Mesophleps palpigera (Walsingham, 1891)

Li, Houhun & Sattler, Klaus, 2012, A taxonomic revision of the genus Mesophleps Hübner, 1825 (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) 3373, Zootaxa 3373, pp. 1-82 : 22-23

Mesophleps palpigera -group

Wingspan 6.5–20.0 mm. Labial palpus moderately recurved, segment 2 distally widened by erectile dorsal scales, dark with white distal ring; segment 3 shorter than 2, usually white, sometimes with black apex. Head, thorax and tegulae uniformly of forewing ground colour. Forewing yellowish brown to greyish brown, costa basally with delicate dark edge, distal three-fifths with slightly wider dark brown stripe, interrupted by oblique lighter line running from about distal fifth towards termen; costal area and part of discal cell whitish grey, dorsum darker greyish brown; black plical, discal and discocellular spots more or less distinct, discal sometimes reduced, rarely absent; sometimes large diffuse tornal spot present and fused with discocellular; termen usually with two to three black spots near apex.

Genitalia ♂ ( Figs 7, 60–71). Uncus broadly rounded, cap-like, ventrally concave. Gnathos hooks far apart, connected by broad transverse band. Pedunculi distally broadened or forked. Posterior margin of vinculum strongly sclerotized. Phallus with bulbous base and short, narrow, distal portion; bulbus ejaculatorius with short, narrow ‘stem’, broadly rounded, barely longer than phallus.

Genitalia ♀ ( Figs 89–99, 119–129). Papillae anales short, broad, with long sensory setae, apophyses posteriores about twice length of apophyses anteriores. Segment VIII short, broad, dorso-posterior margin medially moderately to strongly convex. Subostial plate/sclerotized antrum often of characteristic shape ( Figs 119–129); ductus bursae thin, not exceeding twice length of apophyses posteriores, entering corpus bursae laterally; ductus seminalis from cervix bursae.

Biology. Host-plants: Leguminosae (Caesalpinoideae, Mimosoideae , Papilionoideae ), Cistaceae , Cupressaceae .

Distribution ( Figs 23–25). Temperate and tropical parts of the world.