Thubdora mufindiensis 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 : 402-404

Thubdora mufindiensis Park & Cho , sp. nov.

LSID: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:D5B5C3AD-1B17-4DCF-A098-B739E2352804

( Figs. 3A–G )

Type specimen. Holotype: male, Tanzania, [Iringa Reg.,] Mufindi Distr., Mufindi , 1,960 m, 15 i 1993, leg. L. Aarvik, gen. slide no. CIS-7483, deposited in NHMO.

Diagnosis. This species is similar to T. wooriana Park, 2020 which was described from Uganda in the superficial and genital characters but can be distinguished by the forewing more broadly dilated distally, with clearly yellowish white, larger triangular costal patch, and distinct blackish antemedian patch; hindwing paler grayish; and the male genitalia with uncus deeply concave on caudal margin.

Description. Adult ( Figs. 3A–D ). Wingspan ca. 16.5 mm.

Head: Purplish brown dorsally, with light-orange erect scales laterally. Antenna as long as forewing; basal segment elongated, dark brown ventrally, orange white laterally; flagellum slightly serrate, with fine cilia ventrally, pale orange, shiny, without annulations. Second segment of labial palpus thickened, orange white on inner, dark brown with pale-orange scales apically; 3 rd segment slender, strongly upturned, as long as 2 nd segment, orange white on dorsal and lateral surface, dark brown on ventral surface.

Thorax: Tegula and notum purplish dark brown dorsally. Hind tibia with yellowish-white rough scales dorsally, dark brown ventrally. Forewing ground color yellowish brown; costa gently arched beyond basal 1/3, with a large, triangular, yellowish-white costal patch beyond 2/3; antemedian fascia dark fuscous, half-moon-shaped, deeply concave on outer margin; postmedian fascia dark brown, broader than antemedian fascia, with irregular margins; subterminal line pale orange, arched outwardly, arising from costal patch; 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. 3G ): Spinose zones broadly developed, gradually narrower toward terminal segment, with a pair of hair-pencils; tergite VIII with crescent anterior margin, about half-width of segment VIII.

Male genitalia ( Figs. 3E, F ). Uncus with broad distal plate, deeply concave on caudal margin, not exceeding apex of basal plate of gnathos. Basal plate of gnathos broad, with convex caudal margin; median process broad at base, strongly curved downward beyond 2/3. Tegumen deeply emarginated into converted V-shape on anterior margin. Valva slightly expanded at base on costa, concave medially; cucullus elongated, about two times than the length of basal part of valva, slightly upturned, with round apex, densely setose. Juxta large, ovate, with large semi-ovate caudal plate, latero-caudal processes poorly developed, lateral margin convex. Vinculum band-like, narrow, heavily sclerotized. Aedeagus broad basally, narrowed toward apex, shorter than valva; cornuti consisting of numerous horn-shaped spines beyond middle.

Female unknown.

Distribution. Tanzania (Mufindi Dist.).

Etymology. The species name is derived from the type locality, Mufindi District, Tanzania.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Thubdora mufindiensis Park & Cho, sp. nov.: A, adult, holotype; B, head; C, labial palpus in lateral view; D, label; E, male genitalia, gen. slide no. CIS-7483; F, ditto, aedeagus; G, abdomen. Scale bar for the genitalia and the aedeagus: 1.0 mm.