Meleonoma segregacantha Wang, 2020

Wang, Shuxia & Tao, Zhulin, 2020, The genus Meleonoma Meyrick (Lepidoptera: Autostichidae) from Thailand, Zootaxa 4801 (2), pp. 383-388 : 384

Meleonoma segregacantha Wang , sp. nov.

( Figs 1 , 3 )

Type material. Holotype ♂, Khao Yai National Park (12°49′N, 99°56′E), Nakhon Nayok, Thailand, 700 m, 29.IX−6. X.1984, leg. Karsholt, slide No. ZMUC-NK048 ( ZMUC).

Diagnosis. This new species can be distinguished from its congeners in the male genitalia by the elongate subrectangular valva, the wide sacculus fused with the valva for 1/2 length and produced to a spine-shaped free process distally. It is similar to M. elongata Wang, 2016 in both appearance and male genitalia, but can be distinguished by the sub-triangular uncus about 1/4 the length of the saccus, the sub-rectangular valva, and the sacculus with distal 1/4 produced to a spine-shaped process. In M. elongata , the rod-shaped uncus is nearly as long as the saccus, the knife-like valva is widened medially, and the elongate triangular sacculus lacks a distal process.

Description. Adult ( Fig. 1 ). Wingspan 9.5 mm, length of the wing is approximately 4.5 times of maximum width.

Head yellow. Labial palpus yellow; third segment about 2/3 length of second segment. Antenna yellow; flagellum annulated with deep brown on dorsal surface.

Thorax and tegula yellow, mixed with brown. Forewing elongate, subparallel from base to basal 3/4, thereafter slightly narrowed to rounded apex; ground color yellow, tinged with blackish brown scales, with a large ill-defined deep brown patch running from base to basal 1/4 along costal margin, narrowed gradually; costal margin with a deep brown spot at middle, with a deep brown patch from near apex extending to tornus; discal, discocellular and plical spots deep brown (worn); fringe blackish brown. Hindwing and fringe yellowish grey. Legs yellow, tibiae and tarsi marked with deep brown on outer surface.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 3 ). Uncus relatively short, sub-triangular, narrowly rounded at apex. Tegumen widened medially, about twice width of lateral arm; lateral arm evenly wide, rounded anteriorly. Valva elongate, sub-rectangular, slightly widened medially, rounded apically; costa evenly wide basally, narrowed distally, reaching beyond middle length of valva; transtilla slender, sclerotized basally, membranous medially. Sacculus wide, wider than distal part of valva; basal half parallel and fused with valva, with clearly sclerotized boundary, joined with valva by narrow membrane from middle to basal 3/4, distal 1/4 produced to a sclerotized spine-shaped process reaching before apex of valva, free distally. Saccus wide at base, narrowed to about basal 3/4, distal 1/4 distinctly narrow, rounded at apex; about four times length of uncus. Juxta curved circularly, heavily sclerotized. Phallus shorter than valva, weakly sclerotized, apically with a sclerite bearing a denticle.

Female unknown.

Distribution. Thailand (Nakhon Nayok).

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the Latin segreg - and acanthus, referring to the free spineshaped distal process of the sacculus.

Figures

FIGURES 1‒2. Adults of Meleonoma spp. 1, M. segregacantha sp. nov., holotype ♂; 2, M. fornicalis sp. nov., holotype ♂. Scales = 2 mm.

FIGURES 3‒5. 3, M. segregacantha sp. nov., male genitalia, slide No. ZMUC-NK048; 4‒5, M. fornicalis sp. nov. 4, male genitalia, slide No. ZMUC-NK034; 5, female genitalia, slide No. ZMUC-NK043. Scales = 0.2 mm.