Hellinsia katja, Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich & Pototski & Haverinen, 2022

Ustjuzhanin, Petr, Kovtunovich, Vasyly, Pototski, Aleksander & Haverinen, Risto, 2022, New species of plume moths (Lepidoptera: Pterophoridae) from Argentina, Ecologica Montenegrina 58, pp. 29-41 : 32

Hellinsia katja sp. nov.

https://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:564F2C57-099E-4B75-B89C-63F94A513637

( Figs 5 – 7 )

Type material: Holotype, ♂ ( IZBE, gen.pr. № 221002), ARGENTINA, Andes Mts. , Siera de Famatina, Famatina vill., 15 km NNW, 27.i.2017, 28°46'S, 67°35'W, 2085 m, K. Nupponen, R. Haverinen & A. Pototski leg.

Description: External characters. Head, thorax and tegulae yellowish-brown. Labial palpi light-brown, thin, straight. Antennae yellowish-brown, scape noticeably thickened. Wingspan 14 mm. Fore wings pale yellow. Hardly visible sputtering of brown scales at cleft base. Fringe inside cleft brown. Hind wings unicolorous, light-brown. Hind legs pale-yellow.

Male genitalia. Valves asymmetric, left valve slightly wider than right valve. Saccular process on left valve narrow, almost straight, apically sharp, hardly not reaching apex of valve. Right valve with two longitudinal folds, one long, in upper part of valve, the second short, in basal part. Anellus arms asymmetric, right arm slightly longer and more narrow than left, left arm apically extended. Saccus arched. Uncus narrow, thin, slightly curved. Aedeagus almost straight, slightly shorter than right valve in length, distally with sputtering of tiny spiky cornuti.

Diagnosis. In the male genitalia, in the shape of the saccular process on the left valve, the new species is similar to Hellinsia joinville Gielis, 2016 , but clearly differs in the cornuti in the aedeagus distally, in the totally different color of the wings and in the significantly smaller size.

Flight period. September.

Distribution. Argentina.

Etymology. The new species is named after Katja Soininen, a life partner of Risto Haverinen. Katja's help, assist and support for expeditions has been irreplaceable.

Figures

Figure 5. Hellinsia katja Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich sp.nov. Adult male (Holotype, IZBE).

Figure 6. Hellinsia katja Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich sp.nov. Male genitalia (Holotype, IZBE, gen.pr. Nr. 221002).

Figure 7. Hellinsia katja Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich sp.nov. Biotope: Argentina, Andes Mts., Siera de Famatina, 2085 m, Photo by A. Pototski.