Variacma tomentosa Wang

Wang, Shu-Xia, Yuan, Gai-Xia & Kendrick, Roger C., 2011, Microlepidoptera of Hong Kong: Oecophoridae II: description of three new species of the genus Va r i a c m a Wang, Zootaxa 2762, pp. 31-36 : 35-36

Variacma tomentosa Wang , sp. nov.

( Figs 7 –9).

Type material. Holotype: 3, China: Hong Kong, Kadoorie Agricultural Research Centre (114.114°E, 22.428°N), 210 m, 13.iv.2007, coll. Houhun Li et al., genitalia slide No.YGX08041. Paratype: 1 Ƥ, 14.iv.2007, other same data as for holotype.

Diagnosis. This species can be easily distinguished from its congeners by the uncus having a pair of tomentulose processes.

Description. Adult ( Fig. 7 ): Wing expanse 19.0− 21.5 mm. Head yellowish white. Antenna pale yellowish brown, scape black on dorsal surface, flagellum dorsally annulated with dark brown except basal several segments black. Labial palpus pale yellow, with scattered dark brown scales. Thorax and tegula grayish brown, pale yellow posteriorly. Forewing yellowish gray, with scattered brown scales; costal margin and dorsum pale ocherous yellow except dark brown at base; discal and plical stigmata small and rounded, dark brown; discocellular stigma a dark brown stripe, diffused to tornus; termen with brown dots running to before tornus; cilia yellowish gray except black at apex and tornus. Hindwing and cilia blackish gray except cilia with base pale yellow. Legs pale yellow, tarsus ocherous yellow distally; fore- and midlegs with tibiae and tarsi dark brown on outside, bearing pale yellow patches; hindleg with tarsus more or less ocherous.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 8 ): Uncus with basal 3/5 rectangular, nearly parallel sided, constricted from distal 3/5 to 4/5, with a small tomentulose process at 3/5 on right side and another similar one at near 4/5 on left side; distal 1/5 widened to rounded apex, with two small denticles at middle near posterior margin. Gnathos weakly sclerotized; apex bluntly rounded, lateral arm triangular. Valva narrow at base, widened gradually to 2/5, then narrowed to rounded apex; costa straight; ventral margin arched at 2/5. Sacculus subtriangular, broad and large basally, papillate and heavily sclerotized distally; with a sclerotized caplike process protruding backward between base and basal 3/5. Saccus triangular, pointed at apex. Juxta more or less square. Phallus gradually narrowed from basal 1/4 to rounded posterior end; distal 3/4 thick, with a band of denticles extending from middle to near apex; apex concave in V shape, forming two subtriangular apical processes.

Female genitalia (Fig. 9): Papilla analis broad, bluntly rounded caudally. Antrum strongly sclerotized, deeply concave at middle on posterior margin, triangularly protruding posterolaterally; widened anteriorly, anterior margin protrudent medially, extending outward laterally. Ductus bursae membranous, not clearly divided with corpus bursae. Corpus bursae elongate oval; signum rectangular.

Etymology. This specific epithet is from the Latin tomentosus (tomentulose), in reference to the two small tomentulose processes of the uncus.

Figures

FIGURES 7 – 8. Variacma tomentosa sp. nov. 7, Adult; 8, Male genitalia; 9, Female genitalia.