Mesophleps albilinella ( Park, 1990 )

Li, Houhun & Sattler, Klaus, 2012, A taxonomic revision of the genus Mesophleps Hübner, 1825 (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) 3373, Zootaxa 3373, pp. 1-82 : 42-43

Mesophleps albilinella ( Park, 1990)

( Figs 49, 76, 105, 135)

Brchyacma [sic!] albilinella Park, 1990 , Korean J. appl . Ent. 29: 136, figs 1, 4, 6–9.

Holotype ♂, KOREA: Gangwon, Chuncheon, 31.viii.1983 (Park) (slide no. 1787; CIS, Chuncheon) [not examined] Mesophleps albilinella ( Park, 1990) ; Li & Zheng 1995: 28, figs 5–6.

♂, ♀. Wingspan 8.0–16.0 mm. Face black to lead grey to level of antennae, vertex cream. Haustellum dark. Labial palpus recurved, segments 1 and 2 black, thin, 2 distally thicker, 3 black in basal half, distally white to yellowish white, apex sometimes greyish black. Antenna greyish white, with light brown rings, apical segment black. Thorax and tegula cream, base of tegula black. Forewing whitish yellow to ochre, costal margin dark, in distal three-fifths dark area wider, interrupted at three-quarters by distinct oblique white line directed towards termen; short white- edged black line along termen, sometimes broken up into several dots; black discocellular and plical spots present, discal absent, sometimes also plical; dorsal margin densely scattered with brown scales; cilia greyish white to ochre. Hind wing and cilia dark grey. Abdomen light grey to dark brown.

Genitalia ♂ ( Fig. 76). Uncus basally constricted, widest in middle, distal part broadly sub-triangular, distally rounded; gnathos hooks very short; posterior margin of vinculum with setose lobes and pair of sclerotized spines, margin between spines deeply excavated, ventral surface setose; phallus abruptly narrowed from bulbous base to distinctly thinner distal part.

Genitalia ♀ ( Figs 105, 135). Dorso-posterior margin of VIII distinctly convex medially, extension with moderate field of microtrichia, apophyses posteriores about twice length of apophyses anteriores; area around ostium bursae with predominantly transverse wrinkles; sclerotized antrum long, anteriorly level with apex of apophyses anteriores, posterior part slightly inflated; ductus bursae about five times length of apophyses anteriores, corpus bursae oval to sub-spherical, ductus seminalis thin, inception close to entrance of ductus bursae.

Remarks. M. albilinella is at once recognizable by the labial palpi with completely black segment 2 and basal half of 3. In other species of this group segment 2 is black with a white apical ring whilst 3 is white and has at most a black apex. In the male genitalia the uncus is distally more broadly triangular than in nairobiensis and coffeae sp. nov. The female genitalia of M. albilinella are distinguished from those of other species of this group by the much denser and mostly transverse, rather than longitudinal wrinkles around the ostium bursae and by a longer sclerotized antrum.

Biology. Host-plant unknown.

Distribution. Korea, China (Guizhou, Hebei, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Shaanxi, Tianjin).

Material examined (170 ♂♂, 81 ♀♀, including 11 ♂♂, 16 ♀♀ genitalia preparations)

Korea: 1 ♂, Gangwon, Chuncheon , 31.vii.1984 (Park) (paratype) ; 1 ♀, Gangwon, Palbongsan , 5.vii.1990 (Park) . China: 3 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀, Shaanxi Province, Chengcheng County, 1000 m, 9.viii.1993 (Houhun Li) ( NKUM) ; 1 ♂, Shaanxi Province, Feng County, 1600 m, 11.vii.1997 (Houhun Li) ( NKUM) ; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Hubei Province, Lichuan , 1100 m, 2.viii.1999 (Houhun Li) ( NKUM) ; 2 ♂♂, 1 ♀, Tianjin, Ji County, Mt Jiulong , 150 m, 5–7.ix.2001 (Houhun Li) ( NKUM) ; 3 ♂♂, Tianjin, Ji County, Mt Baxian , 500–550 m, 23.vi.2001, 7–9.ix.2001 (Houhun Li et al.) ( NKUM) ; 2 ♂♂, Hunan Province, Sangzhi County, Mt. Badagong , 1250 m, 13.viii.2001 (Houhun Li & Xinpu Wang) ( NKUM) ; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Hubei Province, Shennongjia , 1200–1400 m, 17.vii.2003 (Shulian Hao) ( NKUM) ; 6 ♂♂, 8 ♀♀, Henan Province, Neixiang County, Baotianman , 1350 m, 13–15.vii.1998 (Houhun Li) ( NKUM) ; 62 ♂♂, 34 ♀♀, Henan Province, Xinyang, Mt Jigong , 700 m, 9–12.vii.1997 (Houhun Li) ( NKUM; 1 ♂, 1 ♀ BMNH) ; 2 ♂♂, 1 ♀, ditto, 13, 14.vii.2001 (Dandan Zhang) ( NKUM) ; 1 ♂, Henan Province, Lushi County, Shiziping , 1200 m, 21.vii.2001 (Dandan Zhang) ( NKUM) ; 1 ♂, Henan Province, Neixiang County, Xiaguan , 650 m, 12.vii.1998 (Houhun Li) ( NKUM) ; 1 ♂, Henan Province, Xixia County, Huangshi’an , 650 m, 12.vii.1998 (Houhun Li) ( NKUM) ; 3 ♂♂, 1 ♀, Henan Province, Hui Country, Baligou , 780 m, 12–14.vii.2002 (Xinpu Wang) ( NKUM) ; 1 ♂, Henan Province, Song County, Mt Song , 700 m, 15.vii.2002 (Xinpu Wang) ( NKUM) ; 2 ♂♂, Song County, Mt Baiyun , 1580 m, 19.vii.2002 (Xinpu Wang) ( NKUM) ; 1 ♂, 3 ♀♀, Hebei Province, She County, Xiantaishan , 1200 m, 23–24.vii.2000 (Haili Yu et al.) ( NKUM) ; 11 ♂♂, 11 ♀♀, Hebei Province, She County, Suobu , 700 m, 31.vii–1.viii.2000 (Haili Yu et al.) ( NKUM) ; 4 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀, Hebei Province, She County, Qinta , 700 m, 2–3.viii.2000 (Haili Yu et al.) ( NKUM) ; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Hebei Province, Neiqiu County, Suanzaoping , 670 m, 28–29.vii.2000 (Haili Yu et al.) ( NKUM) ; 1 ♂, Hebei Province, Laiyuan County, Mt Baishi , 1300 m, 20.vii.2000 (Haili Yu et al.) ( NKUM) ; 2 ♀♀, Hebei Province, Zunhua, Donglin , 120 m, 8.vii.2001 (Yanli Du & Shulian Hao) ( NKUM) ; 1 ♂, 4 ♀♀, Hebei Province, Zunhua, Xiaochang , 10.vii.2001 (Yanli Du & Shulian Hao) ( NKUM) ; 1 ♂, Guizhou Province, Daozhen, Guocun , 1300 m, 21.viii.2001 (Yunli Xiao) ( NKUM) ; 53 ♂♂, 5 ♀♀, Hebei Province, Xinglong Country, Wuling Mountain National Nature Reserves, West Gate , 800 m, 15–29.vii.2011 (Houhun Li et al.) ( NKUM) ; 4 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀, Guizhou Province, Suiyang Country, Kuankuoshui National Nature Reserves, Fenshuiling , 800–1500 m, 11–16.viii.2010 (Linlin Yang) ( NKUM) .