Triscaedecia sarawaki Ustjuzhanin, Kovtunovich & Hobern, 2019

Ustjuzhanin, Petr, Kovtunovich, Vasiliy & Hobern, Donald, 2019, A taxonomic review of the genus Triscaedecia (Lepidoptera: Alucitidae) in the world fauna, Zootaxa 4571 (3), pp. 373-382 : 376-378

Triscaedecia sarawaki Ustjuzhanin, Kovtunovich & Hobern sp. nov.

( Figs 4 , 9 , 14 )

Diagnosis. In the pattern and color of the wings, the new species is closely similar in external appearance to T. sulawesi , but is distinguished from that species by the smaller size, reduced white markings in the hind wing, and differences in the male genitalia. Differences from all other species are as for T. sulawesi .

In the male genitalia, it resembles T. sulawesi in the bilobed valves, the elongated anellus arms and the arched vinculum, but differs particularly in the more pronounced uncus, with more minor differences in the elongated narrow-triangle fore lobe of the valve, the anellus arms which are wider basally, and the medially concave aedeagus.

Description. Wingspan 16 mm.

Head with brown scales, thorax and tegula pale yellow. Labial palpus brown, three times as long as longitudinal diameter of eye, third segment detached and directed upwards. Maxillary palpus short, shaped as brush of elongated scales. Antenna whitish brown, ringed, scape thickened.

Thorax. Wing whitish brown. A series of distinct small tufted bulges at regular intervals along costal edge of fore wing, linked by narrow white semicircular lines in the intervals. Discal spot narrow, brown, transversely aligned. Distal part of fore wing distinctly limited by straight transverse white line, with six lobes cleft close to this line. On hind wing, this line continues relatively straight (not wavy), close to the bases of seven lobes (third cleft deepest). Wide blurred white transverse area obliquely from middle of forewing dorsum, approaching white transverse line before clefts and discal spot. Hind wing basally white with wavy brown stripes. Lobes of all wings brown banded with distinct white wavy stripes.

Male genitalia. Symmetrical. Uncus moderate, wide. Valve bilobed. Fore lobe of valve short, narrow-triangle, narrowing to apex, hind lobe narrow, membranous, apex sharp. Vinculum elongatedly arched. Anellus arms basally

wide, apically narrow. Aedeagus medially slightly concave, basally thick, distally narrow, equal to length of entire genital structure. Female unknown.

Type material. Holotype: male, [ Malaysia] Sarawak: Gunong Mulu Nat. Park R.G.S. Exped. 1977–8. J.D. Holloway et. al. B.M. 1978-206. Site 25. April, G. Api 900m. Lower montane forest MV and Act. ( BMNH 22797 ), in BMNH.

Etymology. Toponymic name. Sarawak is the largest state of Malaysia.

Distribution. Malaysia.

Figures

FIGURE 14. Known Triscaedecia localities. All recorded localities for Triscaedecia species, based on Pagenstecher, 1900; Hampson, 1905; Fletcher, 1910; Gielis, 2009 and present publication.

FIGURES 1–6. Adults. 1, Triscaedecia dactyloptera. 2, T. septemdactyla. 3, T. sulawesi sp. nov., Holotype, BMNH. 4, T. sarawaki sp. nov., Holotype, BMNH. 5, T. svetlanae sp. nov., Holotype, BMNH, 6, T. suva sp. nov., Holotype, BMNH.

FIGURES 7–10. Male genitalia. 7, Triscaedecia septemdactyla (Pagenstecher, 1900). 8, T. sulawesi sp. nov., Holotype, BMNH 22793. 9, T. sarawaki sp. nov., Holotype, BMNH 22797. 10, T. svetlanae sp. nov., Holotype, BMNH.