Thiotricha disciformis, Lee & Li, 2024

Lee, Ga-Eun & Li, Houhun, 2024, A taxonomic review of Thiotricha Meyrick, 1886 (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae, Thiotrichinae) from China, with descriptions of 84 new species, Zootaxa 5449 (1), pp. 1-222 : 95

Thiotricha disciformis sp. nov.

( Figs 13H , 55B )

Type material. Holotype ♀, CHINA, Shanxi Province, Jiexiu, Mt. Mian (36.87°N, 111.99°E), 1370 m, 20.vii.2014, leg. Tengteng Liu, Meiqing Yang and Sihan Lu, genitalia slide no. LGE18340 . Paratype: 1 ♀, same data as holotype except 18.vii.2014, genitalia slide no. LGE19114 .

Diagnosis. This species can easily be recognized by the forewing with a broad costal band and a large rectangular patch in the basal 1/2 of dorsum. The female genitalia are unique as the lateral margins of sternum VIII are concave at middle.

Description. Adult ( Fig. 13H ). Wingspan 14.0− 14.5 mm. Head creamy white. Labial palpus creamy white; segment I very short, dark fuscous on outer surface; segment II entirely dark fuscous on outer surface and slightly mixed with fuscous on inner surface; segment III as long as II, fuscous in distal 1/2 of ventral surface. Antenna with scape creamy white except posterior margin dark fuscous; flagellum dark fuscous except basal 1/2 of dorsal surface creamy white to dirty white. Thorax with anterior and lateral margins creamy white, broadly dark fuscous at middle. Tegula creamy white except anterior margin black. Forewing ground color creamy white, apical area brown; apical spot round, bordered anteriorly by creamy white scales, apex slightly produced; markings dark fuscous to black: a broad costal band from base to near apex, attenuated and curved obliquely toward termen from distal 2/7 of wing, interrupted by a very narrow, creamy white costal streak running from middle of wing; beyond this a darker, outwardly oblique costal streak from distal 1/7 of wing, running almost in parallel with former band, reaching half way across wing; a large rectangular patch in basal 1/2 of dorsum, reaching fold distally; beyond this a darker, short longitudinal streak lying between distal 1/7 and 3/7 of wing, not reaching costal streak distally; fuscous scales irregularly scattered between former streak and dorsum; fringe on apical area cream with basal and terminal black bands, on termen cream at base, fuscous at middle and metallic fuscous distally, on dorsum dark grey. Hindwing dark grey except subapex cream and apex black; fringe dark grey except near apex cream. Legs creamy white to ochreous white; foreleg dark fuscous on outer surface; mid tibia strongly mixed with fuscous in distal 1/2 of outer surface; hind tibia suffused with fuscous on outer surface; mid and hind tarsi with tarsomere I broadly fuscous at middle, II–IV fuscous in basal 1/2 of outer surface.

Male unknown.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 55B ). Papillae anales simple. Apophyses anteriores 2/3 length of apophyses posteriores. Sternum VIII longer than tergum VIII, with posterior margin broadly concave, lateral margins abruptly concave at middle, forming a disc-like anterior half of sternum VIII, anterior margin strongly produced and rounded. Ostium bursae opening near anterior margin of sternum VIII. Ductus bursae long and narrow, slightly broadened at base and near corpus bursae, with colliculum arising from posterior 1/9. Corpus bursae elliptical, approximately 1/3 length of ductus bursae; signum round, consisting of minute denticles, situated near posterior margin of corpus bursae.

Distribution. China (Shanxi).

Etymology. The species name is derived from Latin, discus and forma (disc-like), referring to the disc-like sternum VIII of the female genitalia.

Figures

FIGURE 13. Adults of Thiotricha spp. A, T. lineata sp. nov., ♂, holotype; B, T. albalata sp. nov., ♂, holotype; C, T. celata Omelko, ♂; D, ditto, ♀; E, T. corylella Omelko, ♀; F, T. fuscobasis Omelko, ♂; G, T. trichoma (Caradja), ♂; H, T. disciformis sp. nov., ♀, holotype.

FIGURE 55. Female genitalia of Thiotricha spp. A, T. trichoma (Caradja), slide no. LGE16274; B, T. disciformis sp. nov., holotype, slide no. LGE19114; C, T. tylephora Meyrick, slide no. LGE15054; D, T. rhombiformis sp. nov., paratype, slide no. LGE19106; E, T. semota sp. nov., paratype, slide no. LGE18323; F, T. karsholti sp. nov., paratype, slide no. LGE18326 (Scale bars = 0.4 mm).