Asapharcha lacistoides, Bidzilya & Mey & Rajaei, 2024

Bidzilya, Oleksiy V., Mey, Wolfram & Rajaei, Hossein, 2024, Taxonomic revision of Asapharcha Meyrick, 1920 (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae), with descriptions of four new species, Zootaxa 5443 (4), pp. 548-566 : 554-556

Asapharcha lacistoides sp. nov.

Figs 5 , 19 , 27 , 34 , 40, 41

Lacistodes tauropis Meyrick, 1921 — Bidzilya 2007: 105; Bidzilya & Mey 2011: pl. 32, fig. 20; pl. 5, fig. 26; pl. 11, fig. 43. Misidentification.

Type material. Holotype ♂, Namibia, Hobatere Lodge , campsite, 19–21.ii.2008, LF, leg. Mey (MfN) . Paratypes: 3 ♂, 1 ♀, same data as for holotype; gen. slide 34 / 23 ♀, O. Bidzilya (MfN). Namibia : 2 ♂, Koakov, Joubertpass , 1360 m, 1.ii.2009, leg. Mey; gen. slide 35/23, O. Bidzilya ; 1 ♂, 2 ♀, Brandberg, Mason Shelter , 6, 8.iii.2002, leg. Mey; gen. slide 43♂, 44♀, A. Lvovsky; 2 ♀, Kunene, Epupa Falls , 21–23.ii.2008, LF, leg. Mey ; 1 ♂, Solitaire, Tsauchab camp., 14.iv.2013, LF, leg. Mey ; 8 ♂, Etendeka, Grootberg Pass , 3.ii. 2010, 1546 m, leg. Mey; gen. slide 142/09, O. Bidzilya ; 1 ♀, 50 km N Okahandja , 10–11.ii.2007, LF; leg. Mey & Ebert; gen. slide 7/08, O. Bidzilya (MfN). Ethiopia : 1 ♂, Äthiopien, Awash NP, 860 m, 23–26.xii.1978, leg. Angenstein; gen. slide 349/14, O. Bidzilya (MfN) ; 1 ♀, Aouash [Ethiop.], 960 m, vii.1957; leg. Schäuffele ( SMNS). Sudan : 1 ♀, Red Sea, Port Sudan , N.E. Waterfield, 1912-412, B.M.; Genitalia Slide No. 13855 , ♀ ( NHMUK) .

Diagnosis. In contrast to other species of this genus, Asapharcha lacistoides sp. nov. has a white head, thorax and forewing with contrasting blackish-brown markings. The male genitalia are very similar to those of A. tauropis , but in A. lacistoides sp. nov. the uncus is 2.5–3.0 times longer than broad, the cucullus is distinctly broadened apically, and the valvella is short and rounded. In L. tauropis the uncus is twice as long as wide, the cucullus is weakly broadened, and the valvella is elongated. In the female genitalia of A. lacistoides sp. nov., abdominal segment VIII is similar to that of A. tauropis , but the ductus bursae is short, gradually widened to its junction with the elongated, unmodified corpus bursae. In A. tauropis the ductus bursae is long and clearly differentiated from the rounded and folded corpus bursae.

Description. ( Figs 5 , 19 ). Wingspan 15.0–17.0 mm. Head white; labial palpus recurved, smooth, white, segment 2 with brown basal belt on outer surface, twice as broad and slightly longer than segment 3, antennal scape and flagellomeres black; flagellomeres shortly ciliated ventrally in both sexes; thorax white. Tegulae white, black basally. Forewing white, costal margin with black spot at base and black narrow irroration ending with black spot on 3/4, transverse black spot from middle of posterior margin to 3/4 width toward costal margin; large, subtriangular large black patch in distal 2/3; apex spotted with black; fringe white; hindwing grey with light grey fringe.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 27 ). Uncus elongate, 2.5–3.0 times as long as wide, about as long as cucullus, with distinct short apical emargination, densely covered with hairs in distal half; gnathos moderately long, strongly curved at base, straight and pointed apically; tegumen subtrapezoidal, distinctly separated from uncus, anteromedial emargination triangular, extending to 1/3 length of tegumen; cucullus trapezoidal, narrow at base, widened apically, posterior margin oblique angled, posterior angles rounded, extending to 1/2 length of uncus, densely haired especially in distal part; sacculus and valvella short, rounded; saccus triangular, rounded anteriorly, not extending to base of tegumen; phallus short, distal part 1/2 length of caecum, with lateral triangular process and pointed apex, caecum large, swollen, rounded, ductus ejaculatorius 4.0–4.5 times as long as phallus, with indistinct sclerotization in anterior part.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 34 ). Papillae anales subtrapezoidal, about as long as broad, about 1/2 length of apophyses posteriores, covered with long setae at base and short setae in distal part; apophyses posteriores twice as long as apophyses anteriores; segment VIII broader than long, unmodified, evenly sclerotized, anterior margin strongly edged sclerotized, weakly projecting anteriorly; subostial sclerite large, irregular, with lateral projections to anterior margin of sternum VIII; apophyses anteriores straight, as long as segment VIII; ductus bursae moderately broad, gradually widened anteriorly, antrum indistinct, posterior sclerite broad; corpus bursae long, pear-shaped, distinctly narrowed posteriorly; signum absent.

