Tricerophora nigrinervis, Bidzilya & Mey, 2018

Bidzilya, Oleksiy V. & Mey, Wolfram, 2018, Review of the genus Tricerophora Janse, 1958 (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae) with description of six new species, Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift 65 (1), pp. 81-98 : 88-92

Tricerophora nigrinervis sp. n.

Tricerophora sp. 2 - Bidzilya 2007: 99, figs 31, 35; pl. 7, fig. 3

Type material.

Holotype ♂, "Namibia, Brandberg, 1100 m, 1.xii.2000, LF, W. Mey | "gen. slide 122/05, O. Bidzilya" (MfN). Paratypes: 1 ♀, same data as holotype (gen. slide 77/18, O. Bidzilya); 2 ♀, same data, but 800 m, 3.xii.2000 (Mey) (gen. slide 100/05, O. Bidzilya); 1 ♀, same data, but 1400 m, 2.xii.2000 (Mey); 1 ♂, Namibia, Brandberg, Ugab, 30.xi.2000, LF (Mey); 1 ♀, Namibia, Windhoek, Farm Ondekaremba, 18.ii.2008, Turm (Mey) (all MfN); 1 ♀, Namibia/Namib, Damaralan, Xaragu Camp, 561 m, 7.viii.2007, GEO-WG84, 14 20 042 E/-20 24 441 S, leg. Dr. C. Wieser, Kärtner Landesmusem (gen. slide 130/12, O. Bidzilya) (KLM); 1 ♀, RSA, Richtersveld, Numees, Helskloof Gate, 9-12.x.2001, LF (Mey) (gen. slide 61/18, O. Bidzilya) (MfN)

Diagnosis.

The new species can be recognized by its relatively small wingspan, snow-white head and thorax and contrast blackish-white forewing distinctly mottled with black mainly along veins and fold. T. brumale sp. n. and T. acutivalva sp. n. differ in more extensive black ir roration on the head, thorax and forewing and less distinct (by T. brumale sp. n.) black pattern along veins. The long phallus with two cornuti in combination with long posteromedial lobe of vinculum and comparatively short and broad gnathos are characteristic for the male genitalia. The female genitalia are defined by the long ductus bursae with sclerotized serrated folds, corpus bursae with posterolateral accessory bursa and short arms of the signum.

Description.

Adult (Figs 15-16 ): Wingspan 11.1-11.8 mm. Head and thorax white, labial palpus white, segment 2 with black base and rare brown scales on outer surface, brush of scales underside, segment 3 acute, white mottled with black. Scape brown, flagellum white with brown belts, pubescent by male on underside. Tegulae black. Forewing covered with white, black-tipped scales, diffuse white spots on 1/2 and 3/4 of costal margin, subcostal vein black from base to 1/2 length, black streaks along veins in costal half and in fold, whitish-cream patch mottled with brown in middle from base to nearly 1/2-2/3 of dorsal margin, diffuse white tornal spot on 3/4, cilia white, black-tipped. Hindwing and cilia grey.

Male genitalia (Fig. 27 ): Posterolateral processes of tegumen short, pointed; uncus long, evenly curved; gnathos half the length of uncus, broad, about of even width, top rounded; tegumen twice as long as broad; valva nearly straight, narrow, of even width, rarely haired, slightly extending beyond tip of uncus, apex pointed; sacculus about 1/3-1/4 length of valva, very narrow; vinculum three times as broad as long, about 1/6-1/7 length of valva, posteromedial lobe long, extending nearly to half length of the valva, medially with triangular emargination; saccus moderately broad, sligthly narrowed in middle, apex rounded; phallus nearly of even width, as long as tegumen and uncus, medial cornutus short, apical cornutus long and slender, weakly curved at base, than straight, pointed.

Female genitalia (Fig. 35 ): Segment VIII about as long as broad, sternum VIII membranous, ostium indistinct; apophysis anterioris slightly longer than segment VIII; antrum funnel-shaped, gradually narrowed anteriorly, longer than apophysis anterioris, constricted in the place of connection to ductus bursae; ductus bursae broader and slightly shorter than antrum, with several strongly serrated folds projecting into the corpus bursae; corpus bursae rounded, with broad, partially sclerotized posterior-lateral accessory bursa; signum with very short anterior and posterior arms and broad medial ridge.

Etymology.

The specific name is derived from Latin " niger " - black and " nervus " - vein, reflecting the characteristic forewing pattern of the new species.

Distribution.

Namibia, RSA.

Biology.

Adults have been collected in August, October, December and February up to 1100 m elevation at the Brandberg (Namibia).

Figures

Figures 11 - 20. Adult of Tricerophora spp. 11. T. pundamilia sp. n., HT, ♀, Punda Milia (gen. slide 61 / 15, O. Bidzilya). 12. Tricerophora sp. A, ♂, Wylies Poort (gen. slide 331 / 14, O. Bidzilya). 13 - 14. T. brumale sp. n. 13. HT, ♂, Xaragu Camp (gen. slide 106 / 12, O. Bidzilya). 14. PT, ♀, Xaragu Camp (gen. slide 63 / 18, O. Bidzilya). 15 - 16. T. nigrinervis sp. n. 15. HT, ♂, Brandberg (gen. slide 122 / 05, O. Bidzilya). 16. PT, ♀, Richtersveld (gen. slide 61 / 18, O. Bidzilya). 17 - 18. T. acutivalva sp. n. 17. HT, ♂, Imam Sade (gen. slide 47 / 18, O. Bidzilya). 18. PT, ♂, Imam Sade (gen. slide 1 / 18, O. Bidzilya). 19 - 20. T. minimorum sp. n. 19. HT, ♂, Opuwo (gen. slide 361 / 14, O. Bidzilya). 20. PT, ♀, Varianto (gen. slide 536 / 14, O. Bidzilya). Scale bar = 2 mm

Figures 25 - 28. Male genitalia of Tricerophora spp. 25. T. brumale sp. n., HT, Xaragu Camp (gen. slide 106 / 12, O. Bidzilya). 26. T. acutivalva sp. n., HT, Imam Sade (gen. slide 47 / 18, O. Bidzilya). 27. T. nigrinervis sp. n., HT, Brandberg (gen. slide 122 / 05, O. Bidzilya). 28. T. minimorum sp. n., HT, Opuwo (gen. slide 361 / 14, O. Bidzilya).

Figures 33 - 35. Female genitalia of Tricerophora spp. 33. T. nigribasis, PT, Abachaus (gen. slide 600 / 14, O. Bidzilya). 34. Tricerophora sp., Brandberg (gen. slide 105 / 05, O. Bidzilya). 35. T. nigrinervis sp. n., PT, Brandberg (gen. slide 77 / 18, O. Bidzilya).