Torodora batillana Park & Koo, 2022

Park, Kyu-Tek & Koo, Jun-Mo, 2022, Description of Spiniola hanaro Park, gen. and sp. nov., and three new species of Torodora Meyrick, 1894 (Lepidoptera, Lecithoceridae, Torodorinae) from the Afrotropical Region, Zootaxa 5092 (5), pp. 576-586 : 580

Torodora batillana Park & Koo , sp. nov.

LSID: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:D860ABFC-6C7E-4EEF-A5D4-CB2FE0EB54C3

( Figs. 3A–J )

Type material. Holotype. [ Kenya] male, Gatamayo Forest , Central, Kenya, 00°58′00″S 36°41′37″E, 2,120 m, MV Light, 17-VIII-1999 (D.J.L. Agassiz), gen. slide no. CIS-7491, wings slide no. KJM0216, deposited in NHMUK.

Diagnosis. This new species can be distinguished from its congeners by the male genitalia with a typically ovate juxta. Among them, Torodora triloba Park & De Prins, 2019 , known from DR Congo, is similar superficially, but it can be clearly distinguished by the following characteristics of male genitalia: medial process of gnathos strongly bent beyond 2/3, valva abruptly upturned beyond basal 1/3, juxta with digitate median process and shorter triangular lateral lobes on caudal margin in T. triloba , but medial process of gnathos gently bent, valva slightly upturned relatively beyond basal 1/3, juxta ovate lacking any processes in the new species.

Description. Adult ( Figs. 3A, C–F ). Wingspan 19.5 mm. Head: Vertex grayish orange with light yellow erect scales laterally. Antenna 0.8 times shorter than forewing; scape elongated, light yellow with dark brown scales on outer surface; flagellum filiform, ciliate, light yellow, lacking annulations. 2 nd segment of labial palpus thickened, light yellow with dark brown scales basally on outer surface; light yellow on inner surface; 3 rd segment slender, 1.1 times longer than 2 nd segment, light yellow on both surfaces ( Figs. 3C, D ). Thorax: Tegula and notum purplish dark brown. Forewing ground color dark brown with purplish luster uniformly; costa gently arched near 1/2, then slightly curved distally, lacking costal patch; apex acute; termen oblique, slightly concave medially; fringe yellowish white with dark brown sub-basal line; venation ( Fig. 3G ) with R 1 arising from basal 3/5 of discal cell; distance between origins of R 1 and R 2 about 1.4 times longer than that of R 2 and R 3+4+5; R 3 stalked with R 4+5 for basal 1/4; R 4 stalked with R 5 for basal 1/2; M 1 remote from R 3+4+5 at base; M 2 arising from near lower corner of discal cell, well-developed; M 3 shortly stalked with CuA 1+2 at base; CuA 1 and CuA 2 stalked in basal 1/6; 1A+2A shortly forked at extreme base; discal cell closed. Hindwing broader than forewing, yellowish white, irregularly scattered with dark scales; costa nearly straight beyond basal half; apex obtuse; termen oblique; fringe yellowish white with dark brown sub-basal line; venation with M 2 absent; M 3 stalked with CuA 1 for basal 1/4; discal cell weakly closed. Hindtibia light yellow throughout with dark brown scales medially on inner surface ( Figs. 3E, F ). Abdomen ( Fig. 3J ): Spinose zones in posterior half of each II–VII segment dorsally with sparse scales. VIII tergite with well-sclerotized anterior margin. Sternites weakly sclerotized; VIII sternite not modified.

Male genitalia ( Figs. 3H, I ): Uncus elongated, with round apex, nearly reached to apex of basal plate of gnathos. Basal plate of gnathos narrowly produced apically; median process short, broad at base, bent in distal half, gradually narrowed toward sharply pointed apex. Tegumen weakly sclerotized, deeply concave on anterior margin. Valva with basal expansion, with narrowly extended costa in basal 1/3; cucullus elongated, slightly upturned, with round apex, densely setose. Vinculum narrow, heavily sclerotized. Juxta large, rounded shovel-shaped, slightly narrowed distally, lacking latero-caudal processes; lateral margin convex. Aedeagus slender, as long as valva, dorsal surface largely expanded into tongue-shaped plate; cornutus absent.

Female unknown.

Distribution. Kenya (Central).

Etymology. The species name is derived from the Latin, batillum (= shovel, spade), referring to the shovelshaped juxta in the male genitalia.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Torodora batillana Park & Koo, sp. nov., holotype: A, adult; B, label; C, outer surface of labial palpus; D, inner surface of labial palpus; E, outer surface of hindleg; F, inner surface of hindleg; G, venation, wings slide no. KJM0216; H, male genitalia, gen. slide no. CIS-7491; I, aedeagus; J, abdomen.