material. Holotype: Ƥ, KENYA, Kakamega Forest, 1590 m, 00°21’N 034°51’E, mine 28.iii.2003, ex. p. 21.iv.2003, leg. J. & W. De Prins, specimen ID RMCA ENT 0 0 0 0 0 5178, gen. prep. MRAC / KMMA 0 0 477 ( RMCA).

Paratypes: 2Ƥ, KENYA, Kakamega Forest, 1590m, 00°21’N 034°51’E, mine 28.iii.2003, ex. p. 21.iv.2003, leg. J. & W. De Prins, specimen IDs RMCA ENT 0 0 0 0 0 5179 and 0 0 0 0 0 5180, gen. prep. MRAC / KMMA 0 0 478 ( RMCA).

Diagnosis. Perittia falciferella is a medium-sized and broad-winged species with the forewing mottled by the greyish-brown tips of its scales. In female genitalia, the peculiarly shaped signum separates this species well from all the other known Elachistinae species.

Female ( Fig. 33 ). Forewing length 3.3–3.7 mm; wingspan 7.3–8.1 mm (n=3). Head: Frons whitish; vertex and neck tuft greyish brown, mottled due to white transversal streak before dark tips of scales; labial palpus very short and straight, greyish brown; scape broader than flagellum, greyish brown with white transversal streak before dark scale tips; flagellum greyish brown annulated with paler rings, in distal half with slightly raised scales. Thorax, tegula and forewing greyish brown, mottled with greyish-brown tips of scales; slightly raised blackish-brown scales forming two small spots on forewing: one at 1/3 and another, smaller one at 3/5; fringe brownish grey, mottled due to white transversal streak before dark tips of some scales. Hindwing including fringe brownish grey.

Male. Unknown.

Female genitalia ( Figs. 41–43 ). Papillae anales short, with scattered long setae; posteriorly with zone of very short fine setae mixed with longer ones. Tergite 8 weakly sclerotized, apophyses posteriores slightly longer and thicker than apophyses posteriores. Ostium surrounded by longitudinal sclerotized plates. Antrum long and wide, with strong spines in posterior part; colliculum indistinct. Ductus bursae wide, with band of very small internal spines extending also in corpus bursae; signum elongate, sickle-shaped, with transverse, weakly sclerotized plate covered by tiny spines ( Fig. 43 ).

Biology. The mined leaves of an unidentified, low growing monocot were collected in late March.

Flight period. April and probably May.

Distribution. This species is presently known only from Kakamega Forest in the Western Province of Kenya ( Figs. 4 , 15 ).

Etymology. The species name is derived from the Latin falcifera (carrying a scythe or sickle) in reference to the shape of the signum.

Figures

FIGURE 15. Collecting localities of Elachistinae species in Kenya: 1, Arabuko Sokoke Forest National Park; 2, Aberdares National Park; 3, Hell's Gate National Park; 4, Kakamega Forest National Reserve.

FIGURES 1 – 4. Collecting localities in Kenya. 1, Arabuko Sokoke Forest National Park; 2, Aberdares National Park; 3, Hell’s Gate National Park; 4, Kakamega Forest National Reserve.

FIGURES 32 – 36. Adults of Perittia species. 32, P. gnoma sp. n., male, holotype. Specimen ID: 000005176; 33, P. falciferella sp. n., female, paratype. Specimen ID: 000005180; 34, P. spatulata sp. n., male, holotype. Specimen ID: 000005159; 35, P. spatulata sp. n., female, paratype. Specimen ID: 000005172; 36, P. tantilla sp. n., male, holotype. Specimen ID: RMCA ENT 0 0 0 0 0 5148. Scale bar 1 mm.

FIGURES 41 – 43. Perittia falciferella sp. n., female genitalia, holotype. 41, general view. Scale bar 0.2 mm; 42, caudal part of ductus bursae; 43, signum. Gen. prep. MRAC / KMMA 0 0 477, specimen ID: RMCA ENT 0 0 0 0 0 5178.