Mesophleps trinotella, Herrich-Schaffer, 1856

Li, Houhun & Sattler, Klaus, 2012, A taxonomic revision of the genus Mesophleps Hübner, 1825 (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) 3373, Zootaxa 3373, pp. 1-82 : 37

Mesophleps trinotella -group

Wingspan 8.0–16.5 mm. Labial palpus segment 2 broad, with rough-scaled tuft ventrally or distally; segment 3 shorter than 2 or same length, white; forewing dark or light along costa, without oblique white line between distal fifth and tornus.

Genitalia ♂ ( Figs 72–74). Uncus narrow, more or less elliptical. Gnathos hooks well separated at base, bulbous, evenly tapered towards apex. Valva simple, with parallel margins. Vinculum unremarkable, sclerotized posterior margin more or less straight, medially not notched. Phallus short, basal two-thirds bulbous, apical third narrow.

Genitalia ♀ ( Figs 100–102, 130–132). Apophyses anteriores and posteriores relatively short, dorso-posterior margin of segment VIII straight or distinctly convex medially ( M. unguella ); sclerotized antrum short; ductus bursae thin, entering corpus bursae posteriorly; ductus seminalis from cervix bursae or corpus bursae very close to entrance of ductus bursae.

Biology. Host-plants: Cruciferae.

Distribution. Europe, North Africa ( Morocco, Algeria, Libya), East Africa ( Kenya) and probably Central Asia ( Turkmenistan).