Promalactis semantris ( Meyrick, 1906 )

Wang, Shuxia, Kendrick, Roger C. & Sterling, Philip, 2009, Microlepidoptera of Hong Kong: Oecophoridae I: the genus Promalactis Meyrick, Zootaxa 2239, pp. 31-44 : 43

Promalactis semantris ( Meyrick, 1906)

( Figs. 9 , 19 , 26 )

Epicallima semantris Meyrick, 1906: 408 .

Promalactis semantris ( Meyrick, 1906) ; Meyrick, 1922: 26.

Promolactis [sic] suzukiella (Matsumura, 1931) ; Kendrick (2003: 44; plate 3, fig 11): misidentification.

Material examined: CHINA: 1 3, Mai Po Education Centre, Hong Kong, 30.vii.1994, leg. R. C. Kendrick; 1 3, KARC, Hong Kong, 200 m, 27.iii.1999, leg. R. C. Kendrick; 1 3, Tai Tam Tuk Reservoir, Hong Kong Island, 7.iv.1999, leg. R. C. Kendrick; 1 Ƥ, Tai Tam Tuk Reservoir, Hong Kong Island, 29.v.1999, leg. R. C. Kendrick & M. J. Sterling; 1 3, Tai Mong Tsai, Sai Kung, Hong Kong, 2.ii.2002, leg. R. C. Kendrick & M. J. Sterling; 4 3, 1 Ƥ, KARC, Hong Kong, 9–16.iv.2007, leg. Houhun Li et al.; 2 3, 1 Ƥ, Nam Chung Valley, Hong Kong, 18.iv.2007, leg. Houhun Li et al.

Diagnosis. This species is characterized by the forewing having two white basal lines and a rounded spot at costal 3/4 ( Fig. 9 ). It is similar to P. suzukiella both superficially and internally, but can be distinguished from it by male with the uncus having a pair of slender posterolateral processes, the costa extending to a small apex-setose process and the juxta bearing one larger spine and two small teeth posteriorly ( Fig. 19 ); and by female with the lamella postvaginalis being a pair of more or less sclerotized triangular plates ( Fig. 26 ). In P. suzukiella , the uncus is broad at base and narrowed to pointed apex, the costa extends to a fingerlike process with fine hairs and the juxta lacks the large spine and small teeth posteriorly in males; and the lamella postvaginalis in females is somewhat a rectangular plate.

Distribution. China ( Hong Kong, Taiwan), Sri Lanka, Vietnam.

Hong Kong distribution and status. Widespread and frequent; 32 records from secondary forest, feng shui woods, mangrove and abandoned agricultural land from sea level to 550 m elevation; flight period: at least bivoltine, seen in March −April and from late May through October.

Figures

FIGURES 7 – 10. Adults of Promalactis spp. 7, P. apicispinifera sp. nov.; 8, P. infulata Wang, Li et Zheng; 9, P. semantris (Meyrick); 10, P. densidentalis Wang et Li.

FIGURES 17 – 20. Male genitalia Promalactis spp. 17, P. apicispinifera sp. nov.; 18, P. infulata Wang, Li et Zheng; 19, P. semantris (Meyrick); 20, P. densidentalis Wang et Li.

FIGURES 21 – 26. Female genitalia Promalactis spp. 21, P. quinilineata sp. nov.; 22, P. longiuncata sp. nov.; 23, P. biovata sp. nov.; 24, P. lobatifera sp. nov.; 25, P. apicispinifera sp. nov.; 26, P. semantris (Meyrick)