Gibbovalva cingulata, Sruoga & Prins, 2023

Sruoga, Virginijus & Prins, Jurate De, 2023, New species, new country distribution records, and a new generic combination of Afrotropical Acrocercopinae (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae), Zootaxa 5285 (1), pp. 75-115 : 99-102

Gibbovalva cingulata , sp. n.

( Figs 18A–F ; 19A–C )

Material examined. Holotype: 1♁, Kenya, Taita Hills, 1700 m, Ngangao, Primary Forest , 03°22’S 38°20’E (H8), 08.iv.2001, leg. J. & W. De Prins; ex 01K05 (8.iv.2001) 11.v.2001. Gen. prep. VS555, in coll. RBINS . Paratype: 1♀, same label as in holotype; ex 01K05 (8.iv.2001) 09.v.2001. Gen. prep. VS554, in coll. RBINS .

Diagnosis. Gibbovalva cingulata sp. nov. could be compared with the only species of the genus from Afrotropics G. squamosa Triberti & Jaworski, 2014 , known from Republic of Guinea. However, G. cingulata sp. nov. clearly differs from the latter by the following characters: forewing with three wide transverse fasciae, presence of the costal process of valva, very short ductus bursae and absence of signum.

Description. Adult ( Figs 18A, B ). Forewing length: 4.1–4.2 mm.

Head: Frons snowy white with some greyish brown scales laterally; vertex snowy white, occipital tufts greyish brown. Labial palpus ca. 3 times as long as width of head, upcurved, second palpomere grey-brown, with white basal patch on inner side, terminal palpomere white. Maxillary palpus as long as width of head, white intermixed with dark brown scales. Antenna as long as forewing, scape snowy white, with small flap of scales below; flagellum brown grey with basal part white.

Thorax: White, with grey-brown anterior margin; tegulae same. Forewing orange-brown with white base and three transverse white fasciae; first slightly tapering towards dorsum; second and third slightly oblique, almost parallel sided; small white subapical spot on costa and similar opposite on tornus at 4/5 of forewing, smaller apical spot white; all white marks of forewing edged by 1–2 rows of dark brown scales on both sides; apical fringe brown-grey, subapical dorsal fringe grey ochreous. Hindwing brownish grey, its fringe scales somewhat paler. Fore coxa white, with dark brown subbasal and apical patches; fore femur brown-black, fore tibia dark brown, with white basal patch; tarsomeres I–III white with brown black medial patches, tarsomeres IV–V dirty white; mid femur dark brown, with white basal patch, mid tibia brown-black in basal and apical parts and white medially, tarsomeres I–III white with brown-black medial patches, tarsomeres IV–V dirty white; hind femur white with small dark brown basal and apical patches, hind tibia white, with dark brown basal and apical patches and large medial patch, tarsomeres I–III white with brown-black medial patches, tarsomeres IV–V dirty white.

Abdomen: Dark grey-brown dorsally and white ventrally, sterna with dark brown anterior margins. Dorsocephalic apodeme of male tergum VIII widened basally, truncated apically, about 0.7 as long as segment VII ( Fig. 18F ).

Male genitalia ( Figs 18C–E ). Tegumen oblong slightly narrowed apically, 0.6 as long as valva, covered with dense, tiny spines on dorsal and lateral surfaces, ventral surface with longer setae from basal 2/5 of tegumen; tuba analis with narrowly sclerotized subscaphium. Valva about 1.8 as long as tegumen, costa almost straight, reinforced in almost all its length, with a wide and short process just beyond middle; ventral margin roundly convex, and apex rounded; transtilla complete, weakly sclerotized; long, slender androconial scales scattered on outer surface of valva near base. Vinculum V-shaped, with very short, rounded saccus. Diaphragma weakly sclerotized ventrally, covered with tiny spines in basal part; ventral surface of apex deeply notched ( Fig. 18E ) near emargination of aedeagus. Aedeagus 0.8 the length of valva, tubular, basally slightly dilated, gradually narrowed apically, apex shortly tapered; vesica with number of tiny spines, aggregated in a mass from basal 1/6 until apex of aedeagus.

Female genitalia ( Figs 19A–C ). Papillae anales rather short, obliquely transverse in lateral view. Apophysis posterioris 0.6 as long as apophysis anterioris. Ostium simple, membranous, located near anterior margin of sternum VIII; antrum sclerotized, slightly shorter than apophysis posterioris. Ductus bursae short, about 3.6× longer than apophysis anterioris, narrow in posterior part and strongly widened in anterior part, densely scattered with tiny internal spines; corpus bursae small, slightly longer than apophysis anterioris, without internal spines and signum.

Host plant(s). Reared from an unidentified plant.

Flight period. Adults on the wing are recorded in May.

Distribution. Known only from type locality in south-eastern Kenya.

Etymology. The specific name is from the Latin ‘ cingulatum ’ (girdled; belted), in reference to the forewing pattern.

Remarks. This is the first record of Gibbovalva Kumata & Kuroko in Kenya and only the second one in Africa.

Figures

FIGURE 18. Gibbovalva cingulata sp. nov., holotype, male.A, adult, scale bar 1 mm; B, head, frontal view; C, genitalia, general view (aedeagus removed); D, aedeagus, lateral view; E, central part of genitalia (arrow pointing to the notch of diaphragma; in glycerol before permanent mounting in Euparal); F, caudal part of abdominal pelt, gen. prep. VS555. Scale bar 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 19. Gibbovalva cingulata sp. nov., paratype, female genitalia. A, general view; B, caudal part; C, ductus bursae and corpus bursae, gen. prep. VS554. Scale bar 0.1 mm.