taxonID	type	description	language	source
064C00F352635518A4496170E0BCF41D.taxon	description	Figs 1 H, I, 4	en	Sruoga, Virginijus, Kaila, Lauri (2026): New species in the Elachista praelineata species group (Lepidoptera, Elachistidae, Elachistinae) from East Africa, with identification keys to the Afrotropical species. ZooKeys 1267: 1-14, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1267.177018
064C00F352635518A4496170E0BCF41D.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Among the species of the E. praelineata species group, E. conica can be readily separated by its peculiar shape of the valva with a narrow, tapered cucullus and a strongly reduced spinose knob of the gnathos. As such, E. conica cannot be confused with any other known species of the E. praelineata species group.	en	Sruoga, Virginijus, Kaila, Lauri (2026): New species in the Elachista praelineata species group (Lepidoptera, Elachistidae, Elachistinae) from East Africa, with identification keys to the Afrotropical species. ZooKeys 1267: 1-14, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1267.177018
064C00F352635518A4496170E0BCF41D.taxon	description	Description. Male. (Fig. 1 H, I). Forewing length 4.0 mm; wingspan 8.6 mm (N = 1). Head: frons yellowish-white, vertex, and neck tuft yellowish-white, with few brownish-grey tipped scales; labial palpus 1.4 times as long as width of head, yellowish-white above and brownish-grey below; antenna brownish-grey, in distal half with slightly raised scales and weakly annulated with paler rings. Thorax, tegula, and forewing ground colour greyish-white, variably covered by greyish-brown tipped scales; fringe brownish-grey. Hindwing and its fringe brownish-grey. Female. Unknown. Male genitalia. (Fig. 4 A – D). Uncus lobes widely apart from each other, broadest in basal part, longer than wide, tapered distally, setae on ventral surface dense, scale-like near apex and along lateral margin, becoming longer and thinner in mediobasal part. Socius with a few long setae. Spinose knob of gnathos very small and weakly sclerotized, in shape of two drop-like lobes. Valva broadest in basal part, about four times as long as wide at costal hump; basal fold of costa extended to 1 / 2 of valva, beyond it with small, inconspicuous hump; cucullus long and narrow, gradually tapered towards apex. Median plate of juxta with a pair of large dorsally directed lateral pockets. Juxta lobes large, separated from each other with shallow incision; median margin straight, joining straight distal margin at right angle, distal margin convex, ventral surface distally with long setae. Digitate process glabrous, almost parallel-sided. Vinculum V-shaped, saccus short, not prominent. Phallus about 0.8 as long as valva, straight, caecum narrow and long, apex acute, and curved to form strongly sclerotized hook; ventral surface with band of proximally directed small spines in apical 1 / 3; vesica without cornuti.	en	Sruoga, Virginijus, Kaila, Lauri (2026): New species in the Elachista praelineata species group (Lepidoptera, Elachistidae, Elachistinae) from East Africa, with identification keys to the Afrotropical species. ZooKeys 1267: 1-14, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1267.177018
064C00F352635518A4496170E0BCF41D.taxon	distribution	Distribution. So far, this species is known only from south-western Ethiopia.	en	Sruoga, Virginijus, Kaila, Lauri (2026): New species in the Elachista praelineata species group (Lepidoptera, Elachistidae, Elachistinae) from East Africa, with identification keys to the Afrotropical species. ZooKeys 1267: 1-14, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1267.177018
064C00F352635518A4496170E0BCF41D.taxon	etymology	Etymology. From the Latin conica, the feminine form of the adjective conicus, meaning “ conical ” in reference to the shape of the valva.	en	Sruoga, Virginijus, Kaila, Lauri (2026): New species in the Elachista praelineata species group (Lepidoptera, Elachistidae, Elachistinae) from East Africa, with identification keys to the Afrotropical species. ZooKeys 1267: 1-14, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1267.177018
1D0B3564719D5B4FB16E43654072EF0E.taxon	description	Figs 1 D, E, 3 A – D, 4 E	en	Sruoga, Virginijus, Kaila, Lauri (2026): New species in the Elachista praelineata species group (Lepidoptera, Elachistidae, Elachistinae) from East Africa, with identification keys to the Afrotropical species. ZooKeys 1267: 1-14, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1267.177018
