Promalactis microdonta Wang, 2025

Min, Qiuyue, Li, Houhun & Wang, Shuxia, 2025, Four new species of Promalactis Meyrick, 1908 (Lepidoptera: Oecophoridae) from China, Zootaxa 5711 (2), pp. 279-286 : 280-282

Promalactis microdonta Wang sp. nov.

( Figs 3 , 8 , 11 )

Type material. Holotype ♂, CHINA, Guangxi: Shengtangshan, Dayaoshan Nature Reserve , Jinxiu County ( 23.97ºN, 110.11ºE), 1195 m, 22.VII.2022, leg. H Sun, ZX Xu and D Zhang, slide No. MQY24262.

Paratypes. 1♂ 2♀, same data as holotype, slide Nos. MQY24221 ♂, MQY24261 ♀.

Diagnosis. The new species can be distinguished from its congeners by features of the genitalia. In the male, the valva has an odontoid dorsoapical process and a distally crane head-like costal process. In the female, the eighth sternum has sclerotized lateral bands extending from the posterior margin, exceeding the anterior margin apically.

Description. Adult ( Fig. 3 ). Wingspan 11.0– 11.5 mm.

Head. Vertex white, occiput yellowish brown. Labial palpus with second segment white on inner surface, yellowish brown mixed with black scales on outer surface; third segment with basal 1/2 white, distal 1/2 black. Antenna with scape white dorsally, brown ventrally; flagellum black alternating with white dorsally, dark brown ventrally.

Thorax. Mesonotum and tegula orange yellow. Forewing orange yellow; basal fascia white, edged with black scales, slender, extending obliquely inward from dorsum to above base of fold; antemedian fascia white, edged with black scales, extending obliquely inward from middle of dorsum to fold, where it narrows, thereafter widened to basal 1/4 of costal margin; costal spot white, edged with black scales except on costal margin, subovate, extending from distal 1/3 to posterior angle of cell; dorsal streak white, edged with black scales, extending from end of fold to below costal spot; apical spot white; fringe grey, sparsely tipped with black, except white, sparsely tipped with black and yellowish brown on extension of apical spot. Hindwing and fringe grey.

Abdomen. Male genitalia ( Fig. 8 ) with uncus wide and parallel-sided from base to basal 1/3, slightly narrowed to basal 2/3, distal 1/3 uniformly slender, hooked at apex. Gnathos lingulate, 2/3 as long as uncus. Tegumen furcate from posterior 1/3, narrowed laterally to anterior end. Valva wide basally, slightly narrower distally, rounded apically, densely setose ventrodistally, with an odontoid dorsoapical process; costal process with basal 2/3 narrow, subparallel-sided, distal 1/3 enlarged inward semicircularly, crane head-like, with a few short thorns of varying length at rounded apex, with a longest spine extending directly outward; sacculus broad at base, slightly narrowed to basal 2/3 length of valva, distal 1/3 densely setose. Saccus triangular, broadest at base, narrowed to apex, 1/2 length of uncus. Juxta with each lateral lobe narrowed to pointed apex, not reaching base of uncus; basal lobe narrowed anteriorly. Phallus tubular, as long as valva, slender; cornutus slender, 1/4 length of phallus.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 11 ) with papilla anales subrectangular, sparsely setose. Apophyses anteriores about 1/2 length of apophyses posteriores. Eighth sternum with sclerotized band extending from posterior margin along lateral side, roundly inflated and with dense curly protuberances distally, far exceeding anterior margin of eighth sternum; eighth tergum with two wide sclerotized bands extending from anterior margin, reaching apex of two ventral bands. Antrum strongly sclerotized, inverted droplet-shaped. Ductus bursae short, widened toward corpus bursae. Corpus bursae elongate ovate, membranous; two large, elongate rectangular signa with dense denticles, extending to near anterior end of corpus bursae.

Distribution. China ( Guangxi).

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the Latin microdontus, referring to the odontoid dorsoapical process of the valva.

Note. The new species belongs to the commotica species-group. It can be distinguished from species of the suzukiella group by the presence of an oblique dorsal streak on the forewing.

Figures

FIGURES 1–6. Adults of Promalactis spp. 1, 2. P. anisilobata sp. nov., ♂, holotype, (2. lateral view); 3. P. microdonta sp. nov., ♂, holotype; 4. P. saligna Du et Wang, 2012, ♀; 5. P. subaequalis sp. nov., ♂, holotype; 6. P. trijugasymmetra sp. nov., ♂, holotype. Scales = 2.0 mm.

FIGURES 7–10. Male genitalia of Promalactis spp. 7. P. anisilobata sp. nov., slide No. MQY25418, holotype; 8. P.microdonta sp. nov., slide No. MQY24262, holotype; 9. P. subaequalis sp. nov., slide No. MQY24280, holotype; 10. P. trijugasymmetra sp. nov., slide No. MQY25551, holotype. Scales = 0.2 mm.

FIGURES 11–13. Female genitalia of Promalactis spp. 11. P.microdonta sp. nov., slide No. MQY24261, paratype; 12. P. saligna Du et Wang, 2012, slide No. MQY25396; 13. P. trijugasymmetra sp. nov. slide No. MQY25552, paratype. Scales = 0.2 mm.