Urodeta aculeata, Sruoga, Virginijus & Prins, Jurate De, 2011

Sruoga, Virginijus & Prins, Jurate De, 2011, New species of Elachistinae (Lepidoptera: Elachistidae) from Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zootaxa 3008, pp. 1-32 : 6

Urodeta aculeata , sp. n.

( Figs 1, 3, 4 , 33–36 )

Type material. Holotype: 3, CAMEROON, North Province, Faro River Camp, 275 m, 08°25’N 012°47’E, 04.v.2005, leg. J. & W. De Prins. Specimen ID: RMCA ENT 0 0 0 0 0 5275, gen. prep. MRAC / KMMA 0 0 601 ( RMCA).

Diagnosis. Superficially, Urodeta aculeata is somewhat similar to U. absidata , known from the same locality, and U. tantilla (Sruoga & De Prins) , known from Kenya (for external characters and male genitalia refer to Sruoga & De Prins 2009). However, the forewing in the new species is without white oblique streak as in U. absidata or yellowish-white spots as in U. tantilla . In male genitalia U. aculeata resembles U. tantilla , as both these species have well developed, apically rounded juxta lobes and vesica with few large and numerous small cornuti. These species can be separated most easily by the shape of valva, the number of large cornuti and the very peculiar medial carina of phallus in U. aculeata .

Male ( Figs 33, 34 ). Forewing length 2.8 mm; wingspan 6.3 mm (n=1). Head: Frons whitish, vertex and neck tuft mottled with greyish brown; labial palpus very short, drooping, whitish; scape dark brown; flagellum pale brown. Thorax, tegula and forewing grey brown, mottled with blackish brown tipped scales; blackish brown scales forming oblique band from middle of costa and small spot on fold at 2/5 from wing base; fringe brownish grey with irregularly scattered brownish grey scales narrowly edged with white just before blackish brown tip. Hindwing brownish grey, its fringe paler.

Female. Unknown.

Male genitalia ( Figs 35, 36 ). Uncus short. Spinose knob of gnathos wider than long, rounded apically. Valva short and broad; sacculus ventrally curved at obtuse angle; cucullus short and narrow, tapered apically; transtilla short, strongly sclerotized. Ventral shied of juxta large; juxta lobes well developed, apically bilobed. Vinculum Ushaped, proximal margin concave. Phallus short, as long as valva, with strongly sclerotized narrow streak along ventral margin; medial carina of phallus long, apically bent; vesica with 3 large cornuti and two groups of smaller cornuti: basal group with long and very narrow cornuti, medial group with larger ones, slightly different in size.

Biology. Unknown.

Flight period. The only one known specimen was captured in the beginning of May.

Distribution. So far this species is known only from North Province of Cameroon ( Figs 1, 3, 4 ).

Etymology. The species name is derived from the Latin aculeatus (provided with prickles) in reference to the numerous cornuti.

Remarks. In the male genitalia the juxta apically is fused with the phallus, therefore during preparation, if the phallus is removed, the juxta lobes can be separated from the juxta along with the phallus.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 5. Collecting localities of the Afrotropical Elachistinae species. 1, Cameroon, North Province, Faro River floodplain; 2, DRC, Bas-Congo, Mayumbe Forest; 3, general map indicating collecting sites; 4, collecting site in Cameroon; 5, collecting site in DRC.

FIGURES 33 – 36. Urodeta aculeata, sp. n., holotype. 33, adult male. Scale bar 1 mm; 34, head, latero-frontal view; 35, general view of male genitalia (phallus removed); 36, phallus. Gen. prep. MRAC / KMMA 0 0 601, specimen ID: RMCA ENT 0 0 0 0 0 5275. Scale bar 0.1 mm.