1D0B3564719D5B4FB16E43654072EF0E.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Elachista griseifrons externally closely resembles E. silfverbergi, known from the same locality, but it differs in a more grey frons and longer labial palpus compared to the width of the head. Also, the male genitalia are very similar to those of E. silfverbergi. However, the digitate process is reduced to a bluntly triangular lobe in E. griseifrons, whereas in E. silfverbergi it is well developed and about twice as long as in E. griseifrons.	en	Sruoga, Virginijus, Kaila, Lauri (2026): New species in the Elachista praelineata species group (Lepidoptera, Elachistidae, Elachistinae) from East Africa, with identification keys to the Afrotropical species. ZooKeys 1267: 1-14, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1267.177018
1D0B3564719D5B4FB16E43654072EF0E.taxon	description	Description. Male. (Fig. 1 D, E). Forewing length 3.9 mm; wingspan 8.4 mm (N = 1). Head: frons whitish-grey, vertex greyish-brown intermixed with whitish-grey, some scales with darkened tips, neck tuft greyish-brown; labial palpus 1.75 times as long as width of head, whitish-grey above and greyish-brown below; scape, pecten, and flagellum brownish-grey. Thorax dark grey-brown, tegula grey-brown. Forewing: strongly mottled with scales basally off-white and distally grey-brown; wing slightly darker beyond middle; antemedian transverse fascia blurred, incomplete, present as small, greyish-white spot at fold, small costal and tornal spots blurred, greyish-white; fringe brownish-grey. Hindwing and its fringe brownish-grey. Female. Unknown. Male genitalia (Fig. 3 A – D). Uncus lobes widely apart from each other, longer than wide, broadest before middle, tapered distally, setae on ventral surface dense, scale-like near apex and along lateral margin, becoming longer and thinner in mediobasal part. Socius with a few long setae. Spinose knob of gnathos large and rounded, as large as width of uncus lobe at its widest point, proximal margin shortly pointed. Valva long and narrow, about four times as long as wide at costal hump; basal fold of costa extended to 1 / 2 of valva, beyond it with small, broad hump; cucullus long, slightly bent towards costa. Median plate of juxta with a pair of large dorsally directed lateral pockets. Juxta lobes large, separated from each other with shallow incision; median margin straight, joining straight distal margin at right angle, distal margin convex, ventral surface distally with long setae. Digitate process glabrous, reduced to a small, bluntly triangular lobe. Vinculum V-shaped, saccus not prominent. Phallus about 0.7 as long as valva, straight, caecum small, apex acute and curved to form strongly sclerotized hook; ventral surface with band of proximally directed small spines in apical 1 / 3; vesica without cornuti.	en	Sruoga, Virginijus, Kaila, Lauri (2026): New species in the Elachista praelineata species group (Lepidoptera, Elachistidae, Elachistinae) from East Africa, with identification keys to the Afrotropical species. ZooKeys 1267: 1-14, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1267.177018
1D0B3564719D5B4FB16E43654072EF0E.taxon	distribution	Distribution. So far, this species is known only from central Ethiopia.	en	Sruoga, Virginijus, Kaila, Lauri (2026): New species in the Elachista praelineata species group (Lepidoptera, Elachistidae, Elachistinae) from East Africa, with identification keys to the Afrotropical species. ZooKeys 1267: 1-14, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1267.177018
1D0B3564719D5B4FB16E43654072EF0E.taxon	etymology	Etymology. From the Latin griseus, meaning “ grey ” and frons, meaning “ forehead ”, in reference to the grey forehead of the moth. The name is a noun in apposition.	en	Sruoga, Virginijus, Kaila, Lauri (2026): New species in the Elachista praelineata species group (Lepidoptera, Elachistidae, Elachistinae) from East Africa, with identification keys to the Afrotropical species. ZooKeys 1267: 1-14, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1267.177018
ED9310F77A595F01A654E7A31754198B.taxon	description	Figs 1 F, G, 3 E – G, 4 E	en	Sruoga, Virginijus, Kaila, Lauri (2026): New species in the Elachista praelineata species group (Lepidoptera, Elachistidae, Elachistinae) from East Africa, with identification keys to the Afrotropical species. ZooKeys 1267: 1-14, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1267.177018
