Coleophora kenyaensis Baldizzone

Baldizzone, Giorgio & Van Der Wolf, Hugo W., 2015, On the taxonomy of Afrotropical Coleophoridae (II) (Lepidoptera, Coleophoridae), Zootaxa 4000 (3), pp. 335-362 : 337-339

Coleophora kenyaensis Baldizzone & van der Wolf, sp. nov.

( Fig. 1 )

Holotype ♂ (GP Bldz 7429) “ 18.XI.1984 | E. Africa | W. Mt. Kenya | 1950 m | G. Bassi leg.”, coll. Bldz.

Paratypes: 1 ♂ (GP Bldz 15291) “ Kenya, Rift Valley, Kaijado, North Dist. Masai Lodge, 1665 m, 25.XI. 2010, Agassiz & Aarvik”; 1 ♂ (GP Bldz 15298), 1 ♀ GP Bldz 15294), ibidem, 26.XI.2010; 1 ♀ (GP Bldz 15295), ibidem, 4.XII.2010; 1 ♂ (GP Wolf 8439) “ Kenya Centr., Aberdare C. Club kk8, 6500 ft. 19.VI.1999, D.J.L. Agassiz”; 1 ♀ (GP Wolf 8440), ibidem 2.IV.2000; 2 ♀ ♀ (GP Wolf 9029, 9034), ibidem 26.IV.2003; 1 ♂ (GP Wolf 9033), ibidem 27.IV.2003; 1 ♂, 1 ♀ (GP Wolf 11041, 11040) “ Kenya, Rift Valley, Gilgil 2100 m. 0° 37’S, 36° 22’E, 22.XI.2008, D. Agassiz, L. Aarvik & A.J. Kingston”; 1 ♀ (GP Wolf 8433) “ Kenya Centr. Pr., Naivasha 6000 ft. 20.X. 1998, D.J.L. Agassiz”. Paratypes in coll. BMNH, Bldz and Wolf.

Diagnosis. A species characterized by the almost uniform sandy colour. It belongs to a group of species which does not occur in the Palearctic region. Judging from the male genitalia it is related to the Afrotropical species C. afrotropicalis Baldizzone & van der Wolf, 2004 , C. bantuella Baldizzone & van der Wolf, 2005 and C. mirabibella Baldizzone, Mey & van der Wolf, 2011 .

In the male genitalia the shape of the sacculus and the transtilla, and in the female the shape of the colliculum and the clusters of spikes in the ductus bursae, are characteristic.

Description. Wingspan 12–14 mm. Head white, frons shaded greyish. Labial palp internally whitish grey, externally brown; third segment about half length second. Antenna silvery white, scape without scale tuft. Thorax whitish grey. Forewing whitish grey, densely sprinkled with dark brown scales, which gives them a peppered appearance; at 3/4th a more or less distinct black dot; underside shining brown grey; fringe silvery ochreous grey. Hindwing silvery grey; fringe silvery ochreous grey. Abdomen whitish grey.

Male genitalia ( Figs. 14–16 ): Gnathos knob globular. Tegumen broad, medially constricted. Pedunculus slender. Transtilla slender, medially transformed into a large cup-shaped flap. Valvula large, triangular. Cucullus short, with rounded apex. Sacculus an inverted triangle, with heavily sclerotized rounded apex. Phallotheca wide, hardly sclerified, with large bundle of needle-like cornuti.

Female genitalia ( Figs. 18–20 ): Papillae anales ladle-shaped, large. Apophysis posterioris about twice length of anterioris. Sterigma subtrapezoid, distal margin concave, with strong bristles. Ostium bursae ovular. Colliculum lozenge-shaped with convex distal margin. Ductus bursae short, wide, transparent, with a half-circle of triangular stout spikes, a conglomerate of smaller spikes and a round cluster of small spikes. Corpus bursae sack-like, with large irregularly round signum with stout triangular sclerotized ridge

Abdominal apodemes ( Figs. 17 , 21 ): No posterior lateral struts. Transverse strut slender, straight. Tergal disk about three times longer than wide, covered with about 35 sharp spines.

Bionomy. The early stages and the foodplant are not known.

Distribution. The species is known only from Kenya.

Etymology. The name of the species refers to the type locality: Mount Kenya.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 7. Adults of Coleophora spp. 1, Coleophora kenyaensis Baldizzone & van der Wolf, sp. nov., — Holotype ♂. 2, C. vansoni Baldizzone & van der Wolf, sp. nov. — Paratype ♀ (GP Bldz 11646). 3, C. elegans Baldizzone & van der Wolf, sp. nov. — Paratype ♀ (GP Bldz 13572). 4, C. namaqua Baldizzone & van der Wolf, sp. nov. — Paratype ♂ “ RSA, North. [ern] Cape Kamieskroon, Farm Windhoek, 16. X. 2007, leg. W. Mey ” “ Bachtal ca. 2 km oberth. Farmhaus ”. 5, C. kunenensis Baldizzone & van der Wolf, sp. nov. — Holotype ♂. 6, C. creola Baldizzone & van der Wolf, sp. nov. — Holotype ♂. 7, C. kamiesella Baldizzone & van der Wolf, sp. nov. — Paratype ♀ (GP Bldz 15354).

FIGURES 14 – 17. Male genitalia of C. kenyaensis Baldizzone & van der Wolf, sp. nov., 14, GP Bldz 7429, holotype. 15, Idem, enlarged detail of valva, sacculus phallotheca and cornuti. 16, same detail, GP Bldz 15299. 17, abdominal segments 1 – 4, GP Bldz 15299.

FIGURES 18 – 21. Female genitalia of C. kenyaensis Baldizzone & van der Wolf, sp. nov. 18, GP Bldz 15294. 19, Idem, detail of sterigma and colliculum. 20, detail of sterigma and colliculum, GP Bldz 15295. 21, abdominal segments 1 – 4, GP Bldz 15295.