Tricerophora nigribasis (Janse, 1960) Bidzilya & Mey, 2018

Bidzilya, Oleksiy V. & Mey, Wolfram, 2018, Review of the genus Tricerophora Janse, 1958 (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae) with description of six new species, Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift 65 (1), pp. 81-98 : 84-85

Tricerophora nigribasis (Janse, 1960) comb. n.

Leucophylla nigribasis Janse, 1960 - Moths of South Africa 6 (2): 203

Tricerophora sp. 1 - Bidzilya 2007: 99, figs 32, 36; pl. 7, fig. 2

Type material examined.

Holotype of L. nigribasis , ♂: [RSA] "Pentonville, 60 m, N.W Vaalwater, 27.ix.1953, Harvey & Rorke" | " Leucophylla nigribasis J., ♂, HOLOTYPE No: 3729." | "g. 8455" ( TMSA). Paratypes: 1 ♀, same data as for holotype (gen. slide 8456); 1 ♂, same data as for holotype (gen. slide 599/14, O. Bidzilya); 1 ♀, [Namibia] Abachaus, S.W.A., Oct. 43 (Hobohm); 1 ♀, Abachaus, S.W.A., xi’ 45 (Hobohm) (gen. slide 600/14, O. Bidzilya) (all TMSA).

Material examined.

1 ♂, 2 ♀, [ Namibia], Brandberg , Mason Shelter, 1740 m, 5, 7.iii.2002 (Mey) (gen. slide 117/05 ♂; 197/ 12♀, O. Bidzilya) ; 1 ♀, Brandberg , Hungarob-valley, 17.iii.2001, 1200 m (gen. slide 105/05, O. Bidzilya) (all MfN) .

Diagnosis.

The species is easy recognized by light grey forewing with prominent black touch on base of costal margin, distinct black streak in fold and diffuse black spots under costal margin. The male genitalia are defined by parallel-sided gnathos which is sub-equal in length with uncus, in combination with short, slender saccus, slender valva and phallus with basally broadened cornutus. T. nigrinervis sp. n. differs from other congeners by the longer posteromedial lobe of vinculum, longer valva, sacculus and phallus. The comparatively long ductus bursae with a long medially sclerotized portion separated from antrum is diagnostic for T. nigribasis .

Description.

Adult (Figs 5-6 ): Wingspan 14.0-18.0 mm. Head, thorax and tegulae white, slightly mottled with brown; segment 2 of labial palpus light grey, base black, brush of raised scales underside, segment 3 slender, acute. Forewing light-grey, black-tipped scales forming indistinct touch at the base of cell, mainly concentrated in subapical area, black spot in the middle and black point in the cell corner, costal margin with obvious black touch at base, diffuse black spots in middle and in 3/4, cilia grey, black-tipped; hindwing and cilia grey.

Male genitalia (Fig. 22 ): Posterolateral processes of tegumen short, pointed; uncus long, evenly curved; gnathos slightly shorter than uncus, of even width, tip rounded; tegumen two times as long as broad; valva nearly straight, narrow, of even width except for weakly broadened distal 1/4, rarely haired, slightly extending beyond the tip of uncus, apex pointed; sacculus about 1/6 length of valva; vinculum 1.5 times as broad as long, slightly more than two times shorter than valva, posteromedial lobe extending to about 1/6 length of the valva, medially with broad triangular emargination; saccus gradually narrowed in middle; phallus weakly swollen on base, cornutus straight, broadened at base.

Female genitalia (Fig. 33 ): Sternum VIII slightly broader than long, weakly sclerotized, covered with microtrichia and finely wrinkled in basal 2/3; ostium indistinct; apophysis anterioris as long as a length of segment VIII; antrum broad on base, then tubular, 2/3 length of apophysis anterioris; colliculum broad; ductus bursae three times as long as apophysis anterioris, narrow, weakly broadened towards corpus bursae, sclerotized in medial portion; corpus bursae egg-shaped, arms of signum of equal length, anterior one truncate, posterior one weakly narrowed apically, laterally serrated.

Distribution.

RSA, Namibia.

Biology.

Adults have been collected in September-November and March up to 1740 m elevation at the Brandberg (Namibia).

Notes.

Leucophila nigribasis was described from two males (including the holotype) and one female collected in Pentonville (South Africa, Limpopo) and five females from Abachaus (Namibia). Janse (1960: 203) noted that females from Abachaus are smaller (14 mm instead of 18 mm) and darker than the specimens from Pentonville. However, the female genitalia are identical indicating their conspecifity. One male and three females from the Brandberg match externally to the female paratypes from Abachaus having the forewing densely irrorated with grey and a wingspan of 14.1-15.2 mm. The male genitalia (gen. slide 117/05, O. Bidzilya) are identical with the holotype and paratype from Pentonville. However, the genitalia of two females (gen. slide 105/05; 197/12, O. Bidzilya) differ considerably (Fig. 34 ) from female paratypes from Pentonville and Abachaus. The females from Brandberg may represent a further, undescribed species, whose male is unknown.

Figures

Figures 1 - 10. Adult of Tricerophora spp. 1 - 4. T. commaculata. 1. HT, ♀, Magude (gen. slide 5544). 2. PT, ♂, Inyack Isl. (gen. slide 8617). 3. ♀, Pretoria (gen. slide 8406). 4. Zimbabwe, ♂ (gen. slide 322 / 07, O. Bidzilya). 5 - 6. T. nigribasis. 5. HT, ♂, Pentonville (gen. slide 8455). 6. ♂, Brandberg (gen. slide 117 / 05, O. Bidzilya). 7 - 8. T. rukinga sp. n. 7. HT, ♂, Rukinga (gen. slide 324 / 14, O. Bidzilya (= 1542, DJLA )). 8. PT, ♀, Rukinga (gen. slide 325 / 14, O. Bidzilya (= 1543, DJLA )). 9 - 10. T. objecta. 9. HT, ♀, Harare. 10. ♀, Kenya, Tschinkolobwe (gen. slide 103 / 18, O. Bidzilya). Scale bar = 2 mm.

Figures 21 - 24. Male genitalia of Tricerophora spp. 21. T. commaculata, Zimbabwe (gen. slide 322 / 07, O. Bidzilya). 22. T. nigribasis, Brandberg (gen. slide 117 / 05, O. Bidzilya). 23. Tricerophora sp., Wylies Poort (gen. slide 331 / 14, O. Bidzilya). 24. T. rukinga sp. n., HT, Rukinga (gen. slide 324 / 14, O. Bidzilya (= 1542, DJLA )).

Figures 33 - 35. Female genitalia of Tricerophora spp. 33. T. nigribasis, PT, Abachaus (gen. slide 600 / 14, O. Bidzilya). 34. Tricerophora sp., Brandberg (gen. slide 105 / 05, O. Bidzilya). 35. T. nigrinervis sp. n., PT, Brandberg (gen. slide 77 / 18, O. Bidzilya).