Postplatyptilia andromeda Kovtunovich & Ustjuzhanin, 2024

Kovtunovich, Vasily N. & Ustjuzhanin, Petr., 2024, New species of plume moths (Lepidoptera: Pterophoridae) from Ecuador. Part 3, Ecologica Montenegrina 77, pp. 1-11 : 1-3

Postplatyptilia andromeda Kovtunovich & Ustjuzhanin sp. nov.

https://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:5C3BE2BE-ABEE-44A0-AE9E-D97029C2CCA0

Figs 1−2

Type material: Holotype, male, ( ZISP, gen.pr. Nr. 2006), Ecuador, Pichincha prov., Camping Bella Vista , 2230 m a.s.l., 0°00′41″S, 78°41′17″W, 19.XII.2012 - 07.I.2013, V. Sinjaev & O. Romanov leg.

Description. External characters. Head and thorax with light-brown scales, collar between head and thorax dark-brown. Labial palpi brown outside, yellowish inside, 1.5 times longer than longitudinal eye diameter. Third segment detached, short, straight. Antennae dark-brown. Wingspan 23.5 mm. Fore wings light-brown. Costal triangle in front of cleft dark-brown, distinct. Distally, dull sinuous yellowish band on both fore wing lobes, indistinct. Fringe along outer edge of fore wing, with three portions of dark-brown scales. Hind wings unicolorous, dark-grey. Third lobe with scattered brown scales along outer edge of fringe. Bundle of dark-brown hairs well developed on apical part of third lobe. Hind legs light-brown.

Male genitalia. Valves symmetric with well developed, elongated, beak-shaped cucullus. Uncus reduced, shaped as small bump. Vinculum bifurcated apically, with broad shallow notch. Aedeagus arched, narrowing to end, slightly bent upwards, basal process thick, apically directed.

Diagnosis. The new species is similar to Postplatyptilia oxapampa Gielis, 2014 , in the external characters of adults and the male genitalia, and it differs in the poorly expressed light band on both fore wing lobes and the absence of a yellow transverse stroke in front of the costal triangle. Its wingspan is 23.5 mm, whereas P. oxapampa wingspan is 18 mm. In the male genitalia, the new species differs from P. oxapampa in the more elongated cucullus on valves and arched aedeagus.

Distribution: Ecuador.

Etymology: The species is named after the Andromeda constellation located in the northern hemisphere.

Figures

Figures 1-2. Postplatyptilia andromeda Kovtunovich & Ustjuzhanin sp. nov.: 1: Male, holotype; 2: Male genitalia, holotype (ZISP, gen.pr. Nr. 2006).