Mesophleps parvella, Li & Sattler, 2012

Li, Houhun & Sattler, Klaus, 2012, A taxonomic revision of the genus Mesophleps Hübner, 1825 (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) 3373, Zootaxa 3373, pp. 1-82 : 45

Mesophleps parvella sp. nov.

( Figs 9, 53, 78, 138)

♂, ♀. Wingspan 9.0–13.0 mm. Labial palpus segment 2 black, distally with white ring, 3 white with black apex, outer side with some black scales at base. Antennal scape white to whitish grey, flagellum alternating whitish grey and brown. Forewing greyish brown, rarely tinged with yellow, proximal two-fifths of costa more or less extensively greyish white, distal three-fifths with black to brown costal stripe up to one-third width of wing, interrupted by oblique white line running from distal fifth towards termen, dorsal margin fuscous; black discocellular spot and short plical dash present, also dark apical and two or three terminal spots.

Genitalia ♂ ( Fig. 78). Uncus rounded, gnathos hooks short, fused at base; posterior margin of vinculum with pair of long, strong, outwardly-directed spines; phallus with inflated base and long slim distal portion.

Genitalia ♀ ( Figs 9, 138). Dorso-posterior extension of segment VIII (at high magnification!) with large field of microtrichia. Area around ostium bursae with predominantly longitudinal wrinkles, sclerotized antrum short, tubular, slightly tapered anteriorly; ductus bursae thin, about twice length of apophyses posteriores, corpus bursae oval, length about twice greatest width; ductus seminalis arising laterally from corpus bursae.

Remarks. M. parvella is the smallest species in the genus. The three females from Brunei are even smaller (9.0–11.0 mm wingspan) than the specimens from Papua New Guinea and Australia (12.0–13.0 mm wingspan) and their wings are off-white, largely suffused with grey, especially the dorsal half (rather than ochreous yellow). In two of the three specimens segment 3 of the labial palpus is shorter than in the two males from Papua New Guinea. In the male genitalia the uncus is rounded, as in nairobiensis , but the gnathos hooks are fused at the base, the outwardly-directed spines on the posterior margin of the vinculum are much longer and the phallus is slimmer. Differences in the female genitalia are slight and, as our sample is so small, we cannot be certain how significant they are. In coffeae ( Thailand / Hong Kong) (2 ♀♀ examined) the corpus bursae is very large and is longer than the ductus bursae whereas in parvella (3 ♀♀ examined) it is smaller and is slightly to distinctly shorter than the ductus bursae.

Biology. Host-plant unknown.

Distribution. Malaysia ( Brunei), Papua New Guinea, Australia (Queensland).

Etymology. The specific name is derived from the Latin prefix parv- (small) and postfix - ellus, in reference to this species being the smallest in the genus Mesophleps .

Material examined (4 ♂♂, 4 ♀♀, including 3 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀ genitalia preparations)

Holotype ♂, Papua New Guinea, Eastern Highlands, Goroka , 5200 ft, 1–2.vi.1974 (Classey) (genitalia slide no. 30974; BMNH).

Paratypes. Malaysia: 2 ♀♀ Brunei, Kg. Kapok, 10, 30.iii.1992 (Ping) ; 1 ♀, Telisai, Kerangas forest , 100 ft, 13.ii.1982 (Robinson) . Papua New Guinea: 1 ♂, Southern Highlands, Bosavi, 2300 ft., 7.xi.1984 (Agassiz) . Australia: 1 ♂, Queensland, Kuranda, 4.x.1905 (Dodd) ; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Toowong, 20.x.1896, 9.x.1897 (Dodd).