Meleonoma forcipata, Wang & Zhu, 2020

Wang, Shuxia & Zhu, Xiaoju, 2020, Study of the genus Meleonoma Meyrick, 1914 (Lepidoptera: Autostichidae) from China, with descriptions of twenty-one new species (II), Zootaxa 4881 (2), pp. 257-289 : 268-269

Meleonoma forcipata sp. nov.

( Figs 11 , 33 , 50 )

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:8075F5E7-8649-40B8-AE88-90CCE8A4A6B9

Type material. CHINA, Yunnan: Holotype ♂, Taiyanghe (25.05°N, 102.70°E), 1450 m, 2.IX.2014, leg. ZG Zhang, slide No. YAH15011 ( NKU) . Paratypes: Guangxi: 5♂ 1♀, Mt. Daming, Nanning , 1200 m, 7–8.VIII.2011, leg. SL Hao & YH Sun, slide Nos. YAH15478♂, YAH15518 ♀ ( NKU) .

Diagnosis. The new species is diagnostic by the distal 1/3 of the aedeagus distally with a forceps-shaped plate in the male genitalia. It is similar to M. microdonta sp. nov. in the male genitalia, but can be distinguished by the sacculus concave medioapically, the saccus shorter than the uncus, the aedeagus with a forceps-shaped plate distally, and the absence of a cornutus; in M. microdonta , the sacculus is not concave mediaoapically, the saccus is slightly longer than the uncus, the aedeagus has one curved belt and a spine-shaped cornutus. The new species is also similar to M. papillisetosa sp. nov. in the male genitalia, and the differences between them are stated in the diagnosis of the latter species.

Description. Adult ( Fig. 11 ). Forewing length 5.0‾ 5.5 mm.

Head black, yellow along dorsal margin of eye and occiput, in holotype head yellow, occiput greyish brown medially. Labial palpus yellow; second segment with dense blackish-brown scales on outer surface, mixed with blackish-brown scales on inner surface, with a blackish-brown ring apically; third segment 1/2 length of second segment, with dense blackish-brown scales medially. Antenna yellow, flagellum annulated with blackish brown.

Thorax blackish brown, yellow laterally; tegula blackish brown in basal half, yellow in distal half. Forewing with basal 3/4 sub-parallel, narrowed to rounded apex distally; ground colour greyish black; yellow spot near base below costal margin, with a black dot in middle; costal margin with inner yellow spot from basal 2/5 extending outward to posterior margin of cell, outer yellow spot large, from distal 1/4 extending inward to anterior angle of cell; dorsal yellow spot large, rounded, anteriorly diffused to inner yellow spot from inner corner and to outer yellow spot from outer corner; fold with yellow scales before middle, forming an ill-defined spot; discontinuous yellow dots running from distal part of costal margin along termen to tornus, joined with outer costal spot; fringe greyish black. Hindwing and fringe greyish brown. Legs yellow; on ventral surface, fore coxa blackish brown, tarsi of fore- and midlegs blackish brown except yellow at apices of basal two tarsomeres, hind tarsus blackish brown except yellow at apex of each tarsomere, all femora blackish brown, all tibiae blackish brown except yellow apically.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 33 ). Uncus slender, elongate clavate, pointed at apex. Gnathos short, sclerotized laterally, exceeding posterior margin of tegumen, membranous anteriorly. Tegumen widened medially; lateral arm narrowed anteriorly. Valva parallel basally, widened to obtuse apex, sub-triangularly produced dorsodistally; ventral margin heavily sclerotized, evenly banded, with a denticle at apex directing ventrad, with or without several tiny denticles above it; costa straight, with sparse long setae; transtilla short, not extended. Sacculus sub-quadrate, with a slender ridge running from base of dorsal margin to ventroapical corner; apex concave medially, forming two triangular processes: dorsal process with dense setae, rounded at apex, ventral process pointed at apex. Saccus wide at base, narrowed to basal 2/3, slightly narrowed at distal 1/3, then sub-parallel to before rounded apex, shorter than uncus. Juxta narrowly banded, U-shaped. Aedeagus longer than valva; basal 2/3 tubular, distal 1/3 heavily sclerotized, with a forceps-shaped plate distally.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 50 ). Papillae anales sub-quadrate, setose. Apophyses posteriores approximately 3.0 times as long as apophyses anteriores. Eighth tergite straight on posterior margin, slightly concave on anterior margin. Eighth sternal plate small, horizontally narrow, concave at middle on posterior margin. Lamella antevaginalis U-shaped, narrowly banded anteriorly, inner margin obtusely produced inward laterally. Antrum short, shallowly concave on posterior margin. Ductus bursae membranous, not separated from corpus bursae; ductus seminalis from junction of ducus bursae and corpus bursae, dilated basally. Corpus bursae membranous; signum absent.

Distribution. China (Guangxi, Yunnan).

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the Latin forcipatus, referring to the shape of the distal plate of the aedeagus in the male genitalia.

Figures

FIGURES 9–14. Adults of Meleonoma spp. 9, M. cuneata sp. nov., holotype, ♂; 10, M. flavilineata, ♀; 11, M. forcipata sp. nov., paratype, ♂; 12, M. ledongensis sp. nov., holotype, ♂; 13, M. longihamata sp. nov., holotype, ♂; 14, M. mecobursoides sp. nov., holotype, ♂. Scales = 2.0 mm, except 9 = 5.0 mm.

FIGURES 31–36. Male genitalia of Meleonoma spp. 31, M. cuneata sp. nov., holotype, slide No. YAH12151; 32, M. flavilineata, slide No. YAH15501; 33, M. forcipata sp. nov., holotype, slide No. YAH15011; 34, M. ledongensis sp. nov., holotype, slide No. YAH15510; 35, M. longihamata sp. nov., holotype, slide No. YAH15103; 36, M. mecobursoides sp. nov., holotype, slide No. YAH15104. Scales = 0.2 mm.

FIGURES 47–51. Female genitalia of Meleonoma spp. 47, M. acutata sp. nov., paratype, slide No. YAH15315, 47a, enlarged view of signum; 48, M. cuneata sp. nov., paratype, slide No. YAH12303; 49, M. flavilineata, slide No. ZXJ19137; 50, M. forcipata sp. nov., paratype, slide No. YAH15518; 51, M. mecobursoides sp. nov., paratype, slide No. ZXJ19157. Scales = 0.5 mm, except 47a = 0.1 mm.