Acria meyricki Shashank and Ramamurthy

Saravanan, L., Kalidas, P., Phanikumar, T., Rth, Ma Mu & Chandra Bose, N. S., 2015, A new species of the genus Acria Stephens, 1834 (Lepidoptera: Depressariidae: Acriinae) from India, Zootaxa 3957 (2), pp. 226-230 : 227-229

Acria meyricki Shashank and Ramamurthy , sp. nov.

Diagnosis. This species is distinguished from other species of Acria as follows: in male genitalia the valval bifurcation at apex is asymmetrical with the ventral bifurcation longer than the dorsal one, and a finger-like projection forms the apical trisection of costa. This species resembles A. ceramitis Meyrick and the Cocos -eating Chinese species A. cocophaga Chen & Wu in genitalia structures. The valva of A. ceramitis has two pointed apical processes, of which the ventral one is longer than the dorsal one; in A. cocophaga the valval bifurcation at apex is variable, ventral bifurcation is smaller than dorsal bifurcation. In the female the shape of signa is distinct. The distinction of this species is supported by its DNA barcode which is 10.4% distant from A. ceramitis .

Description. Head: Ocelli absent. Compound eyes hemispherical. Frons white, interspersed with greyish-white scales in male, female frons pale greyish brown. Vertex similar to frons in both sexes, with many filiform,greyish white scales. Proboscis well developed with whitish scales. Labial palpus nearly white, interspersed with pale brown scales, three segmented, lateral surface of first and half of second segment black. Second segment as long as 3rd segment with outward erected scales at distal end. At the base of third segment pale greyish ring, brownish black ring from about½ and distal ¼. Antenna filiform in male and female, flagellum concolours to head, scape elongated with pale yellow scales, length of antenna 0.78 times as long as forewing.

Thorax: Male whitish grey interspersed with pale brownish black scales, female greyish brown interspersed with brownish black scales. Leg greyish yellow, foreleg short, epiphysis coxa, femur and tibia blackish brown ventrally, tibial spur whitish, tarsi pale brownish white.

Wing: Forewing suboblong, costa arched; apex rounded-obtuse; termen rounded, slightly oblique. Forewing length of male 5.5–6.15 mm (average =5.88, n = 3); female 6.75-7.15 mm (average = 6.96, n = 3). Forewing in male pale greyish white, pale brownish grey along notch, blackish- fuscous scales from both side of notch extending above dorsal corner of cell, forming V-shaped pattern, fringe in apex grey, mixed with black and lower outer margin and inner margin whitish. Female similar to male, but greyish brown in colour. Hind wing male whitish with long whitish fringe, female greyish white,darker towards apex, fringe ochreous. Female frenulum with two bristles, and frenulum usually with one bristle.

Abdomen. Yellowish white in both sexes.

Male genitalia. Uncus bifid or fork like from base arched gently outward, forks covered with long, slender, and curved setae; spinose knob of gnathos divided into two separate oval lobes, with dense, transverse rows of small setae; valva wide at base, cucullus and sacculus separated by deep distal emargination making apex of valva bifurcate, sacculus (‘ventral bifurcation’) longer than cucullus, costa of valve distally produced to finger like, bent projection that is distally somewhat dilated; saccus broad and blunt; juxta trapezoid; phallus long, expanded at base and slender at apex,cornuti formed of sclerotized plate and group formed of 8 spines near apex; bulbus ejaculatorius posteriorly directed; caecum absent.

Female genitalia. Papilla analis setose and slender, telescopic; posterior apophysis 3x as long as anterior apophysis; ostium bursae sclerotised, as wide as length of anterior apophysis; antrum curved, length 0.48x widh of ductus bursae; ductus bursae membranous and elongate; ductus seminalis arising from anterior part of ductus bursae; near base a large, oval bulla seminalis; corpus bursae oval, signa present and formed of group of sclerotized, dentate plates.

Material studied. Holotype, ♂, INDIA, Andhra Pradesh, Pedavegi., 15/2/2014, L. Saravanan. Paratypes. 2 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀, same data as holotype. All specimens deposited in NPC.

Etymology. This species is named in honor of Edward Meyrick, renowned expert of Microlepidoptera.