Meleonoma taiwanensis, Wang & Zhu, 2020

Wang, Shuxia & Zhu, Xiaoju, 2020, Study of the genus Meleonoma Meyrick, 1914 (Lepidoptera: Autostichidae) from China, with descriptions of twenty-one new species (II), Zootaxa 4881 (2), pp. 257-289 : 281-282

Meleonoma taiwanensis sp. nov.

( Figs 24 , 46 , 56 )

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:6EC0FE3A-E336-4C27-9FA2-C640119BB27D

Type material. CHINA, Taiwan: Holotype ♂, Huisun Forest Park (23.96°N, 120.97°E), Nantou County, 1100 m, 22–24.IV.1999, leg. Mey & Ebert, slide No. MNHU-NK110 ( MNHU) . Paratypes: 2♂ 3♀, same data as holotype, slide No. MNHU-NK 111♀ ( MNHU) .

Diagnosis. The new species is similar to M. bifoliolata (Wang, 2006) in the forewing pattern. It can be distinguished in the male genitalia by the sacculus produced to a sub-triangular process dorsally, and the aedeagus with two stout spines at apex; and the lamella antevaginalis produced to a digitate process posterolaterally and longer than the antrum in the female genitalia. In M. bifoliolata , the sacculus has a sub-rounded process, and the aedeagus lacks spines at apex; and the lamella antevaginalis is produced to a digitate process posterolaterally and shorter than the antrum ( Wang 2006a: 16, figs 8, 24). It is also similar to M. annulignatha sp. nov., and the differences between them are stated in the diagnosis of the preceding species.

Description. Adult ( Fig. 24 ). Forewing length 8.5‾9.0 mm.

Head yellow, frons yellowish white. Labial palpus yellow; second segment with blackish-brown scales on distal 3/4; third segment slightly longer than half length of second segment, with a blackish-brown ring at distal 1/3. Antenna yellow; scape greyish brown basally; flagellum ringed with greyish black.

Thorax and tegula greyish black. Forewing greyish black, with yellow spots beyond middle and at pre-apex of costal margin as well as at dorsum before tornus respectively. Legs yellow, tibiae and tarsi marked with blackish brown on outer surface; femur and coxa of foreleg blackish brown on ventral surface; femora of mid- and hindlegs tinged with blackish-brown scales on ventral surface.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 46 ). Uncus wide at base, narrowed to basal 3/5, then parallel to before bifurcated apex, setose laterally. Gnathos nearly as long as uncus, weakly sclerotized; ventral plate widely banded; lateral arm wide basally, narrowed before middle, then evenly wide to ventral plate. Tegumen uniformly wide medially; lateral arm evenly narrow, narrower anteriorly. Valva isosceles triangular, parallel from base to before middle, narrowed from beyond middle to narrowly rounded apex, with dense setae; ventral margin triangularly produced medially; costa banded, straight, produced beyond apex, with a weakly sclerotized, widely banded process from about basal 1/3 extending inward. Sacculus sub-rectangular; apex concave medially, with sparse long setae, dorsoapically produced to an elongate sub-triangular process, ventroapically produced to a broad triangular process, shorter than dorsal process; ventral margin heavily sclerotized. Saccus wide at base, sub-parallel distally to pre-apex, rounded at apex. Aedeagus longer than valva, straightly stalagmitic, with two slender spines beyond middle laterally, several teeth at distal 1/3, two stout spines at apex.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 56 ). Papillae anales sub-rectangular, with dense short setae on dorsal surface. Apophyses posteriores approximately 3.0 times as long as apophyses anteriores. Eighth sternal plate deeply concave in narrow V-shape medially on posterior margin, with sparse long setae. Lamella antevaginalis narrowly banded anteriorly, produced to a digitate process posterolaterally, longer than antrum. Antrum short, heavily sclerotized, shorter than wide. Ductus bursae inflated and membranous anteriorly, with a large curved sclerite; ductus seminalis extending anteriorly of ductus bursae. Corpus bursae ovate, granulate.

Distribution. China (Taiwan).

Etymology. The specific epithet is from the type locality, Taiwan, China.

Figures

FIGURES 21–24. Adults of Meleonoma spp. 21. M. annulignatha sp. nov., ♂; 22. M. artivalva sp. nov., ♂; 23. M. sinuicosta sp. nov., ♂; 24. M. taiwanensis sp. nov., ♂. All holotypes. Scales = 5.0 mm.

FIGURES 43–46. Male genitalia of Meleonoma spp. 43. M. annulignatha sp. nov., holotype, slide No. ZXJ19134; 44. M. artivalva sp. nov., paratype, slide No. YAH15299; 45. M. sinuicosta sp. nov., holotype, slide No. YAH15285; 46. M. taiwanensis sp. nov., holotype, slide No. MNHU-NK110. Scales = 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 52–56. Female genitalia of Meleonoma spp. 52, M. segregnatha sp. nov., slide No. ZXJ19163, 52a, enlarged view of signum; 53, M. taeniophylla sp. nov., slide No. ZXJ19223; 54. M. annulignatha sp. nov., slide No. YAH12313; 55. M. artivalva sp. nov., slide No. YAH15296; 56. M. taiwanensis sp. nov., slide No. MNHU-NK111. All paratypes. Scales = 0.5 mm, except 52a = 0.1 mm.