Meleonoma taeniata, Yin & Zhi & Cai, 2019

Yin, Aihui, Zhi, Yan & Cai, Yanpeng, 2019, Three new species of Meleonoma Meyrick from Yunnan, China (Lepidoptera, Gelechioidea, Xyloryctidae), ZooKeys 904, pp. 23-33 : 23

Meleonoma taeniata sp. nov. Figs 2 , 7

Material examined.

Holotype: China • ♂; Yunnan Province, Puer City, Lianhua Village; alt. 1300 m, 21 May 2018; Yan Zhi leg.; YAH19071.

Diagnosis.

This new species is similar to M. torophanes superficially, but it can be distinguished from the latter by having one large earthy yellow V-shaped mark on forewing; uncus triangular; ventral margin of valva smooth, without any spine; sacculus with distal 1/4 sclerotized forming a thickened plate, without any extra process; phallus forming an 8-shaped bandlike structure distally. Whereas the latter has two large light-yellow marks on forewing; uncus lanciform; valva with a short spine ventroapically; sacculus forming a narrow process distally; phallus with a hairbrush-shaped sclerite attached with short spines.

Description.

Head: vertex and front pale earthy yellow mixed with dark brown; labial palpus long and recurved, extending well beyond vertex, with smooth scales, pale earthy yellow, outer surface of segment 1 dark brown, of segment 2 dark brown distally and extending vaguely to distal 2/3, of segment 3 slightly tinged with dark brown at middle, inner surface of segment 2 dark brown distally; segment 3 slightly shorter than segment 2; antenna with scape dark brown on dorsal surface and pale earthy yellow on ventral surface, with flagellum alternately dark brown and yellow on dorsal surface, except middle 1/3 flagellomeres almost pure dark brown, ventral surface pale earthy yellow; scales of proboscis pale earthy yellow.

Thorax: tegula and mesonotum dark brown mixed with pale earthy yellow; legs pale earthy yellow, forelegs somewhat segmented with wide dark brown rings, mid and hindlegs with tibiae and tarsi scattered with dark brown speckles on outside. Forewing (Fig. 2 ): length 5.5 mm (N = 1), about 3.6 × as long as wide, dark brown; cell with three indistinct black dots, one set at middle, one at end and one at middle of fold; a broad somewhat V-shaped mark with two ends extending from about basal 1/2 and 4/5 of costa respectively, and converging slightly before tornus, earthy yellow in color, and sparsely tinged with yellowish brown and dark brown scales; apex and termen narrowly edged with pale earthy yellow; cilia earthy yellow mixed with pale brown; ventral surface light brown. Hindwing (Fig. 2 ): translucent light grayish brown, gradually darkening towards apex; cilia light grayish brown.

Male genitalia (Fig. 7 ): uncus membranous, triangular in shape, with long setae on dorsal surface; gnathos absent; tegumen inverted U-shaped, lateral arms long, about same width, posterior margin with a shallow V-shaped notch at middle, anterior margin deeply concave; valva broad, gradually widening to basal 2/5 from a relatively narrow base, with distal 3/5 nearly same width, apex broadly rounded, densely covered with long hairs on median surface, but asetose in an elongate membranous area at center; costa moderately sclerotized, broadly arched forming a shallow notch; transtilla round, narrow at base, swollen distally, asetose, protruded forward medially; sacculus broad, trapezoid, with dorsal margin joined with valva at base, with distal 1/4 strongly sclerotized forming a distinct thickened plate that sparsely covered with long setae on both outer and median surfaces, dorsal and ventral margins nearly parallel; saccus short, funnel-shaped narrowly rounded at apex; juxta bifurcated, weakly joined at base; phallus moderately sclerotized, rodlike, narrow at base, gently thickened to basal 2/3, heavily sclerotized in distal 1/3, forming a bandlike structure similar to Arabic numeral “8” in shape.

Female genitalia: unknown.

Biology.

Nothing is known about the larva. The adult was collected at night in May.

Distribution.

Known only from the type locality (Southwest China: Yunnan Province).

Etymology.

The specific name is derived from the Latin adjective taeniatus (bandlike), referring to the bandlike structure of the phallus in male genitalia.

Figures

Figures 1 - 3. Meleonoma species, morphology 1 adult of M. plicata sp. nov., holotype, male (gen. slide no. YAH 19068) 2 adult of M. taeniata sp. nov., holotype, male (gen. slide no. YAH 19071) 3 adult of M. scalprata sp. nov., paratype, female (gen. slide no. YAH 19070). Scale bars: 2.50 mm.

Figures 4 - 7. Meleonoma species, morphology 4 male genitalia of M. plicata sp. nov., holotype, phallus illustrated separately (gen. slide no. YAH 19068) 5 male genitalia of M. scalprata sp. nov., holotype, phallus illustrated separately (gen. slide no. YAH 19069) 6 female genitalia of M. scalprata sp. nov., paratype (gen. slide no. YAH 19070) 7 male genitalia of M. taeniata sp. nov., holotype, phallus illustrated separately (gen. slide no. YAH 19071). Scale bars: 0.25 mm.