ED9310F77A595F01A654E7A31754198B.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. The male genitalia of E. levis closely resemble those of E. silfverbergi, known from Ethiopia and Kenya, and E. griseifrons, known from Ethiopia. However, E. levis lacks a band of spines in the apical part of the phallus and has a vinculum with a long, narrow saccus. Additionally, E. levis differs from E. silfverbergi by having a short, triangular digitate process.	en	Sruoga, Virginijus, Kaila, Lauri (2026): New species in the Elachista praelineata species group (Lepidoptera, Elachistidae, Elachistinae) from East Africa, with identification keys to the Afrotropical species. ZooKeys 1267: 1-14, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1267.177018
ED9310F77A595F01A654E7A31754198B.taxon	description	Description. Male. (Fig. 1 F, G). Forewing length 2.6 mm; wingspan 5.7 mm (N = 1). Head: labial palpus 1.25 times as long as width of head, whitish-grey above and greyish-brown below; scape and pecten brownish-grey, flagellum brownish-grey, with very short cilia. Thorax dark grey-brown, tegula brownish-grey. Forewing: mottled with scales basally whitish-grey and distally grey-brown; wing slightly darker beyond middle; antemedian transverse fascia blurred, small costal and tornal spots blurred, greyish-white; fringe grey-brown. Hindwing and its fringe greyish-brown. Female. Unknown. Male genitalia. (Fig. 3 E – G). Uncus lobes widely apart from each other, broadest in basal part, longer than wide, tapered distally, setae on ventral surface dense, scale-like near apex and along lateral margin, becoming longer and thinner in mediobasal part. Socius with a few short setae. Spinose knob of gnathos large and oval, slightly larger than width of uncus lobe at its widest point. Valva long and narrow, about five times as long as wide at costal hump; basal fold of costa extended to 1 / 2 of valva, beyond it with small, broad hump; cucullus long, slightly bent towards costa. Median plate of juxta with a pair of large dorsally directed lateral pockets. Juxta lobes large, median margin straight, joining straight distal margin at right angle, distal margin convex, ventral surface distally with long setae. Digitate process glabrous, reduced to a small, bluntly triangular lobe. Vinculum V-shaped, saccus prominent, long, and narrow. Phallus about 0.6 as long as valva, weakly bent before middle, caecum small, apex acute, and curved to form strongly sclerotized hook; vesica without cornuti.	en	Sruoga, Virginijus, Kaila, Lauri (2026): New species in the Elachista praelineata species group (Lepidoptera, Elachistidae, Elachistinae) from East Africa, with identification keys to the Afrotropical species. ZooKeys 1267: 1-14, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1267.177018
ED9310F77A595F01A654E7A31754198B.taxon	distribution	Distribution. So far, this species is known only from north-eastern Tanzania.	en	Sruoga, Virginijus, Kaila, Lauri (2026): New species in the Elachista praelineata species group (Lepidoptera, Elachistidae, Elachistinae) from East Africa, with identification keys to the Afrotropical species. ZooKeys 1267: 1-14, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1267.177018
ED9310F77A595F01A654E7A31754198B.taxon	etymology	Etymology. From the Latin levis, meaning “ smooth, polished ” in reference to the phallus without coarse spines on the surface.	en	Sruoga, Virginijus, Kaila, Lauri (2026): New species in the Elachista praelineata species group (Lepidoptera, Elachistidae, Elachistinae) from East Africa, with identification keys to the Afrotropical species. ZooKeys 1267: 1-14, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1267.177018
520C9D2CF0545777A5C82DE0433D796D.taxon	description	Figs 1 A, B, 2, 4 E	en	Sruoga, Virginijus, Kaila, Lauri (2026): New species in the Elachista praelineata species group (Lepidoptera, Elachistidae, Elachistinae) from East Africa, with identification keys to the Afrotropical species. ZooKeys 1267: 1-14, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1267.177018
