Meleonoma dilativalva, Wang & Zhu, 2020

Wang, Shuxia & Zhu, Xiaoju, 2020, Study of the genus Meleonoma Meyrick, 1914 (Lepidoptera: Autostichidae) from China, with descriptions of fifteen new species, Zootaxa 4838 (3), pp. 331-357 : 336

Meleonoma dilativalva sp. nov.

( Figs. 4 , 20 )

Type material. CHINA, Yunnan: Holotype ♂, Guanping (25.85°N, 99.50°E), Mengyang, 1200 m, 19.VIII.2005, leg. YD Ren, slide No. YAH15361.

Diagnosis. The new species can be distinguished from its congeners by having a lanceolate uncus, a valva distally dilated ovately, and an aedeagus with two clusters of short spines in the male genitalia.

Description. Adult ( Fig. 4 ). Forewing length 4.8 mm.

Head greyish black, mixed with yellowish black scales. Labial palpus yellow; second segment with scattered blackish grey scales on outer surface, with a greyish black ring apically; third segment greyish black except apex yellow, 3/4 length of second segment. Antenna yellow; scape with scattered blackish brown scales dorsally; flagellum annulated with blackish brown on dorsal surface.

Thorax and tegula greyish black, mixed with yellow scales. Forewing with costal margin arched, apex pointed; ground color yellow, with a greyish black spot at base of costal margin; costal spot greyish black, diffused; apical patch black, running from distal 1/6 of costal margin along termen to near tornus; discal spot black, other spots indistinct (worn); fringe greyish black, with a yellow basal line. Hindwing and fringe pale greyish brown. Legs yellow; on ventral surface, femora and tibiae of fore- and midlegs mixed with greyish brown scales, tarsi blackish brown except yellow at apex of each tarsomere.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 20 ). Uncus large, lanceolate, narrowly rounded at apex, with several long setae mediolaterally. Tegumen short, uniform except narrowed medially. Valva uniformly narrow in basal half, dilated ovately in distal half; apex rounded, with dense long setae; ventral margin sclerotized, concave basally; costa straight, reaching pre-apex of valva; transtilla short, slightly inflated apically. Sacculus entirely fused with valva, sub-quadrate, sclerotized apically, folded ventrally. Saccus broad triangular, rounded at apex, nearly same length as uncus. Juxta weak and slender basally; lateral arm slender, clubbed. Aedeagus nearly as long as valva, basal 3/4 uniform, distal 1/4 narrowed, with a cluster of short spines at distal 1/4 and a cluster of dense short spines in vesica.

Female unknown.

Distribution. China (Yunnan).

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the Latin dilat- and the term valva, referring to the distally dilated valva.

Figures

FIGURES 3‒8. Adults of Meleonoma spp. 3, M. catenata sp. nov., paratype, ♀; 4, M. dilativalva sp. nov., holotype, ♂; 5, M. dorsibacilliformis sp. nov., holotype, ♂; 6, M. longiprocessa sp. nov., holotype, ♂; 7, M. parvissima sp. nov., holotype, ♂; 8, M. tenuiuncata sp. nov., holotype, ♂. Scales = 2.0 mm.

FIGURES 19‒24. Male genitalia of Meleonoma spp. 19, M. catenata sp. nov., slide No. YAH15172; 20, M. dilativalva sp. nov., slide No. YAH15361; 21, M. dorsibacilliformis sp. nov., slide No. YAH15415; 22, M. longiprocessa sp. nov., slide No. YAH15420; 23, M. parvissima sp. nov., slide No. YAH15390; 24, M. tenuiuncata sp. nov., slide No. YAH15410.All holotypes. Scales = 0.2 mm.