Esexalata beljaevi Ponomarenko et M. Omelko, 2024

Ponomarenko, Margarita G. & Omelko, Ichail M., 2024, A new genus and two new species of gelechiid moths (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae, Gelechiinae) from the East Malaysia with unusual male secondary characters, Zootaxa 5447 (4), pp. 573-582 : 575-579

Esexalata beljaevi Ponomarenko et M. Omelko sp. n.

( Figs 1, 3, 4a, 5–11 , 20–26 , 33–35 )

Type material. Holotype: ♁, Borneo, E Malaysia, state of Sabah, 24 km N Tawau , 20.viii 1995, GS 221 MP (leg. M. Omelko), FSCB.

Paratypes: 3♁, 4♀, same locality, 19–22, 29.viii, 01.ix 1995, GS 222–224 (♁♁) , 225–228 (♀♀) MP (leg. M. Omelko), FSCB .

Diagnosis. The new species differs from its similar species described below by the relatively larger size of adult and the elongated yellow spots on forewings, by the cucullus with triangular ventral lobe in proximal part and maximal width of distal part three times wider than width of saccular distal part, and the aedeagus with rounded apex and with one thorn-shaped and 10–11 needle-shaped cornuti.

Description. Adult ( Figs 1, 3, 4a, 5–11 ). Head with mainly monochrome light beige, beige and grey scales, a few scales brownish distally. Scapus more or less monochromatic pale greyish, with a blackish brown indistinct median band and with row of elongate black scales along anterior margin interrupted before middle; pedicellus and basal flagellomeres widened, and wider in males; flagellum black, with dispersed whitish scales, and with long cilia on ventral side in males ( Figs 3, 4a, 5, 6 ). First segment of labial palpus black; second segment light grey, beige or dark beige with black base; third segment light beige or beige in proximal half, concolorous or with darker shading and black in distal part, with tuft of scales near middle of upper side. Thorax brown in male and black in female, patagia and tegula black. Forewing length 4.5–5.2 mm. Forewing brownish with dark brown base, concolorous transverse bands beyond middle and at 4/5; pattern formed by transverse strokes of raised dark yellow scales: two along dorsal margin on proximal half, one costal stroke and one median stroke at 1/3 and 2/3 of wing length, respectively; fringe dark grey with whitish tips ( Fig. 1 ). Hindwing brownish grey with brownish and dark grey fringe. Legs brownish with scattered whitish scales and with blackish shading on outer side more distinct in females; dorsal edge of hind tibia with brush of light grey scales in males and dark grey ones in females.

Segment 8 with elongate tergite slightly widened towards base, and semi–oval sternite with broadly rounded posterior margin ( Fig. 26 ).

Male genitalia ( Figs 20–25 ). Uncus with flat posterior margin and semi-oval lateral lobes ( Fig. 22 ). Culcitula of gnathos divided into two parts by median constriction; median sclerite of gnathos with convex ventral margin and relatively smooth dorsal edge with indistinct median notch. Cucullus with maximal width of its distal part three times wider than width of sacculus in distal part, with large triangular lobe on ventral margin of proximal part. Sacculus widened in basal part (ratio of maximal widths in basal and distal parts 2.5:1), narrowed beyond middle and parallel-sided in distal part, and with claw-like apex directed ventrally.Aedeagus relatively large, almost equal to cucullus in length, tube-like and slightly arched, with rounded flat apex and without caecum, opening for ejaculatory ductus on dorsal side and proximally bordered by a ribbon-like apodeme for phallic muscles; fixed at basal 1/3 by semi-sclerotised anellus, vesica with one thorn-shaped and 10–11 straight needle-shaped cornuti ( Figs 23, 24 ). Juxta consisting of two lateral lobes, each with notch on posterior margin, integrated with vinculum. Vinculum strongly widened laterally and with deep notch on posterior margin, saccus wide, triangular and with rounded apex.

Female genitalia ( Figs 33–35 ). Apophyses posteriores 6,6 times longer than apophyses anteriores. 8th segment with lateral digitiform projections on posterior margin bearing long setae and sinuous ribbon-like sclerotisations stretching from these projections and further on sides of sternal area ( Fig. 34 ). Anterior margin of sternite 8 with rounded lobes divided by triangular notch. Vaginal part of ductus bursae cup-shaped, with a transverse, narrow, band-like sclerite and an asymmetric, gutter-like sclerite; latter sclerite with distinct right rib about 4 times longer than indistinct left one.

