Thecobathra meniscata Wang, 2023

Liu, Haoyu & Wang, Shuxia, 2023, Taxonomic study of the genus Thecobathra Meyrick (Lepidoptera: Yponomeutidae) in China, with descriptions of eight new species, Zootaxa 5325 (4), pp. 483-508 : 495

Thecobathra meniscata Wang , sp. nov.

( Figs 5 , 15 )

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:6945176D-F593-4FC9-8589-720BFACD4B8C

Type material. CHINA, Yunnan: Holotype ♁, Taiyanghe , 1450 m, 19.VIII.2014, leg. ZG Zhang, slide No. LHY21528.

Paratypes: Yunnan: 12♁, same data as holotype except dated 31.III‒23.VIII.2014, slide Nos. LHY21522, LHY21525, LHY21529, LHY21700, LHY21705, LHY21739, LHY21741, LHY21746; 3♁, Taiyanghe, Pu’er, 7‒ 9.VI.2015, leg. ZG Zhang, slide Nos. LHY21541, LHY21692, LHY21750 .

Diagnosis. The new species can be distinguished in the male genitalia by the ventral plate of the gnathos with a pair of crescent-shaped anterior processes, and the sacculus produced to a long, slender thorn ventroapically.

Description. Adult ( Fig. 5 ). Wingspan 15.5‒17.0 mm.

Head white, with appressed scales on frons. Antenna white; flagellum ringed with yellow dorsally. Labial palpus white except second palpomere yellow on outer surface.

Thorax and tegula white. Forewing white; costal margin with basal 1/4 dark brown, distal 1/3 yellowish brown; short, yellowish brown band extending from middle of fold obliquely inward to basal 3/5 of dorsum, then running along distal 2/5 of dorsum; fold with a speckle formed by dark brown scales at end; fringe yellowish brown along costal margin and dorsum, pale grey with dark brown tip along termen. Hindwing pale yellowish brown, pale brown along veins, with a whitish area between fold and dorsum; fringe pale grey, tinged with yellow around apex and along costal margin and termen. Legs white; spurs and tarsi yellowish brown; foreleg dark brown ventrally.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 15 ). Uncus triangularly produced, bifid medially. Socius widely apart, subparallel-sided; apex hooked, produced outward, forming a tooth directed outward. Ventral plate of gnathos quadrate; paired large crescent-shaped processes extending from anterior margin, bent inward distally, bearing 1‒2 spines along outer margin and 3‒7 along inner margin. Valva kidney-shaped, widened medially, rounded apically, arched ventrally; costa banded. Sacculus distinct, dorsoapically extending along basal 1/3 of ventral margin of valva, forming a narrow band, ventroapically produced to a thorn longer than dorsal band. Saccus with posterior 4/5 U-shaped, anterior 1/5 stout and parallel-sided, apex blunt.Aedeagus about 1.6 times length of saccus, nearly straight, with two rows of dentations: one row along distal 1/10, the other along distal 2/5.

Female unknown.

Distribution. China (Yunnan).

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the Latin meniscatus, referring to the two crescent-shaped anterior processes of the ventral plate of the gnathos.

Figures

FIGURES 1–6. Adults of Thecobathra spp. 1, T. albana, male, slide No. LHY21451; 2, T. cuneata sp. nov., paratype, female, slide No. LHY21668; 3, T. lambda, male, slide No. LHY21460; 4, T. magnidentalis sp. nov., holotype, male, slide No. YHL00384; 5, T. meniscata sp. nov., holotype, male, slide No. LHY21528; 6, T. minutiprocessa sp. nov., paratype, female, slide No. JQ10078. Scales = 2.0 mm.

FIGURES 15–18. Male genitalia of Thecobathra spp. 15, T. meniscata sp. nov., holotype, slide No. LHY21528; 16, T. microsignata, slide No. LHY21734; 17, T. minutiprocessa sp. nov., holotype, slide No. LHY21667; 18, T. odontoidea sp. nov., holotype, slide No. LHY21068. Scales = 0.5 mm.