Promalactis subaequalis Wang, 2025

Min, Qiuyue, Li, Houhun & Wang, Shuxia, 2025, Four new species of Promalactis Meyrick, 1908 (Lepidoptera: Oecophoridae) from China, Zootaxa 5711 (2), pp. 279-286 : 282-284

Promalactis subaequalis Wang sp. nov.

( Figs 5 , 9 )

Type material. Holotype ♂, CHINA, Yunnan: Nabanhe , Menghai County, ( 22.24ºN, 100.60ºE), 810 m, 2– 3.VIII.2022, leg. S Yu, and KJ Teng, slide No. MQY24280.

Diagnosis. The new species can be distinguished by features of the male genitalia: the uncus is strongly sclerotized and narrowed from distal 2/5 to pointed apex; the valva is bifurcated in the distal 1/3 into two differently shaped, subequal lobes; and the phallus is tapered from beyond distal 1/4 to a sharp apex.

Description. Adult ( Fig. 5 ). Wingspan 12.5 mm.

Head. Vertex white laterally, silvery grey medially; frons shiny silvery grey; occiput dark fuscous. Labial palpus with second segment pale yellow on inner surface, yellowish brown on outer surface; third segment yellowish brown on inner surface, basal 1/2 black, distal 1/2 yellowish brown mixed with black scales on outer surface.Antenna with scape white dorsally, pale yellowish brown ventrally; flagellum black ventrally, a few basal flagellomeres white, remaining flagellomeres black alternating with white dorsally.

Thorax. Mesonotum and tegula dark ocherous yellow. Forewing orange yellow; basal fascia white, edged with black scales, slender, from dorsum obliquely inward to above base of fold; antemedian fascia white, edged with black scales, from middle of dorsum obliquely inward to anterior margin of cell at basal 1/4 of wing; costal spot white, edged with black scales except on costal margin, subovate, extending from distal 1/3 to above posterior angle of cell; tornal spot dark silvery grey, edged with black scales, extending from end of fold to below costal spot; apical spot white, inner margin edged with black scales extending along termen to tornus; fringe dark grey along costal margin, yellow tipped with black basally on termen, grey around tornus and on dorsum, with a few white scales beyond tornal spot. Hindwing and fringe grey.

Abdomen. Male genitalia ( Fig. 9 ) with uncus broad and subparallel-sided from base to basal 3/5, concave in basal 1/4 laterally, sclerotized heavily and narrowed from distal 2/5 to pointed apex, with fine transverse streaks from basal 1/4 to beyond middle. Gnathos strongly sclerotized, lingulate, rounded laterally near base. Tegumen furcate from 1/2, with a large triangular anterior emargination, narrowed laterally to anterior end. Valva subparallel from base to basal 2/3, distal 1/3 furcate, forming two distal lobes almost equal in length: dorsal lobe gradually narrowed to pointed apex, with a brush of dense setae from its basal 3/5 to distal 1/5, ventral lobe digitate, setose, nearly as long as dorsal lobe; costa narrow, with long setae in distal 1/2; sacculus sclerotized, slightly narrowed to base of ventral lobe. Saccus broad and parallel-sided from base to distal 1/5, then narrowed to sharp apex, 1/2 length of valva. Juxta with a slender basal lobe, almost as long as uncus. Phallus twice length of valva, slender, strongly sclerotized, slightly curved medially, tapered from beyond distal 1/4 to sharp apex; cornutus absent.

Female unknown.

Distribution. China ( Yunnan).

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the Latin subaequalis , referring to the nearly equal in length of the distal lobes of the valva.

Note. The new species belongs to the suzukiella species-group, characterized by the forewing having white basal and antemedian fasciae that do not reach the costal margin, and a white subovate costal spot.

Figures

FIGURES 1–6. Adults of Promalactis spp. 1, 2. P. anisilobata sp. nov., ♂, holotype, (2. lateral view); 3. P. microdonta sp. nov., ♂, holotype; 4. P. saligna Du et Wang, 2012, ♀; 5. P. subaequalis sp. nov., ♂, holotype; 6. P. trijugasymmetra sp. nov., ♂, holotype. Scales = 2.0 mm.

FIGURES 7–10. Male genitalia of Promalactis spp. 7. P. anisilobata sp. nov., slide No. MQY25418, holotype; 8. P.microdonta sp. nov., slide No. MQY24262, holotype; 9. P. subaequalis sp. nov., slide No. MQY24280, holotype; 10. P. trijugasymmetra sp. nov., slide No. MQY25551, holotype. Scales = 0.2 mm.