Thubdora forficatalis Park & Cho, 2021

Park, Kyu-Tek & Cho, Soowon, 2021, Four new species of Thubdora Park, 2018 and one new species of Torodora Meyrick 1894 (Lepidoptera, Lecithoceridae, Torodorinae) from Tanzania, Zootaxa 5068 (3), pp. 399-409 : 401-402

Thubdora forficatalis Park & Cho , sp. nov.

LSID: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:6504B38B-930F-40B2-8588-6B5E9FF6F463

( Figs. 2A–G )

Type specimen. Holotype: male, Tanzania, [Kigoma Reg.] Kigoma Distr., Tubira Forest , 1,100 m, 29 iv 1989, A. Bjørnstad, 14644, gen. slide no. CIS-7250, COI barcode CBNU106 , deposited in NHMO.

Diagnosis. The male genitalia of the new species are similar to those of T. nemophorella (Ghesquière) with heavily sclerotized, forked caudal processes of the juxta, but it can be distinguished by the uncus with broadly developed latero-caudal processes, whereas in T. nemophorella , the processes are slender, narrowed apically, and directed outwardly.

Description. Adult ( Figs. 2A–D ). Wingspan ca. 20.0 mm.

Head: Dark brown dorsally, with pale-orange erect scales laterally. Antenna shorter than forewing; basal segment elongated, pale orange dorsally, dark brown ventrally; flagellum serrate, with fine cilia ventrally, pale orange, with distinct dark-brown annulations. Second segment of labial palpus thickened, orange white on inner and outer surface, dark brown dorsally; 3 rd segment slender, strongly upturned, as long as 2 nd segment, orange white speckling with dark-brown scales irregularly, dark brown ventrally.

Thorax: Notum and tegula dark brown dorsally, orange white ventrally. Forewing yellowish brown, scattered with purplish dark-brown scales irregularly; antemedian fascia dark brown, broadly developed, band-shaped, slightly narrowed medially; postmedian fascia dark brown, broader than antemedian fascia, with irregular margins; subterminal line pale orange, arched outwardly, arising from costal patch; costa gently arched beyond basal 2/3, with a small wedge-shaped, pale orange costal patch beyond 3/4; apex obtuse; termen slightly oblique; fringe concolorous, with narrow orange-white basal line. Hindwing broader than forewing, pale brownish gray, with orange-white, transverse fascia running from base to about 3/5; apex produced; termen very oblique, slightly concave medially; fringe concolorous, with narrow orange-white basal line.

Abdomen ( Fig. 2G ): Yellowish brown dorsally, pale orange laterally and ventrally, with pale-orange scale-tuft terminally; spinose zones broadly developed on dorsal surface; tergite VIII with few spines, anterior margin concave, heavily sclerotized.

Male genitalia ( Figs. 2E, F ): Uncus bifurcate with broadly developed latero-caudal lobes; apices of lobes slightly truncate apically. Basal plate of gnathos broad, slightly concave on caudal margin, not reaching apex of uncus; median process unusually elongate, with slightly concave dorsal margin, slightly curved downward beyond 2/3, and apical part strongly curved. Valva elongate, expanded in basal 1/3 on costa, gently concave medially; cucullus narrowed toward apex, densely setose, upturned. Tegumen broad, narrowed distally, with converted V-shaped incision on anterior margin. Juxta elongate-quadrate, forked with slender, heavily sclerotized caudal processes, about 2/3 the length of juxta. Vinculum banded.Aedeagus shorter than valva, broad basally, narrower toward apex, dorsal surface in apical 1/4 heavily sclerotized with triangular lobe; with a strongly upturned short spine apically; cornutus with a small, elliptical plate bearing numerous conical spines.

Distribution. Tanzania (Kigoma Dist.).

Etymology. This specific name is derived from the Latin, forficatus (= fork), referring to the juxta with forkshaped caudal processes in the male genitalia.

Remarks. This species name erroneously appeared in a figure of the maximum likelihood tree of Thubdora presented by Park et al. (2020). It did not accompany any description so that became a nomen nudum and unavailable name.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Thubdora forficatalis Park & Cho, sp. nov.: A, adult, holotype; B, head and labial palpi in lateral view; C, dorsal view of the body; D, label; E, male genitalia, gen. slide no. CIS-7250; F, aedeagus; G, abdominal segments VI-VIII. Scale bar for the genitalia and the aedeagus: 1.0 mm.