Etymology. The species is named after Dr. Evgeny A. Beljaev, a famous expert with the geometroid moths and who made a great contribution to the study of morphology, fauna, phylogeny and taxonomy of these insects. A noun in the genitive case.

Figures

FIGURES 1–9. Esexalata gen. n., external morphology. 1, 3, 4a, 5–9—E. beljaevi sp. n.: 1—adult, holotype, male; 3—head, basal part of antenna and labial palpus, paratype, female; 4a—magnified scapus, pedicellus and base of flagellum, ventral view; 5—basal part of ciliate flagellum in male, dorsal view; 6—ditto, ventral view; 7—wing-like structure and hair-pencil in male, dorsal view, enlarged; 8—wing-like structures folded crosswise on the thorax in male; 9—hair-pencil under lifted wing-like structure in male; 2, 4—E. natalyae sp. n.: 2—adult, holotype, male; 4—ciliate antenna in male. Scale bar for figures 1, 2—1 mm; for figure 7—0.5 mm. pd—pedicellus, sc—scapus.

FIGURES 10–19. Esexalata gen. n., external morphology, wing venation and basal abdominal segments. 10–18—E. beljaevi sp. n.: 10—adult, view of wings with optical interference effect, paratype, female; 11—ditto, same specimen, photographed from a different angle; 12—hindwing with semi-transparent area covered by piliform and forked scales, paratype, female; 13—fragment of semi-transparent area on the hindwing with piliform and forked scales; 14—wing venation, paratype, female; 15—1st tergite with glandular area and 2nd sternite with semi-oval notch (shown by arrow), holotype, male; 16—fragment of glandular area on 1st tergite, enlarged; 17—position of wing-like structure on the thorax, paratype, male; 18—modeling with the application of wing-like structure and hair-pencil underneath on the base of the abdomen (1st tergite); 19—E. natalyae sp. n., 1st tergite (right) and 2nd sternite (left), paratype, male. Scale bar for figure 12—1 mm; for figures 15, 17, 19—0.5 mm.

FIGURES 20–30. Esexalata gen. n., male genitalia and 8th abdominal segments. 20–26, E. beljaevi sp. n.: 20—unrolled, medial view, holotype, GS 221 MP; 21—aedeagus, lateral view, left side, holotype, GS 221 MP; 22—uncus, gnathos with culcitula, ventral view, paratype, GS 223 MP; 23—row of needle-shaped cornuti in aedeagus; 24—distal part of aedeagus, right side, paratype, GS 223 MP; 25—distal part of genitalia in glycerol; 26—sternite (left) and tergite (right) of 8th abdominal segment, paratype, male; 27–30, E. natalyae sp. n.: 27—unrolled, medial view, holotype, GS 229 MP; 28—aedeagus, lateral view, left side, holotype, GS 229 MP; 29—distal part of aedeagus with bundle of long filiform cornuti; 30—sternite (left) and tergite (right) of 8th abdominal segment, paratype, male. Scale bar 0.2 mm with the exception of enlarged figures 22, 23 and 29. set. lat—setae on the lateral side of cucullus.

FIGURES 31–36. E. beljaevi sp. n., genitalia and basal abdominal segments: 31—uncus, gnathos with culcitula and distal part of tegumen with spinose areas, lateral view, enlarged, holotype, GS 221 MP; 32—ditto, ventral view, enlarged, paratype, GS 223 MP; 33—female genitalia, ventral view, paratype, GS 227 MP; 34—ditto, 8th sternite and vaginal sinus, enlarged; 35—ditto, fragment of honeycomb-like sculpture on inner surface of semi-sclerotised fold; 36—1st tergite and 2nd sternite in female, GS 227 MP. Scale bar for figures 33 and 36—0.5 mm. cul—culcitula, d.pr—digitiform projection, f.s—fultura superior, hc.sc—honeycomb-like sculpture, l.gn—lateral sclerites of gnathos, l.teg—lateral lobes of tegumen with spines, m.ar—lateral membranous areas, m.gn—median sclerite of gnathos, s–scl.f—semi-sclerotised fold, sp.a—spinose areas, unc—uncus, v.sin— vaginal sinus, 8-st—8th sternite.