Biology. Adults have been collected in February in Namibia, and in July and December in Ethiopia. The larval hostplant is unknown.

Distribution. This species has been recorded from Namibia, Sudan, and Ethiopia.

Etymology. The specific name refers to the generic name Lacistodes , which was long used for a valid species currently associated with Asapharcha .

Figures

FIGURES 1–10. Asapharcha spp., adults, dorsal view. 1. A. angustella sp. nov., holotype, male (SouthAfrica, Lelyfontein; gen. slide 48/09, O. Bidzilya). 2. A. centrotypa, holotype, male (Zimbabwe, Sawmills, gen. slide “g. 4248”). 3. A. fuscomaculata, holotype, male (Namibia, Kunene, Palmwag Lodge). 4. A. hirsuta, holotype, male (Zimbabwe, 38 miles N of Bulawayo, road to Victoria Falls). 5. A. lacistoides sp. nov., holotype, male (Namibia, Hobatere Lodge). 6. A. ochrocapitella sp. nov., holotype, male (Zimbabwe, Bulawayo; gen. slide 508/07, O. Bidzilya). 7–10. A. strigifera. 7. Female (South Africa, Gauteng Province, junction of Crocodile and Marico rivers; gen.slide B.M. 7393). 8. Male (holotype of Lacistodes brunneostola). 9. Male (Namibia, Varianto, Otavi Mts). 10. Male (Namibia, Waterberg NP; gen. slide 44/09, O. Bidzilya).

FIGURES 17–22. Asapharcha spp., head. 17. A. angustella sp. nov., lateral view. 18. A. fuscomaculata, dorsolateral view. 19. A. lacistoides sp. nov., lateral view. 20. A. strigifera, lateral view. 21. A. unipunctella, sp. nov., dorsal view. 22. Lasiarchis pycnodes, holotype, male, lateral view (South Africa, Pretoria; gen. slide 503/23, O. Bidzilya).

FIGURES 27–29. Asapharcha spp., male genitalia. 27. A. lacistoides sp. nov., paratype (Namibia, Koakov; gen. slide 35/23, O. Bidzilya). 28. A. ochrocapitella sp. nov., holotype (Zimbabwe, Bulawayo; gen. slide 508/07, O. Bidzilya). 29. A. strigifera (Namibia, Waterberg NP; gen. slide 44/09, O. Bidzilya).

FIGURES 33–38. Asapharcha spp., female genitalia. 33. A. fuscomaculata (Namibia, Kunene, Epupa Falls; gen. slide 38/23, O. Bidzilya). 34. A. lacistoides sp. nov., paratype (Namibia, Hobatere Lodge gen. slide 34/23, O. Bidzilya). 35. A. ochrocapitella sp. nov., Paratype (Zimbabwe, Bulawayo; gen. slide 47/09, O. Bidzilya). 36. A. strigifera (Namibia, Kunene; gen. slide 30/23, O. Bidzilya). 37. A. tauropis, holotype of A. crateropa (Mozambique, Makulane; gen. slide 500/23, O. Bidzilya). 38. A. tauropis, Blouberg, NR, South Africa (South Africa, Blauberg NR; gen. slide 385/23, O. Bidzilya).

FIGURES 39–42. Habitats of Asapharcha species. 39. Esel-Kop near Lelyfontein, South Africa. Habitat of A. angustella sp. nov. 40. Epupa Falls, Namibia. Habitat of A. fuscomaculata and A. lacistoides sp. nov. 41. Hobatere Campsite, Namibia. Habitat of A. lacistoides sp. nov. 42. Matopo National Park, Zimbabwe. Habitat of A. ochrocapitella sp. nov. (all photographs made by Wolfram Mey).