Dichomeris ventriprojecta, Li, Houhun, Zhen, Hui & Mey, Wolfram, 2013

Li, Houhun, Zhen, Hui & Mey, Wolfram, 2013, Notes on Dichomeris Hübner, 1818 from Southern Africa and Kenya, with description of seven new species (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae, Dichomeridinae), Zootaxa 3608 (7), pp. 561-574 : 570-571

Dichomeris ventriprojecta sp. nov.

( Figs 7 , 19 , 25 )

Type material. NAMIBIA: Holotype 3, NAMIBIA-Exp. ZMB 1992, Kavango: Kaudom-Camp, 18°31’ S / 20°43’ E, lux, 22–25. ii.92, leg. W. Mey, genitalia slide no. ZH09098. Paratype: 1 Ƥ, Namibia, Popa-Falls, Okawango River, 23–24.xi.1993, leg. [W.] MEY & [K.] EBERT, genitalia slide no. ZH09107.

Diagnosis. The new species is similar to D. furvella (Zeller, 1852) , but can be separated by the male right lobe of the sicae widened gradually from base to apex, its distal half with a nearly triangular process near outer side on ventral surface, and the cornutus is absent in phallus; by the female eighth tergite inverted semicircular, and the corpus bursae has a pair of signa. In D. furvella (Janse 1954: 418) , the male right lobe of the sicae is narrow on basal half, triangular on distal half, the ventral process is absent, and the phallus has a stout apex-pointed cornutus; the female eighth tergite is nearly oblong, and the signum is absent in corpus bursae.

Description. Adult ( Fig. 7 ): Wing expanse 16.0–16.5 mm. Head yellow, vertex grey mesially. Ocellus present. Second segment of labial palpus about 2.5 times length of diameter of eye, slightly longer than or as long as third segment, with scales on dorsal surface, with rough scales on ventral surface; first and second segments brown mixed with yellow on outer surface, yellow on inner surface, apex mixed with white; third segment yellow on dorsal surface and at apex, dark brown on ventral surface. Antenna with scape greyish brown on dorsal surface, yellowish white on ventral surface; flagellum alternately greyish yellow and dark brown on dorsal surface, yellow on ventral surface. Thorax and tegula greyish yellow, thorax yellow laterally; mesothorax without hair pencil arising from anepisternum. Forewing with distal 1/3 narrowed gradually, apex acute, termen obliquely straight; ground colour greyish yellow, with scattered brown scales; costal margin dark brown basally, with dark brown dots on distal 1/4; dark brown spots at 1/3, 2/3 and near end of cell; dark brown streak from end of cell to end of fold, curved towards inside; termen with dark brown dots; fringe with basal half pale yellowish brown, distal half greyish yellow. Hindwing and fringe grey. Fore and mid legs greyish brown, tarsomere yellow apically on outer surface, greyish white on inner surface; hind leg pale yellow, mixed with brown on outer surface.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 19 ): Uncus nearly trapeziform, anterior margin strongly sclerotized, deeply concave in an arch, posterior margin bluntly rounded, ventral surface with a longitudinal sclerotized ridge mesially. Gnathos narrowed gradually from base to apex, slightly curved, sharp apically; culcitula nearly semicircular. Valva about as long as tegumen-uncus complex, ventral margin nearly straight, dorsal margin slightly protrudent at 2/3, apex bluntly rounded; ventral free lobe rather short and small, with sparse setae. Vinculum longer than tegumen-uncus complex; lateral lobe arising from base, slightly longer than 1/3 length of vinculum, basal 3/5 with thin setae, distal 2/5 dentate on ventral surface. Saccal region with anterior margin straight; sicae slightly fused basally, asymmetrical: left lobe with basal 1/4 sharply narrowed, distal 3/4 nearly elongate triangular, apex reaching base of valva, right lobe widened gradually from base to apex, about 3/4 length of vinculum, slightly curved towards inside distally, sharp apically, distal half with a triangular apex-dentate process near outer side on ventral surface. Setose patch between tegumen and vinculum small, oval. Aedeagus with basal 1/4 narrow, apex bluntly rounded; three sclerotized lobes arising from zone: two lobes on right side, one of them near dorsal surface elongately horned, slightly curved basally, about 1/3 length of aedeagus, another near ventral surface slender, sharp apically, about 2/3 length of aedeagus; one sclerotized inner lobe arising from near middle, narrowed gradually from base to apex, about 1/2 length aedeagus.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 25 ). Anterior apophyses about 2/5 length of posterior apophyses. Eighth tergite somewhat inverted semicircular. Antrum and ductus bursae not distinctly separated. Ductus bursae columnar; dorsal surface with a sclerotized short clubbed plate mesially, with a membranous tubular process arising from near middle; ventral surface with a sclerotized oval plate on left side of anterior half, with a large plate on right side, its anterior half broad, posterior half acutely horned; ductus seminalis from apex of tubular process. Corpus bursae nearly oval; two signa slightly kidney-shaped, placed near left side posteriorly and near middle respectively, regions around signa with dense small spines; accessory bursae arising from between signa.

Distribution. Namibia.

Etymology. The specific name is derived from the Latin prefix ventr- (= ventral), and the Latin word projectus (= process), referring to the triangular process of the right lobe of sicae.

Figures

FIGURES 7 – 12. Adults of Dichomeris spp. 7. D. ventriprojecta sp. nov., holotype 3; 8. D. acuminata (Staudinger), 3; 9. D. impigra Meyrick, ♀; 10. D. marmorata (Walsingham), 3; 11. D. plumbosa (Meyrick), 3; 12. D. tephrodes (Meyrick), 3.

FIGURES 19 – 24. Male genitalia of Dichomeris spp. 19. D. ventriprojecta sp. nov., holotype, genitalia slide no. ZH 09098; 20. D. acuminata (Staudinger), genitalia slide no. ZH 09104; 21. D. impigra Meyrick, genitalia slide no. ZH 09103; 22. D. marmorata (Walsingham), genitalia slide no. ZH 09092; 23. D. plumbosa (Meyrick), genitalia slide no. ZH 09106; 24. D. tephrodes (Meyrick), genitalia slide no. ZH 09100.

FIGURES 25 – 26. Female genitalia of Dichomeris spp. 25. D. ventriprojecta sp. nov., paratype, genitalia slide no. ZH 09107; 26. D. acuminata (Staudinger), genitalia slide no. ZH 09105.