Eridachtha phiarella Park, 2024

Park, Kyu-Tek, Minet, Joël, Koo, Jun-Mo & Yu, Tae-Uk, 2024, Review of the Afrotropical members of the genus Eridachtha Meyrick, 1910 (Lepidoptera: Lecithoceridae: Lecithocerinae), with descriptions of 12 new species, Zootaxa 5468 (2), pp. 275-307 : 291-293

5. Eridachtha phiarella Park , sp. nov.

LSID: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:386665AC-3809-44BC-B95C-12E80F50C705 ( Figs 11 , 12 )

Type specimens. Holotype male: Kenya, Central , Castle Forest Lodge, 0˚22'51''S 37˚18'35''E, 2,050 m, 26 x 2016, leg. D. Agassiz & K. Larsen, gen. slide no. CIS-7168, in NHMUK . Paratypes: 2♂, same locality as holotype, 22 x 2013, leg. Agassiz, Beavan, Heckford & Larsen ; 4♂, same locality as holotype, 24–27 x 2016, leg. D. Agassiz & K. Larsen, forewing slide no. CIS-7588 ; 1♀, same locality as holotype, 0˚22'43''S 37˚18'32''E, 2,100 m, 6 xi 2012, leg. Agassiz, Beavan, Heckford & Ngugi, gen. slide no. CIS-7540, all paratypes deposited in NHMUK .

Diagnosis. The new species can be easily distinguished from its allies by the large size (wingspan more than 18.0 mm), the forewing ground colour yellowish-white with brownish costal suffusion and distinct stigmata, and the labial palpus with rough scales dorsally and ventrally. The male genitalia are similar to those of E. cardialis Park , sp. nov., but can be distinguished by the basal lobes of uncus more semi-ovate and the basal plate of the gnathos shorter and wider ( Fig. 12D ); cucullus less elongated; cornuti consisting of larger, broom-shaped cluster with numerous setae, about 2/5 the length of the aedeagus (whereas, in A. cardialis , the cluster of cornuti is elongated, measuring about 2/3 the length of the aedeagus).

Description. Male and female ( Figs 11A–C ). Wingspan 18.0–20.0 mm.

Head: yellowish-white with concolourous erect scales laterally. Antenna longer than forewing; scape elongated, nearly parallel-sided, yellowish-white throughout. Second segment of labial palpus thickened, with rough scales; yellowish-white all around; 3 rd segment slender, as long as 2 nd segment.

Thorax: tegula and thorax yellowish-white. Forewing ground colour yellowish-white, irrorated with yellowish-brown scales beyond 2/3; discal spot small, rounded, disco-cellular spot comma-shaped, elongated; broad bronzy yellowish-brown costal suffusion well-developed, extended to apex; costa arched basal 2/3; apex sharply produced; termen oblique, slightly concave medially; fringe concolourous with ground colour; venation ( Fig. 11C ) with R 1 arising from about 1/3; distance between R 2 and R 3 about 3 times that separating R 3 and R 4+5 at base; R 3 free; R 4 and R 5 stalked for basal 3/5; R 5 to termen; M 1 remote from R 4+5; M 2 well developed; M 3 slightly closer to M 2 than CuA 1 at base; CuA 2 arising from near lower corner of discal cell; discal cell closed. Hindwing ground colour paler than forewing, broader than forewing; apex angulate; termen concaved medially; fringe concolourous with ground colour; discal cell weakly closed.

Abdomen: no spinous zones dorsally.

Male genitalia ( Figs 12A–D ): uncus basal lobes heart-shaped with ovate lateral processes. Gnathos basal plate trapezoidal, slightly narrowed distally; caudal margin triangularly produced. Costal bar narrow, nearly arched, and lacking median angle. Valva broad basally; costal margin deeply concave; saccular margin slightly concave; cucullus elongated, nearly parallel-sided, costal margin slightly convex beyond half, with minute spines along ventral margin; apex rounded; sacculus broadly developed, sclerotized. Juxta shield-shaped, with narrow, membranous latero-caudal processes; median process on anterior margin thumb-like. Vinculum U-shaped, sclerotized along lateral margin, broadened apically, with nearly flat saccal zone. Aedeagus as long as valva, bifurcated apically with a pair of small triangular processes on dorsal margin; cornutus broom-shaped with a bundle of numerous setae, about 2/5 the length of aedeagus.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 11D ): apophyses anteriores somewhat thick, dilated apically, about 2/3 the length of apophyses posteriores. Ostium bursae wide, nearly flat. Antrum short, broadened distally, about 1.5 times wider than long. Ductus bursae narrow in distal 2/5 (about 1.5 times the length of antrum); anterior 3/5 broadened as wide as antrum, wrinkled. Corpus bursae large, ovate; signum with heavily sclerotized central ridge, with the upper plate broadened weakly sclerotized and the lower plate papilla-like.

Distribution. Kenya (Central).

Etymology. The species name is derived from the Ancient Greek, - phiaros (= bright, shining), referring to the bright ground colour of the forewing.

Figures

FIGURE 11. Eridachtha phiarella Park, sp. nov.: A, male, holotype (corresponding slide: no. CIS-7168); B, head with labial palpus; C, forewing venation (forewing slide no. CIS-7588); D, female genitalia (slide no. CIS-7540). Scale bar: 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 12. Eridachtha phiarella Park, sp. nov. (except for E): A, male genitalia, holotype (slide no. CIS-7168); B, aedeagus; C, close-up of aedeagus: D, close-up of A (vinculum, tegumen and A10); E, basal plate of gnathos of E. cardialis sp. nov. (slide no. CIS-7529, holotype); F, pregenital segments. Scale bar for A and B: 0.5 mm.