Scrobipalpa natalensis, Bidzilya, 2021

Bidzilya, Oleksiy V., 2021, A review of the genus Scrobipalpa Janse, 1951 (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae) in the Afrotropical region, Zootaxa 5070 (1), pp. 1-83 : 22-23

Scrobipalpa natalensis sp. nov.

Figs 44 , 115

Type material. Holotype ♂, [ South Africa] Karkloof , Natal, 21.i.1917, A.J.T. Janse (gen. slide 182/17, O. Bidzilya) ( TMSA).

Diagnosis. The new species is characterized externally by its uniformly greyish-brown forewing and its small size (wingspan 10.5 mm). Superficially, it resembles small individuals of S. typica sp. nov., but differs in the absence of black markings on the forewing. Scrobipalpa ochracea sp. nov. differs in having a lighter forewing with the veins distinctly mottled with ochreous brown. The long valva in combination with the short sacculus are characteristic for the male genitalia. For differences from S. varivansoni sp. nov., see the diagnosis of the latter species.

Description. Adult ( Fig. 44 ). Wingspan 10.5 mm. Head, thorax and tegulae covered with brown grey-tipped scales; labial palpus upcurved, outer surface of palpomere 2 brown, rarely mixed with grey, inner and upper surface grey, palpomere 3 brown with medial and apical rings; scape brown, flagellum brown with narrow dirty-white rings; thorax and forewing uniformly greyish brown; hindwing and cilia grey.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 115 ). Uncus twice as long as broad, gradually narrowed apically, posterior margin rounded; gnathos short, weakly curved, culcitula well developed, elongated; tegumen elongated, anterior emargination extending to 1/3 length; valva broad at base, then nearly uniform in width, weakly narrowed in middle, gradually curved, extending far beyond top of uncus; sacculus slightly broader than valva in middle, and about 1/7 length of valva, narrowed distally, subrectangular with distinct posterolateral corner, apex with pointed, inward-curved tip, separated from valva by large triangular gap; vincular processes subtriangular, slightly shorter than sacculus, as broad at base as sacculus, distally narrow, outwardly curved, separated from sacculus by broad gap; vinculum slightly broader than long, medial incision deep, triangular; saccus broad at base, then narrowed towards pointed apex, extending slightly beyond top of pedunculus; distal portion of phallus straight, apex rounded with distinct, weakly curved hook, caecum weakly swollen, about 1/3 length of distal portion of phallus.

Female genitalia. Unknown.

Biology. Host plant unknown. The holotype was collected in January.

Distribution. South Africa.

Etymology. The species name refers to its type locality in KwaZulu-Natal Province of South Africa.

Figures

FIGURES 41–50. Scrobipalpa spp., adults. 41–43. S. wolframi sp. nov. 41. Namibia, Nababiep, HT, male (gen. slide 129/21, OB). 42. Namibia, Brandberg, PT, female (gen. slide 128/21, OB). 43. South Africa, P.K. le Roux Dam, PT, female (gen. slide 126/21, OB). 44. S. natalensis sp. nov., South Africa, Karkloof, HT, male (gen. slide 182/17, OB). 45. S. varivansoni sp. nov., Namibia, Nababieb, HT, male (gen. slide 173/17, OB). 46. S. phelotris, South Africa, Kimberly, HT, male (after Janse 1960). 47–50. S. typica sp. nov. 47. Namibia, Brandberg, male (genitalia in glycerol vial). 48. South Africa, P.K. le Roux Dam (gen. slide 96/17, OB). 49. South Africa, Pretoria, PT, female (gen. slide 97/17, OB). 50. Kenya, Lake Bogoria, female (gen. slide 140/17, OB). Scale bar = wingspan.

FIGURES 111–117. Scrobipalpa spp., male genitalia. 111, 112. S. diversa, Namibia, Abachaus 111. HT (gen. slide g. 6052). 112. Gen. slide g. 8527. 113, 114. S. wolframi sp. nov., PT. 113. Namibia, Brandberg (gen. slide 24/06, W. Mey). 114. South Africa, Richtersveld Nat. Park (gen. slide 204/12, OB). 115. S. natalensis sp. nov., South Africa, Karkloof, HT (gen. slide 182/17, OB). 116. S. varivansoni sp. nov., Namibia, Nababieb, HT (gen. slide 173/17, OB). 117. S. phelotris, South Africa, Kimberly, HT (after Janse 1960).