Meleonoma triangula Wang

Yin, Aihui & Wang, Shuxia, 2016, Taxonomic study of the genus Meleonoma Meyrick from Thailand (Lepidoptera, Gelechioidea), ZooKeys 571, pp. 133-141 : 135

Taxon classification Animalia Lepidoptera Cosmopterigidae

Meleonoma triangula Wang sp. n. Figs 1, 6, 11

Type material.

Holotype, ♂, Thailand: Nakhon Nayok Prov., Khao Yai Nat. Park, ca. 700 m, 29.ix.-6.x.1984, leg. Karsholt, Lomholdt & Nielsen, genitalia slide No. ZMUC-NK037. Paratypes: 1♀, 1♂, Loei Prov. Phu Luang Wildlife Sanctuary, ca. 700-900 m, 8-14.x.1984, leg. Karsholt, Lomholdt & Nielsen.

Diagnosis.

This new species can be distinguished from its congeners by the distal half of the valva distinctly triangular and upturned, and the short sacculus wider than long in the male genitalia.

Description.

Adult (Fig. 1): Wing expanse 10.0-12.0 mm. Head pale yellow, with scales copper brown tipped. Labial palpus pale yellow, covered with dense copper brown scales on entire second segment and on distal half of third segment. Antenna pale yellow, with dorsal surface brown on scape, ringed with pale brown on flagellum. Thorax yellowish brown; tegula greyish brown mottled yellow. Forewing yellow, with blackish brown scales throughout, concentrated along costal and ventral margins and at apex, forming blackish blotch or spots; costal margin with a large ill-defined inverted triangular blotch beyond middle, and with three small spots along distal 1/6; small black spot at base, middle and end of cell as well as at 2/3 of fold, respectively; cilia greyish brown. Hindwing and cilia pale grey. Legs brown on fore and mid tibiae and all tarsi except pale yellow at apex of each segment; hind leg brown on outer surface except pale yellow at apex.

Male genitalia (Fig. 6): Uncus twice as long as middle height of tegumen, slender, hooked distally. Gnathos weakly sclerotized. Valva narrow at base, gradually widened to approximately middle; distal half triangular, upturned, obviously narrowed to rounded apex; costa concave shallowly; ventral margin with a sclerotized narrow edge extending from near base to middle length, where it is produced to a small process exceeding ventral margin, with long dense setae on distal half; transtilla small, triangular, pointed distally. Sacculus subrectangular, length shorter than width, apically produced to a hairy papillary process. Saccus longer than uncus, narrowed slightly to apex. Juxta a thin band in semicircular shape. Aedeagus slightly longer than valva, blunt apically, with dense microspines on inner surface in distal third, with an irregular narrow plate before apex.

Female genitalia (Fig. 11): Papillae anales large and broad, setose. Posterior apophyses twice as long as anterior apophyses. Eighth tergite sclerotized posteriorly; eighth sternite with granules posteriorly; posterior margin concave at middle, forming two semiovate plates with long setae. Ductus bursae weakly sclerotized entirely. Corpus bursae membranous, irregularly rounded.

Distribution.

Thailand.

Etymology.

The specific name is derived from the Latin adjective triangulus (triangular), referring to the shape of the distal half of the valva.