Ptychopseustis sharporum, Agassiz, 2022

Agassiz, David, 2022, The tribe Cybalomiini (Lepidoptera: Pyraloidea, Crambidae, Glaphyrinae) of sub-Saharan Africa, Zootaxa 5174 (2), pp. 101-156 : 124-125

Ptychopseustis sharporum sp. n.

Imago (fig. 34): Wingspan 10–13 mm. Head and appendages pale orange-brown, palpi porrect, maxillary palpus ¾ diameter of eye, labial palpus 1.5 × diameter of eye, antenna ⅔ length of forewing. Thorax and tegulae pale orangebrown. Forewing ground colour pale orange-brown, costa with various clusters of dark fuscous scales, antemedian fascia a dark fuscous line angled at costa then bent towards dorsum making an irregular line, an oblique fuscous discal spot, second fascia similar to first meeting costa at ⅔, a sequence of blackish dots before termen, fringe with dark brown line. Hindwing plain, paler than forewing. Legs whitish with a scattering of dark fuscous scales.

Male genitalia (fig. 71): Uncus a rounded triangle, gnathos reaching as far as uncus, heavily sclerotised near apex; valva broad at base then narrow with distal ¼ bent downwards; aedeagus partly curved, cornuti comprised of two serrate strips ¼ length of aedeagus.

Female genitalia (fig. 98): Ostium weak, about half width of ovipositor, antrum sclerotised, three times as long as wide, ductus widening gradually from antrum to corpus bursae, a sclerotised ring before corpus, corpus spherical much of the interior covered with minute spines.

Diagnosis: Distinguished from other species in the genus by its comparatively small size, and the oblique discal spot between the two fascias of the forewing; in the male genitalia by the shape of the distal part of the valva.

Life history: has been reared from Capparis tomentosa .

Derivation: Named after A. and I. Sharp who reared the species.

Distribution: South Africa, Kenya.

Type material: Holotype ♂ SOUTH AFRICA, Limpopo, Hoedspruit, Tshukudu Game Reserve 24° 17’ 09” S 30° 55’ 41” E on Capparis tomentosa l. 7.ii. em. 29.ii.2016 A. & I. Sharp [SHARP M 1213] DJLA slide 11707, 1♀ same data as holotype, l. 10.iv. em. 3.v.2013 [SHARP M1205]; 1♂ KENYA, Masai Mara Game Reserve , 31.iii.1977 leg. D. Burckh. MHNG-ENTO 00086454 ( MHNG).

Numbers in brackets refer to Staude, (2016).