Meleonoma aculeolata, Zhu & Wang, 2022

Zhu, Xiaoju & Wang, Shuxia, 2022, Taxonomy of the genus Meleonoma Meyrick, 1914 (Lepidoptera: Autostichidae) from China (IV), with descriptions of twelve new species, Zootaxa 5087 (4), pp. 501-521 : 504-506

Meleonoma aculeolata sp. nov.

( Figs 4 , 16 , 28 )

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:18E9B911-8895-4768-918E-2805F84C8495

Type material. Holotype ♂, CHINA, Yunnan: Xiajinchang (23.17°N, 104.60°E), Malipo County, Wenshan , 1470 m, 27.VII.2016, leg. KJ Teng et al., slide No. ZXJ19527 . Paratypes: 4♂ 1♀, 28–29.VII.2016, other same data as holotype, slide Nos. ZXJ19535 ♂, ZXJ19536 ♀, ZXJ19715 ♂.

Diagnosis. The new species can be distinguished from other species of the group in the male genitalia by the broad valva with a large sub-quadrate plate on the ventral margin, and the elongate aedeagus with cornuti being a row of short spines running from about basal 1/3 to apex; in the female genitalia by the rectangular lamella antevaginalis with lateral margin medially concave, and the ductus bursae twisted and wrinkled anteriorly.

Description. Adult ( Fig. 4 ). Forewing length 5.0– 6.5 mm.

Head greyish brown. Labial palpus greyish brown; second palpomere whitish yellow on inner surface, with a dark brown ring near apex; third palpomere 2/3 length of second palpomere, whitish yellow at base on dorsal surface and at apex. Antenna dark brown on dorsal surface, yellow on ventral surface except several distal flagellomeres dark brown.

Thorax and tegula dark brown. Forewing dark brown, with two yellow costal spots; inner costal spot wider, extending from before middle obliquely outwards, crossing anterior margin of cell, outer costal spot from beyond distal 1/3 obliquely outwards, sometimes crossing anterior angle of cell; discal, discocellular and plical spots black, with yellowish-white spot on outer side of discal and plical spots as well as on inner side of discocellular smaller spot respectively; terminal spots black, interrupted by yellow scales; fringe dark brown from distal part of costal margin to apex and around tornus, yellow mixed with dark brown along termen. Hindwing greyish brown; fringe greyish brown, mixed with yellow on termen. Legs yellowish white; on ventral surface, coxa of foreleg with sparse dark brown scales, femur dark brown, femur of midleg dark brown distally, tibiae of fore- and midlegs dark brown except yellowish white apically, tarsi of fore- and midlegs dark brown except yellowish white at base of basal tarsomere and yellowish white at apices of basal two and apical one tarsomeres, tibia of hindleg dark brown except yellowish white at middle and at apex, tarsus with basal four tarsomeres dark brown except yellowish white at apices.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 16 ). Uncus slender, slightly narrowed to pointed apex. Gnathos sclerotized basolaterally, not exceeding anterior margin of tegumen, invisible anteriorly. Tegumen widened medially, with a triangular anterior emargination; lateral arm strong and short, rounded at apex. Valva wide at base, narrowed to rounded apex, with a hill-like process at base; ventral margin with a large heavily sclerotized sub-quadrate plate, its ventral surface roundly sunken medially, its apical margin sinuate, with two spines unequal in length; costa lineate, reaching near tip of costal margin; transtilla indistinct. Sacculus wide at base, narrowed to before apex, slightly concave before apex ventrally and dorsally, roundly produced apically. Saccus nearly as long as uncus, wide at base, narrowed to rounded apex. Juxta U-shaped, slightly produced anteromedially; lateral lobe clubbed. Aedeagus relatively slender, inflated basally, tubular distally, with a tooth at distal 1/6 on dorsal margin; cornuti a row of tiny spines, running from before basal 1/3 to apex, becoming larger distally.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 28 ). Papilla analis sub-rectangular, setose. Apophyses posteriores about 2.5 times as long as apophyses anteriores. Eighth sternal plate composed of two sub-triangular lobes, densely covered with short setae. Lamella antevaginalis rectangular, concave medially at lateral margin. Ductus bursae uniformly wide in posterior 4/5, with a sclerotized granulate plate on dorsal surface, twisted and wrinkled anteriorly; ductus seminalis arising from junction of ductus bursae and corpus bursae. Corpus bursae large, slightly shorter than ductus bursae; with two signa at posterior 1/3, each with a longitudinal median ridge.

Distribution. China (Yunnan).

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the Latin aculeolatus, referring to the cornuti consisting of a row of tiny spines.

Figures

FIGURES 4−9. Adults of Meleonoma spp. 4, M. aculeolata sp. nov.; 5, M. rectivalva sp. nov.; 6, M. robustijuxta sp. nov.; 7, M. varilobata sp. nov.; 8, M. basitriangula sp. nov.; 9, M. biprocessa sp. nov. All holotypes and males. Scale bars = 2.0 mm.

FIGURES 16−21. Male genitalia of Meleonoma spp. 16, M. aculeolata sp. nov., holotype, slide No. ZXJ19527; 17, M. rectivalva sp. nov., holotype, slide No. ZXJ19511; 18, M. robustijuxta sp. nov., holotype, slide No. ZXJ19449; 19, M. varilobata sp. nov., holotype, slide No. ZXJ19451; 20, M. basitriangula sp. nov., paratype, ZXJ19590; 21, M. biprocessa sp. nov., holotype, slide No. ZXJ19369. Scale bars = 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 28−31. Female genitalia of Meleonoma spp. 28, M. aculeolata sp. nov., paratype, slide No. ZXJ19536; 29, M. rectivalva sp. nov., paratype, ZXJ19531; 30, M. varilobata sp. nov., paratype, ZXJ19464; 31, M. basitriangula sp. nov., paratype, slide No. ZXJ19584. Scale bars = 0.5 mm.