Nemophora conjugata Liao, Hirowatari & Huang, 2023

Liao, Cheng-Qing, Hirowatari, Toshiya, Yagi, Sadahisa, Wang, Min, Wang, Xing & Huang, Guo-Hua, 2023, The fauna of the family Adelidae (Insecta, Lepidoptera, Adeloidea) from China, Zootaxa 5348 (1), pp. 1-152 : 48-49

(49) Nemophora conjugata Liao, Hirowatari & Huang , sp. nov.

(Plates VI-1, XVI-5)

LSID urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:7B166E1F-AA99-4D8D-AE1E-B17E56CF6D5C

Diagnosis. This species is similar to N. augantha in the forewing pattern, but can be easily distinguished by the following characters: the longitudinal black-margined silver-leaden stria at basal 1/3 is very stout and broad, connecting anterior and posterior margins; and the subapical 8 fine radial striae do not reaching the outer margin of the forewing, with 5–6th striae connected to the inner yellow ground color. In addition, this species is also similar to N. optima in the male genitalia, but has a narrow valva apex, truncate median keel of the uncus, and strongly curved apex of aedeagus.

Description. Male. Forewing 8.8–10.0 mm; wing expanse 18.5–20.4 mm.

Vertex covered with yellow hairs mixed with brown; face with smooth brown scales, with blue metallic luster. Eyes very small, far away to each other dorsally; eye size index about 0.48. Labial palpus short, covered with brownish scales and hairs; galeae with yellow scales laterally.Antenna slender, 29.7–36.0 mm, about 3.5 × forewing length; basal 1/3 black and remaining apical segments light brown to gray. Legs yellow except apical tibiae and basal tarsi black with purple luster; hind tibiae with brown to dark brown long hairs. Thoracic dorsum and tegula brown, with purple metallic luster; anterior margin of mesosternum with yellow ring. Forewing lanceolate, ground color yellow to brownish; basal 1/4 with three black-margined silver-leaden longitudinal striae placed at costal, median and postcubitus veins, not reaching to central fascia; the costal and median striae extending from forewing base; posterior margin black at base; middle part with three black-margined silver-leaden transverse fasciae divided by yellow transverse bands, the second transverse fascia interrupted by the later leading to H- or K-shaped; subapical area with 8–9 yellow radial striae near reaching outer margin; the fifth and sixth radial striae connected basally and extending to, or sometimes cross, central fasciae; cilia dark brown to black, with purple metallic luster. Hindwing and cilia dark brown to black. Abdomen dark brown to black, each posterior margins of sternums yellow.

Female. Unknown.

Male genitalia. Uncus near trapezoidal, with distinct truncated median keel; dorsal part with an elongated longitudinal membranous window centrally. Vinculum slender, about 3.3 × as long as valva; posterior margin straight. Valva nearly trapezoidal, with rounded blunt apex; inner margins arcuate, lateral margins straight; sacculus distinctly expanding at middle part, basal part nearly fused medially, with dense hairs; suspensorium nearly trapezoidal, anterior part far beyond posterior margin of vinculum in ventral view. Transtilla approximately equal in width; median process long and pointed. Aedeagus slender; apical 2/5 strongly curved dorsally; apical lobe well developed with obvious dorsal and ventral angles; vesica with a pair of angular carinae dorsolaterally. Juxta arrow-shaped; arrow-head long and pointed, lateral arms relatively short.

Holotype. [Guangxi] ♁, Huaping National Nature Reserve, Longsheng County, Guilin City , 2021.V.17–20, M. Deng leg. ( HUNAU).

Paretypes. [Guangxi] 2♁, same data as holotype ( HUNAU).

Etymology. The specific epithet originates from the Latin word conjugatus (conjugate), referring to the complete and conjugate striae at forewing base and middle part.

Distribution. China (Guangxi).

Remarks. This species is endemic to Guangxi Province, China, and occurs in May.

The DNA barcode of one N. conjugata sp. nov. specimen is generated and this sequence is closest to N. assamensis and N. fasciella both with 0.046 of pairwise distances.