Scrobipalpa swakopi Bidzilya & Mey, 2011

Bidzilya, Oleksiy V., 2021, A review of the genus Scrobipalpa Janse, 1951 (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae) in the Afrotropical region, Zootaxa 5070 (1), pp. 1-83 : 40

Scrobipalpa swakopi Bidzilya & Mey, 2011

Figs 85 , 147, 148 , 192

Scrobipalpa spec. 3 — Bidzilya 2007: 102, figs 42, 43; pl. 7, fig. 6.

Scrobipalpa swakopi Bidzilya & Mey, 2011 in Mey 2011: 211, Pl. 4, fig. 21, 22; pl. 9, fig. 40, pl. 32, fig. 17.

Type material examined. Holotype of swakopi ♂, Namibia, Swakopmund , Swakop River, 15.i.2007, LF (Mey & Ebert) (gen. slide 13/10, O. Bidzilya) ( NHMW) . Paratypes: Namibia: 7 ♂, 4 ♀, same data as holotype (gen. slide 441/07 ♂, 14/ 10♀, O. Bidzilya) ; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Erongo, Brandberg , 3.xii. 2000, 800 m (Mey) (gen. slide 92/05 ♀, 104/05 ♂, O. Bidzilya) (all MfN) .

Diagnosis. Scrobipalpa swakopi is one of the smallest South African species in the genus (wingspan 7.5–9.0 mm) with a light brown forewing with black markings in the cell and white costal and tornal spots. Smaller specimens of S. geomicta may be confused with S. swakopi , but the former are darker and lack the white spots at 3/4 of costal and dorsal margin. A deeply divided uncus, unlikely that of any other congener, is the most characteristic feature in the male genitalia of S. swakopi . The female genitalia somewhat resemble those of S. erexita sp. nov., S. selectoides sp. nov. and a few other species in having narrow, digitate lobes of the anteromedial depression covered with foam-sculpturing. A very broad ductus bursae is characteristic for S. swakopi sp. nov.

Biology. Host plant unknown. Adults have been recorded from December to January.

Distribution. Namibia.

Figures

FIGURES 81–90. Scrobipalpa spp., adults. 81. S. geomicta, Namibia, Auas Mts., male. 82–84. S. portosanctana, South Africa. 82. Port Elizabeth, male. 83. Petersburg, male. 84. Petersburg, male. 85. S. swakopi, Namibia, Swakopmund, HT, male (gen. slide 13/10, OB). 86. S. ethiopica, Ethiopia, Simien Mts, HT, female (gen. slide 444/07, OB). 87. S. aptatella, South Africa, Rustenburg, male (gen. slide 143/167, OB). 88. S. ergasima, Namibia, Otjikondo W Outjo, Holstein farm, male. 89, 90. S. agassizi sp. nov., Kenya, Turi. 89. HT, female. 90. PT, male. Scale bar = wingspan.

FIGURES 143–148. Scrobipalpa spp., male genitalia. 143, 144. S. meridioafricana, Namibia. 143. Orange River, PT (gen. slide 345/07, OB). 144. Nababiep (gen. slide 130/17, OB). 145. S. geomicta, Namibia, Brandberg (gen. slide 63/13, OB). 146. S. portosanctana, South Africa, Asante-Sana (gen. slide 155/17, OB). 147, 148. S. swakopi, Namibia. 147. Swakopmund, PT (gen. slide 441/07, OB). 148. Brandberg, HT (gen. slide 12/10, OB).

FIGURES 191–193. Scrobipalpa spp., female genitalia. 191. S. portosanctana, South Africa, Port Elizabeth (gen. slide 132/17, OB). 192. S. swakopi, Namibia, Swakopmund, PT (gen. slide 14/10, OB). 193. S. ethiopica sp. nov., Ethiopia, Simien Mts, HT (gen. slide 44/07, OB).