Promalactis senticosa Wang, 2021

Wang, Shuxia & Liu, Chen, 2021, Taxonomic study of the genus Promalactis Meyrick, 1908 (Lepidoptera: Oecophoridae) X. The commotica species-group, with descriptions of twenty-two new species, Zootaxa 4980 (2), pp. 293-330 : 316-317

Promalactis senticosa Wang , sp. nov.

( Figs 16 , 38 , 53 )

Type material. CHINA, Tibet: Holotype ♂ , Zhala Village (28.63°N, 97.42°E), Chayu County, 2266 m, 29. VI.2019, leg. MJ Qi & JQ Deng, slide No. LC 19424 . Paratypes (23♂, 3♀): 22♂, 3♀, same data as holotype, slide No. LC 19308 ♀, LC19315 ♀, LC19314 ♂, LC19441 ♀; 1♂, Fangkongdong, Beibeng Town , Motuo County, 750 m, 31.VII‒1.VIII.2018, leg. MJ Qi, slide No. LC 19324 .

Diagnosis. The new species is similar to P. jezonica ( Matsumura, 1931) by sharing a distally bilobed valva. The male genitalia of P. senticosa can be distinguished by the costal lobe of the valva about twice the length of the ventral lobe, and the juxta with a row of clustered fine spines in the distal 1/3; the female genitalia are distinguished by the posteriorly bilobed lamella postvaginalis and the corpus bursae bearing a small sclerite with spines at its entrance. In P. jezonica , the costal lobe of the valva is almost as long as the ventral lobe, and the juxta is smooth throughout; and the crown-shaped lamella postvaginalis has an acute median process on the posterior margin, and the corpus bursae lacks a sclerite at the entrance of the corpus bursae.

Description. Adult ( Fig. 16 ). Forewing length 4.0‒ 6.5 mm.

Head: Frons silvery grey, vertex snow white, occiput rust brown. Labial palpus with second palpomere rust brown mixed with black scales on outer surface, dark brown on inner surface; third palpomere black except white apically. Antenna with scape snowy white on dorsal surface, greyish white on ventral surface; flagellum black, with white annulation on dorsal surface.

Thorax: Dorsum of mesothorax and tegula rust brown. Forewing ochreous yellow to ochreous brown; markings white edged with black scales: costal spot triangular, from distal 1/3 narrowed to posterior angle of cell; basal streak slender, oblique inward to base of fold; antemedian streak from dorsal 2/5 slightly widened to anterior margin of cell, slightly bent inward anteriorly; dorsal streak slender, from basal 2/3 oblique outward to before posterior angle of cell; tornal spot black, sub-triangular, extending inward to posterior margin of cell; pretornal spot white, small; distal patch black, from apex narrowed to posterior corner of termen; apical spot small, placed anteriorly of black distal patch; fringe yellow. Hindwing and fringe grey. Fore- and midlegs brownish grey ventrally, black dorsally, tibiae with white spot at base and middle respectively, with a tuft of white scales at apex, basal tarsomere white at base and apex, second tarsomere white apically; hindleg yellowish brown ventrally, greyish black dorsally, tarsus with basal three tarsomeres white apically, distal two tarsomeres white.

Abdomen: Male genitalia ( Fig. 38 ). Uncus wide at base, gradually narrowed to rounded apex. Gnathos as long as uncus, sclerotized laterally; mesial plate narrow, elongate sub-triangular, narrowed to rounded apex, with squamous protuberances distally; basal arms sub-quadrangular. Tegumen widened anteriorly; lateral arms narrowed anteriorly, inner margin roundly arched. Valvae with dorsal and ventral margins subparallel, bilobed distally: dorsal lobe strong, setose, extending obliquely dorsad and narrowed to a pointed apex, with a clustered fine spines distally; ventral lobe strong thumb-shaped, slightly bent inward distally, half as long as dorsal lobe, with dense setae, with a fine ridge extending from near base of its dorsal margin to before apex; costa very short; sacculus narrowly banded. Saccus shorter than uncus, subparallel to obtuse apex. Juxta curved, slender, pointed at apex, reaching base of uncus, with a row of clustered fine spines in distal 1/3; basal lobe slender, clubbed, reaching apex of saccus. Aedeagus almost as long as valva, straight, slender, apex produced triangularly, serrate on margins; cornutus absent.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 53 ). Apophyses posteriores widened distally; apophyses anteriores about 2/3 length of apophyses posteriores. Eighth tergum sub-rectangular, straight on posterior margin. Lamella postvaginalis deeply concave on posterior margin, forming a pair of large posterolateral lobes sclerotized on inner margin, rounded apically, with spicules. Antrum long, narrowed anteriorly. Ductus bursae membranous, short, narrow. Corpus bursae elongate, about four times as long as ductus bursae, with a small sclerite bearing spines at entrance, a narrow serrate band running from posterior 1/6 to 1/2.

Distribution. China (Tibet).

Etymology. The specific epithet of the new species is derived from the Latin senticosus, referring to the clustered fine spines in the dorsal lobe of the valva and in the juxta.

Figures

FIGURES 9‒16.Adults of Promalactis spp. 9, P. curvicosta, holotype, ♂; 10, P. denticuligera, holotype, ♂; 11, P. lianhuashana, holotype, ♂; 12, P. motuoensis, paratype, ♀; 13, P. pedata, holotype, ♂; 14, P. quadriprocessa, paratype, ♂; 15, P. ramiformis, paratype, ♂; 16, P. senticosa, holotype, ♂. Scales = 2 mm.

FIGURES 35‒39. Male genitalia of Promalactis spp. 35, P. pedata, holotype, slide No. JYY17594; 36, P. quadriprocessa, holotype, slide No. JYY17674; 37, P. ramiformis, paratype, slide No. DZH11019; 38, P. senticosa, holotype, slide No. LC19424, 38a, enlarged aedeagus, slide No. LC19314; 39, P. similibellatula, holotype, slide No. JYY17610. Scales = 0.2 mm.

FIGURES 51‒55. Female genitalia of Promalactis spp. 51, P. quadriprocessa, paratype, slide No. JYY17889; 52, P. ramiformis, paratype, slide No. LC19335; 53, P. senticosa, paratype, slide No. LC19308, 53a, enlarged corpus bursae, slide No. LC19315; 54, P. similibellatula, paratype, slide No. JYY17918; 55, P. spinosicornuta, slide No. LC19318. Scales = 0.2 mm.