Promalactis anisilobata 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

Promalactis anisilobata Wang sp. nov.

( Figs 1, 2 , 7 )

Type material. Holotype ♂, CHINA, Hunan: Cangxi Town , Xinhua County, 8.VIII.2004, leg. YL Xiao, slide No. MQY25418.

Diagnosis. The new species can be distinguished from its allies by the basal fascia being much slenderer than the antemedian fascia. The male genitalia can be separated by having an elongate uncus with a hooked apex, and the apically bilobed valva with the dorsal lobe hooked downward, and a rounded, setose ventral lobe with a spine-like seta directed straightly outward.

Description. Adult ( Figs 1, 2 ). Wingspan 8.0 mm.

Head. Vertex white, occiput dark fuscous. Labial palpus with second segment pale yellow on inner surface, yellowish brown except black at distal 1/3 on outer surface; third segment with basal 2/3 white, distal 1/3 black on inner surface, yellowish brown on outer surface. Antenna with scape white dorsally, pale yellowish brown ventrally; flagellum yellowish brown, a few basal flagellomeres white, remaining flagellomeres alternating with white dorsally.

Thorax. Mesonotum and tegula dark ocherous yellow. Forewing orange yellow; basal fascia white, edged with black scales, slender, extending obliquely inward from dorsum to base of fold; antemedian fascia white, edged with black scales, extending obliquely inward from middle of dorsum, widened at fold, then narrowed, thereafter widened to basal 1/4 of costal margin; costal spot white, edged with black scales except on costal margin, subtriangular, extending from distal 1/3 to posterior angle of cell; tornal spot greyish white, edged with black scales, diffused to below costal spot; apical spot white, small, with black scales on inner margin; fringe grey, sparsely black-tipped. Hindwing and fringe grey.

Abdomen. Male genitalia ( Fig. 7 ) with uncus elongate, broad, parallel-sided in basal 1/4, then narrowed to middle, distal 1/2 slender, slightly inflated before hooked apex. Gnathos inconspicuous. Tegumen furcate from posterior 1/5, narrowed laterally to anterior end. Valva subparallel from base to 1/2, then slightly widened to apex; apex deeply emarginated, forming two lobes: dorsal lobe broad basally, gradually narrowed to recurved, hooked apex, ventral lobe much shorter than dorsal lobe, rounded, setose apically, with a long spine-like seta directed straightly outward, exceeding apex of dorsal lobe; costa narrow, extending to tip of costal margin. Saccus elongate triangular, more than 1/2 length of valva. Juxta rounded, lateral lobe spine-like, slightly shorter than 1/2 length of uncus; basal lobe clavate, slightly longer than lateral lobe. Phallus as long as valva, tubular, slightly inflated distally; with two cornuti: longer cornutus from middle to before apex of phallus, curved near base, shorter cornutus apicad of longer one, hooked.

Female unknown.

Distribution. China ( Hunan).

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the Latin anis- and lobatus, referring to the different shapes of the distal lobes of the valva.

Note. The new species belongs to the suzukiella species-group, characterized by the forewing with white basal and antemedian fasciae and a white costal spot.

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.