Promalactis trijugasymmetra 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 : 284-285

Promalactis trijugasymmetra Wang sp. nov.

( Figs 6 , 10 , 13 )

Type material. Holotype ♂, CHINA, Yunnan: Taiyanghe Nature Reserve , 1450 m, 18.V.2014, leg. ZG Zhang, slide No. MQY25551.

Paratypes: Yunnan: 16♂ 18♀ , same data as holotype except for the date 11, 13, 16–22, 30. V.2014, slide Nos. MQY25552 ♀ , MQY25563 ♂; 6♂ 1♀ , Taiyanghe Nature Reserve , Yunnan, 1450 m, 3, 11. VI.2014, leg. ZG Zhang, slide Nos. MQY25564 ♂ , MQY25231 ♀, MQY25232 ♂.

Diagnosis. The new species can be distinguished from its allies by having an asymmetrically bilobed uncus, an elongate clavate gnathos curved at basal 1/5, a slightly asymmetrical valva, and a phallus with an obliquely narrow incision at the distal 1/7.

Description. Adult ( Fig. 6 ). Wingspan 10.0– 13.5 mm.

Head. Vertex white, frons and occiput silvery grey. Labial palpus with second segment pale yellow on inner surface, ocherous yellow on outer surface; third segment black. Antenna with scape white dorsally, light yellowish brown ventrally; flagellum black, alternating with white except a few basal flagellomeres entirely white dorsally.

Thorax. Mesonotum and tegula ocherous yellow. Forewing orange yellow; basal fascia white, edged with black scales, slender, from dorsum obliquely inward to above base of fold; antemedian fascia white, edged with black scales, from middle of dorsum obliquely inward to anterior margin of cell at basal 1/3 of wing length; costal spot white, edged with black scales except on costal margin, black scales denser on inner margin, narrow triangular, extending from distal 1/3 to posterior angle of cell; tornal spot dark silvery grey, edged with black scales, subtriangular, narrowed from end of fold to below costal spot; terminal fascia dark silvery grey, edged with black scales; fringe yellowish brown on termen, grey on distal part of costal margin, dark grey on dorsum. Hindwing and fringe grey.

Abdomen. Male genitalia ( Fig. 10 ) with uncus divided into two lobes differently shaped and unequal in length: right lobe distally narrowed to pointed apex, with several teeth at distal 2/5 on dorsal side, left lobe longer and wider than right lobe, curved inward. Gnathos elongate clavate, uniformly slender except narrowed from preapex to narrowly rounded apex, curved to left at basal 1/5, 1/2 length of tegumen. Tegumen furcate from 1/2, laterally narrowed to anterior end. Valva asymmetrical, setose distally: left valva uniformly wide in basal 2/5, arched dorsad medially, then uniformly narrow to rounded apex, ventral margin with a slender, clubbed process arising from middle reaching near apex of valva, setose and dilated distally, with a line of strong setae from beyond base of ventral process to apex; right valva slightly narrowed and not arched medially, slightly widened and then uniform to rounded apex, ventral margin with a slender, clubbed process arising from before middle reaching apex of valva, setose and dilated distally, with a line of strong setae on distal 1/6; costal process asymmetrical: left costal process shorter, nearly straight, narrowed to pointed apex, apex not exceeding base of gnathos, right costal process curved, narrowed to pointed apex, apex exceeding base of gnathos. Saccus broad triangular, slightly narrowed to rounded apex, 1/2 length of valva. Juxta Y-shaped, basal lobe slender. Phallus twice length of valva, slender, slightly sharp, with an incision at distal 1/7; cornutus absent.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 13 ) with papilla anales setose, rounded on posterior margin. Apophyses anteriores 1/2 length of apophyses posteriores. Eighth sternum lined with sparse setae on posterior margin. Lamella postvaginalis large, quadrate, with a digitate process arising from left posterior corner. Ductus bursae strongly sclerotized, tubular, anteriorly membranous and slightly inflated toward corpus bursae. Corpus bursae ovate, as long as ductus bursae; signum small, rounded, with two spines.

Distribution. China ( Yunnan).

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the Latin trijugus and asymmetra, referring to the lobes of the uncus, the costal process of the valva and the valva all asymmetrical.

Note. The new species belongs to the suzukiella species-group, characterized by the forewing having white basal and antemedian fasciae that do not reach the costal margin, and a white narrow triangular 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.

FIGURES 11–13. Female genitalia of Promalactis spp. 11. P.microdonta sp. nov., slide No. MQY24261, paratype; 12. P. saligna Du et Wang, 2012, slide No. MQY25396; 13. P. trijugasymmetra sp. nov. slide No. MQY25552, paratype. Scales = 0.2 mm.