Coptotriche sapaensis Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: B6B226A0-C331-4838-86C3-7319D49BDC61

(Figs 114–142)

Type material. Holotype: Ô, VIETNAM: Lao Cai Prov., 15 km NW Sapa, 22°20’58”N, 103°46’16”E, elevation 1920 m, feeding larva 20.ii.2015, ex pupa iii.2015, field card no. 5203, leg. A. Diškus, genitalia slide no. AD1111 (MfN) . Paratypes: 1 Ô, 2 ♀ same label data as holotype, genitalia slide no. AD1109 ♀ (MfN); 1 Ô, same label data, genitalia slide no. AD1106Ô (GNU) .

Diagnosis. Externally, this new species is similar to and can be confused with some other bright ochre-colored Coptotriche species with distinctive black markings on the forewing apex, including the South East Asian C. asiana Diškus & Stonis and C. turpinia Xu & Dai. In the male genitalia, this new species can be easily differentiated from all congeneric species by the phallus with curved lateral clusters of large spines and unique morphology of phallus apex (see Fig. 122). In the female genitalia, the new species is characterized by the combination of a distinctly globular, heavily folded accessory sac, stout prela, and inconspicuous pectinations of corpus bursae.

DNA barcode. Unavailable.

Description. Male (Figs 114–118). Forewing length 4.5 mm; wingspan 10 mm (n = 1). Head: frons, palpi and pecten glossy yellow cream; frontal tuft comprised of golden cream lamellar scales and dark brown, long, piliformlike scales (Figs 114, 115); collar ochreous yellow; antenna significantly longer than one half of the length of forewing; flagellum pale ochre-yellow; sensilla whitish cream, very fine, almost indistinctive. Thorax: bright ochreous yellow, with dark brown scales medially; tegula ochreous yellow. Forewing bright ochreous yellow, with some brown-black to black scales which scattered along costal margin and especially along dorsal margin and apex, and form a small irregular spot on tornus; fringe intense yellow-ochre, ochre-grey on tornus; fringe line absent; forewing underside with ochreous brown scales, except for the large, yellowish cream area below the fold. Hindwing dark brown-grey on upper side and underside; fringe ochre-brown. Legs ochre-yellow, densely covered with dark grey-brown scales on upper side. Abdomen dark brown with a very, strong golden gloss and some purple irridescence on upper side, pale brown, golden glossy on underside, yellow cream laterally; genital segments medium large, yellow cream; anal tuft dorsal, small, comprised of lamellar grey scales.

Female (Figs 119, 120). Forewing length 5.0– 5.1 mm; wingspan 11.1–11.2 mm (n = 2). Similar to male, but without antennal sensilla, anal tuft yellowish cream; ovipositor not protruding. Otherwise, identical with male.

Male genitalia (Figs 121–130) with capsule about 730 µm long, 380–385 µm wide. Uncus comprised of two large, triangular lobes. Socii relatively large, weakly paired, membranous. Tegumen very, short medially, with long lateral arms. Diaphragm covered with numerous tiny spines. Valva ca. 700 µm long, wide in lateral view. Transtilla with a long transverse bar and short sublateral processes. Anellus mostly membranous, indistinctive. Vinculum short, triangular. Phallus about 770 µm long, apically tulip-shaped, with three distinctive rod-like thickenings and lateral clusters of large, outwardly curved spines.

Female genitalia (Figs 131–135) about 1445 µm long. Ovipositor lobes relatively large, with dark peg-like setae; second pair of ovipositor lobes large, with numerous relatively short setae and one very long seta on each lobe. Posterior apophyses only slightly longer than anterior apophyses; prela comprised of three pairs of stout, rod-like projections; transverse prela unusually wide. Corpus bursae gradually widening towards basal part, with numerous inconspicuous pectinations. Accessory sac globular, heavily folded. Ductus spermathecae wide proximally, slender, tube-like distally, with about 8–9 medium large and small coils.

Bionomics (Figs 136–142). Host plant unidentified but is probably Symplocaceae (Fig. 138). Larvae mine leaves in February. Initially, the mine is slender with numerous lateral corridors; later, the mine widens to an elongated blotch-like mine (yellowish to pale brown, without frass). Adults occur in March. Otherwise, biology is unknown.

Distribution. This species is known from a single locality in northern Vietnam near the border with China: Lao Cai Province, 15 km NW Sapa, at the elevation of 1920 m (Figs 136, 137).

Etymology. The species is named after Sapa (Vietnam), the locality where it was found.