Epicephala assamica Li, 2016

Li, Houhun & Zhang, Zhenguo, 2016, Five species of the genus Epicephala Meyrick, 1880 (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) from China, Zootaxa 4084 (3), pp. 391-405 : 403-404

Epicephala assamica Li , sp. nov.

Figs. 5 , 10 , 15

Type material. CHINA: Holotype ♂, Yunnan Province: Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (21°41'N, 101°25'E), Chinese Academy of Sciences , Mengla, 550 m, 13.ix.2013, reared from fruit of Glochidion assamicum by Z.G. Zhang . Paratypes (530 ♂, 720 ♀): Yunnan Province: 55 ♂, 32 ♀, same data as holotype except 11−27.ix.2013 ; 112 ♂, 103 ♀, same data as holotype except 19−24.iii.2014 ; 104 ♂, 69 ♀, same data as holotype except 26.ix −02.x.2014 ; 219 ♂, 493 ♀, same locality as holotype, 19−29.iv.2015, collected from leaves or reared from fruits of G. assamicum by Z.G. Zhang and K.J. Teng ; 7 ♂, 2 ♀, Puer ' Sun River National Park (22°36'N, 101°07'E), 1200 m, 13−15.iv.2014, reared from fruits of G. assamicum by Z.G . Zhang. Hainan Province: 17 ♂, 8 ♀, Yinggeling Mountain Nature Reserves (19°01'N, 109°33'E), 450 m, 14−25.ix.2010, collected from leaves or reared from fruits of G. assamicum by B.B. Hu ; 16 ♂, 13 ♀, same locality, 21-28.ix.2013, reared from fruits of G. assamicum by Z.B. Wang.

Description. Adult ( Fig. 5 ). Forewing expanse 7.5−10.0 mm. Head white, vertex tinged with pale yellow, with a few tufted greyish brown scales laterally. Labial palpus with basal palpomere white; second and third palpomeres white on inner surface, brown on outer surface. Antenna with ventral surface pale greyish yellow, dorsal surface deep greyish brown, scape snowy white anteriorly. Thorax snowy white; tegula deep greyish brown. Forewing deep greyish brown to dark brown; costal margin with three white streaks: basal streak short, from about 1/4 extending outward to 1/3 of wing at anterior 1/5 to 2/5; median streak from about middle slightly oblique downward to anterior 1/3, then parallel with costal margin to about distal 1/8 discontinuously, indistinct in some individuals; distal streak from distal 1/5, extending below and subparallel with costal margin to distal 1/8 discontinuously, in some individual represented by three short streaks or irregular spots; short white streak between median and distal streaks placed below costal margin, slightly oblique; ventral margin with a broad creamy band from base to end of fold, dorsally sinuate, indistinctly produced to a dorsal strip at 2/3 which obliquely extends to middle of wing at posterior 1/4 to 1/3 or at middle, interrupted distally, narrow white line from beyond end of ventral band extending to distal 1/8; two white streaks from above end of fold subparallelly to distal 1/8, joined distally, dorsal streak stronger and longer; narrow silvery white fascia with metallic reflection at distal 1/8, edged with yellowish brown; distal 1/8 ochre brown, with a yellowish white spot at costal margin and a large white triangular spot along ventral margin, with a central black dot or short transverse strip at middle beyond silvery fascia, apex with a silvery strip; cilia greyish white along costal margin and apex except black distally and a distinct black basal line, grey along dorsal margin. Hindwing and cilia greyish brown.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 10 ). Tegumen elongate, broadly tongue-shaped, sclerotized marginally. Valva with costal part about same length as tegumen; costa protruded before middle; ventral margin shallowly concave near base and before apex, protruded and dentate medially; apex bluntly rounded; transtilla narrow triangular, tapering distally. Valva with sacculus slightly shorter than 2/3 length of valva, subrectangular, slightly widened to before apex; apex rounded and dentate, slightly wider than costal part at maximum width. Vinculum broadly V-shaped; saccus almost same length as arm of vinculum, broad, about 4/5 width of sacculus, subparallel from base to about 3/5, then narrowed to rounded apex. Phallus about same length as valva, slightly dilated basally, curved and almost uniform distally, apically with two amalgamated but occasionally separated denticles ( Figs. 10c, 10d ); cornutus a row of clustered short spines.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 15 ). Ovipositor narrow, cone-shaped, dentate laterally, acute apically. Apophysis posterioris stronger and longer than apophysis anterioris. Lamella postvaginalis inverted trapezoidal; lateral margin obliquely straight, finely dentate in some individuals; posterior margin weakly sinuate, posterolaterally produced to a long thorn-like process, sharp apically. Antrum slightly shorter than ductus bursae, anteriorly narrowed. Ductus bursae with smooth sclerotized pleats; ductus seminalis arising from between antrum and ductus bursae. Corpus bursae oval, about same length as ductus bursae; signum a small overlapped subtriangular plate.

Diagnosis. Epicephala assamica sp. nov. is similar to E. frenata Meyrick, 1908 in appearance and male genitalia. It can be separated from the latter in the male genitalia by the sacculus narrower than 1.5 times of costal part at maximum width, and the phallus with two denticles at apex. In E. frenata Meyrick , the sacculus is wider than 2 times of costal part at maximum width, and the phallus has a small apical thorn in the male genitalia. Epicephala assamica sp. nov. is also similar to E. ancylopa , and the differences between them can be found under E. ancylopa Meyrick.

Biology. Larvae feed on seeds in the fruits of G. assamicum (Müll. Arg.) Kook. f. ( Phyllanthaceae ).

Distribution. China (Hainan, Yunnan).

Etymology. The specific name is derived from the name of the host-plant Glochidion assamicum (Muell. Arg.) Hook.

Figures

FIGURE 10. Male genitalia of Epicephala assamica sp. nov., paratype, slide no. WZB 14554. 10 a (slide no. WZB 14577), 10 b. enlarged distal of sacculus with costa; 10 c. enlarged distal denticle (slide no. ZZG 15007); 10 d. enlarged cornuti and distal denticle. (Scales 10 = 0.3 mm; 10 a – d = 0.1 mm).

FIGURE 15. Female genitalia of Epicephala assamica sp. nov., paratype, slide no. ZZG 15008. 15 a (slide no. WZB 1455), 15 b (slide no. WZB 14026). lamella postvaginalis; 15 c. enlarged signum. (Scales 15 = 0.5 mm; 15 ab = 0.2 mm; 15 c = 0.1 mm).

FIGURES 1 − 5. Adults of Epicephala spp. 1. E. ancylopa Meyrick, ♀; 2. E. duoplantaria sp. nov., paratype, ♀; 3. E. daltonii sp. nov., paratype, ♀; 4. E. jianfenglingina sp. nov., paratype, ♀; 5. E. assamica sp. nov., ♀ (Scales = 2.0 mm).