520C9D2CF0545777A5C82DE0433D796D.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Among the known Afrotropical species of the E. praelineata species group, E. silfverbergi can be compared with E. merimnaea Meyrick, 1920, known from South Africa (for external characters and male genitalia, see Parenti 1988, figs 4, 12 – 15). However, in contrast to E. silfverbergi, moths of E. merimnaea are lightly coloured, the cucullus of the valva is blunt, the phallus lacks a band of spines, and the apex of the phallus is not hooked as in E. silfverbergi. Elachista silfverbergi also resembles E. amamii Parenti, 1983, known from Japan and Thailand (for external characters and male genitalia, see Parenti 1983, table 2, Sugisima 2005, figs 1, 2, 15, 39), and E. simulans Sruoga, 2022, known from Nepal (for external characters and male genitalia, see Sruoga 2022, figs 24 – 27). However, unlike E. silfverbergi, in those species the saccus is prominent and narrow, the phallus lacks a band of spines, and the apex of the phallus is not as hooked as in E. silfverbergi.	en	Sruoga, Virginijus, Kaila, Lauri (2026): New species in the Elachista praelineata species group (Lepidoptera, Elachistidae, Elachistinae) from East Africa, with identification keys to the Afrotropical species. ZooKeys 1267: 1-14, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1267.177018
520C9D2CF0545777A5C82DE0433D796D.taxon	description	Description. Male. (Fig. 1 A, B). Forewing length 3.6 – 4.5 mm; wingspan 7.8 – 9.4 mm (N = 42). Head: frons white to off-white, vertex whitish-grey intermixed with brownish-grey, some scales with darkened tips, neck tuft brownish-grey; labial palpus 1.3 – 1.5 times as long as width of head, off-white above and greyish-brown below; scape and first flagellomere blackish-brown, flagellum brownish-grey, pecten off-white. Thorax, tegula, and forewing strongly mottled with scales, basally off-white and distally grey-brown; antemedian transverse fascia white, blurred, interrupted at middle, present as two small white spots near costal and dorsal margins; small costal and tornal spots blurred, off-white; fringe brownish-grey. Hindwing and its fringe brownish-grey. Female. Unknown. Male genitalia (Fig. 2). Uncus lobes widely apart from each other, longer than wide, broadest before middle, tapered distally, setae on ventral surface dense, scale-like near apex and along lateral margin, becoming longer and thinner in mediobasal part. Socius with a few long setae. Spinose knob of gnathos rounded, about as large as width of uncus lobe at its widest point. Valva long and narrow, about four times as long as wide at costal hump; basal fold of costa extended to 1 / 2 of valva, beyond it with small, broad hump; cucullus long, slightly bent towards costa. Median plate of juxta with a pair of dorsally directed lateral pockets. Juxta lobes large, median margin straight, joining straight distal margin at right angle, distal margin convex, ventral surface distally with long setae. Digitate process wide basally, nearly parallel or slightly varying in shape from middle, sometimes with single seta near tip (Fig. 2 C). Vinculum V-shaped, saccus short, not prominent, varies slightly in length and width, with weak median ridge in some specimens. Phallus about 0.7 as long as valva, weakly bent before middle, caecum small, apex acute, and curved to form strongly sclerotized hook; ventral surface with band of proximally directed small spines in apical 1 / 3; vesica without cornuti.	en	Sruoga, Virginijus, Kaila, Lauri (2026): New species in the Elachista praelineata species group (Lepidoptera, Elachistidae, Elachistinae) from East Africa, with identification keys to the Afrotropical species. ZooKeys 1267: 1-14, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1267.177018
520C9D2CF0545777A5C82DE0433D796D.taxon	distribution	Distribution. Central and south-western Ethiopia and south-western Kenya.	en	Sruoga, Virginijus, Kaila, Lauri (2026): New species in the Elachista praelineata species group (Lepidoptera, Elachistidae, Elachistinae) from East Africa, with identification keys to the Afrotropical species. ZooKeys 1267: 1-14, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1267.177018
520C9D2CF0545777A5C82DE0433D796D.taxon	etymology	Etymology. The species is named after the Finnish entomologist Hans Silfverberg, who collected most type material.	en	Sruoga, Virginijus, Kaila, Lauri (2026): New species in the Elachista praelineata species group (Lepidoptera, Elachistidae, Elachistinae) from East Africa, with identification keys to the Afrotropical species. ZooKeys 1267: 1-14, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1267.177018
