Coleophora venusta Baldizzone & van der Wolf, 2020

Baldizzone, Giorgio & Van Der Wolf, Hugo W., 2020, On the taxonomy of Afrotropical Coleophoridae (IV). New or little known species from South Africa (Lepidoptera, Coleophoridae), Zootaxa 4816 (2), pp. 151-170 : 161

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4816.2.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:10D40EDD-7150-467A-B0DD-BDCDBED97B1B
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4330232
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/8C766C1E-DB36-FFE5-DAFA-A9FAC00EB4F1
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Coleophora venusta Baldizzone & van der Wolf
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Coleophora venusta Baldizzone & van der Wolf , sp. n.

( Fig. 6 View FIGURES 1–6 )

Diagnosis. The species belongs to the group of C. diffusa Meyrick, 1913 , which also includes C. kamiesella Baldizzone & van der Wolf, 2015 , C. kuruensis, Baldizzone, 2019 , and C. rhabdophaeella Baldizzone, 2019 . In habitus and structure of the male genitalia, C. venusta sp. nov. resembles more to C. kuruensis , from which it differs by the shape of the valvula which has a robust lateral protuberance, the larger cucullus, the sacculus with a more rounded outer edge, the shorter and stout phallotheca, the less numerous cornuti gathered in a much shorter clump.

Description. Wingspan 13.5 mm. Head white. Antenna white, slightly ringed with white and ochre in the basal half; scape white without erected scales, Labial palpus light ochre on inner side, dark brown on outer side; second article 0.5 longer than third. Haustellum well developed. Thorax and tegula white. Forewing brown, streaked with wide white stripes: along costa up to before cilia, along lower edge of cell from middle of wing to apex, along anal fold, and along dorsum; costal cilia brown, dorsal cilia ochraceous brown. Hindwing and cilia ochraceous brown. Abdomen light brown.

Male genitalia ( Figs. 34–36 View FIGURES 34–37 ): Gnathos knob oval. Tegumen long, constricted in middle, pedunculus slightly expanded outwards. Transtilla small, triangular. Valvula with rounded well-sclerotized expansion on external edge. Cucullus narrow at base, wider and rounded at apex. Sacculus rounded and strongly sclerotized on ventral edge, with robust protuberance at dorsal angle. Phallotheca short, stout, conical. Cornuti like pine needles of different lengths, gathered at base in large cluster long about 2/3 length of vesica.

Female genitalia: Unknown.

Abdominal structures ( Fig. 37 View FIGURES 34–37 ): Anterior lateral struts about two times longer than the posterior ones. Transverse strut thick with distal edge curved and sclerotized. Tergal disks (3 rd tergite) about 6 times their width, covered by about 35 conical spines on distal 2/3.

Bionomy. The early stages and the foodplant are unknown.

Distribution. South Africa, Cape Province, Karoo National Park.

Etymology. From the Latin venustus = “comely”, and refers to beautiful appearance of the species.