Merrifieldia aurea Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich

Ustjuzhanin, P., Kovtunovich, V. & Ustjuzhanina, A., 2015, New species of African Plume moths (Lepidoptera, Pterophoridae), Zootaxa 3957 (1), pp. 137-142 : 140-142

Merrifieldia aurea Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich sp. nov.

( Figs. 9–11 )

Type material: Holotype, male, ( BMNH 22740) S. Africa Rep., Free State, 20 km W of Winburg, Erfenis Dam, S 28°29' E 26°47', 31.12.2007, V. Kovtunovich & P. Ustjuzhanin. Paratypes, 1 ♀ ( BMNH 22741), 1 ♀ ( DNMNH 15269), 4 ♂, 1 ♀ (CUK) same data as holotype; 1 ♂ ( DNMNH 15268), S. Africa Rep., Eastern Cape, Steinsburg, S 31°18' E 25°49', 03.10.1964, R. J. Southey; 1 ♂ (CUK) S. Africa Rep., Free State, 100 km E of Colesberg, Tussendie-Riviere N.R., Orange riv., S 30°30' E 26°07', 1280 m, 10.10.2009, V. Kovtunovich & P. Ustjuzhanin; 2 ♂ (CUK) S. Africa Rep., Free State, Winburg, Willem Pretorius N.R., S 28°17' E 27°09', 1410 m, 11.10.2009, V. Kovtunovich & P. Ustjuzhanin; 1 ♀ ( DNMNH) S. Africa Rep., Cape Province, Kogelberg, S 34°10' E 18°50', 03.04.1981, D. Kroon; 1 ♀ ( DNMNH) S. Africa Rep., De Wet, Western Cape, S 33°36' E 19°30', 21.10.1967, L. Vari & J. Potgieter.

External characters. Wingspan 16–22 mm (17 mm in the holotype). Head, thorax and tegulae pale golden yellow. Labial palpi straight, short, length less then eye diameter. Antennae thin, light brown. Forewings pale golden yellow, admixed with brownish scales. Costal margin of fore wing clearly darkened, except the area above the cleft base pale with yellow scales. Fringe inside cleft dark brown. Hind wings unicolored, yellowish grey. Legs light yellow.

Male genitalia. Valves asymmetrical. Left valve slightly wider than right one. Harpe on left valve long, arched. Sacculus broadly ovoid. Harpe on right valve shaped as small oval plate located in middle part of valve. Uncus wide at base, narrowed to apex. Medial process of transtilla in shape of strong sclerotized process, located in left part (possibly, juxta and annellus arms fused, forming sinistrally positioned curved process). Saccus with a shallow oval proximal margin. Aedeagus slightly shorter than valve, significantly curved in middle part. Cornutus absent.

Female genitalia. Papillae anales with narrow pointed extension at termen. Posterior apophyses quite long, relatively thick. No anterior apophyses. Lamina vaginalis of sternum VIII triangular, heavily sclerotized, apical part more compact, conical. Antrum short, ostium wide, oval. Ductus short, membranous, smoothly progressing into a small oval bursa copulatrix. No signum.

Diagnosis. In male genitalia, the species is distinguished by the shape of the sacculus and harpe on the left valve. The new species resembles Merrifieldia innae Kovtunovich & Ustjuzhanin, 2011 , but differs from it by the presence of the medial process of transtilla (possibly an outgrowth of fused anellus arms), the shape of the aedeagus and wing color.

Distribution: Rep. S. Africa.

Flight period: October, November–January.

Etymology. The species is named for the color of the moths' wings ( aurea is “golden” in Latin).

Figures

FIGURES 9 – 11. Merrifieldia aurea Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich, sp. nov. 9. Adult, holotype; 10. Male genitalia holotype (slide 22740 BMNH); 11. Female genitalia, paratype (slide 22741 BMNH).