Thiotricha rhombiformis, Lee & Li, 2024

Lee, Ga-Eun & Li, Houhun, 2024, A taxonomic review of Thiotricha Meyrick, 1886 (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae, Thiotrichinae) from China, with descriptions of 84 new species, Zootaxa 5449 (1), pp. 1-222 : 97-100

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.5449.1.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:CAC513A2-D2B4-4E6E-BAB6-CCE6E054680F
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03CC3667-985B-1D1C-FF05-8D19DF9EE6FE
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Thiotricha rhombiformis
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Thiotricha rhombiformis sp. nov.

( Figs 15A, B View FIGURE 15 , 26B View FIGURE 26 , 39B View FIGURE 39 , 55D View FIGURE 55 )

Type material. Holotype ♂, CHINA, Shanxi Province, Linfen City, Yicheng County, Dahe Forest Farm (35.46°N, 111.94°E), 1340 m, 13.vii.2012, leg. Qiang Gao and Na Chen, genitalia slide no. LGE15083 GoogleMaps . Paratypes. CHINA: Shanxi Province: 13 ♂♂, 1 ♀, same data as holotype except 12−14.vii.2012, genitalia slide no. LGE19107f; 1 GoogleMaps

♂, Dahe Forest (35.46°N, 111.94°E), 1202 m, Yicheng County, Linfen City , 23.vii.2013, leg. Shulian Hao and Mingjing Li, genitalia slide no. LGE15002 GoogleMaps ; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Mt. Lingkong (36.61°N, 112.08°E), Qinyuan County, 1560 m, 27.vii.2014, leg. Tengteng Liu, Meiqing Yang and Sihan Lu, genitalia slide nos. LGE 18321m, LGE19106f; Hebei Province GoogleMaps : 1 ♂, Qinufeng (38.75°N, 113.83°E), 2047 m, Wuyuezhai , Lingshou County, Shijiazhuang , 6.vii.2016, leg. Sihan Lu and Hua Rong, genitalia slide no. LGE16275; Hubei Province GoogleMaps : 1 ♂, Shuangping (31.57°N, 109.87°E), 1201 m, Zhuxi County, 7.vii.2017, leg. Wanding Qi et al., genitalia slide no. LGE17063 GoogleMaps .

Diagnosis. The forewing markings of this species closely resemble those of T. semota , but the upper fork of the V-shaped marking is confluent with costal streaks whereas it does not reach costal streaks in the latter species. Also, a streak near tornus is somewhat indistinct and narrower in T. rhombiformis compared to that of T. semota . The male genitalia of T. rhombiformis are very similar to those of T. karsholti , but can be distinguished from the latter by the less curved distal part of valva and the larger anellus lobe. The female genitalia are diagnosed by tergum VIII with a linear sclerite lying along the posterior margin and the rhombiform signum.

Description. Adult ( Figs 15A, B View FIGURE 15 ). Wingspan 12.0−13.0 mm. Head white. Labial palpus white; segment I short, dark grey on outer surface; segment II dark grey in basal 1/3 or 1/2 of outer surface; segment III slightly longer than II, black on ventral surface and at apex. Antenna with scape white except posterior margin sometimes dark grey; flagellum dark brown except basal 1/2 of dorsal surface white, male cilia slightly longer than diameter. Thorax white, sometimes mixed with cream, with two fuscous median streaks. Tegula white, with anterior and inner margins fuscous. Forewing ground color white, sometimes slightly mixed with cream, apical area brown; apical spot round and suffused inwardly with greyish scales, apex falcate; markings brownish fuscous: a short, sometimes indistinct longitudinal streak at base below fold; a broad streak running from base to near apex along costa, attenuated after middle and curved obliquely toward termen; beyond this a narrow costal streak from distal 1/3 of wing, confluent with former streak posteriorly; beyond this another costal streak from distal 1/5, somewhat darker, almost running in parallel with former; beyond this two inwardly oblique costal strigulae alternating with white scales before apical spot; a broad, outwardly oblique streak from basal 1/3 of dorsum, confluent with the broad costal streak at middle of wing, rarely this streak indistinct and the dark brown scales broadly expanded to near base; distal 1/2 of wing with a large, inwardly directed V-shaped marking near dorsum, its upper fork running toward apical spot and confluent with costal streaks, lower fork running along fold; below this a shorter longitudinal streak, sometimes indistinct; tornal streak sometimes indistinct, running toward costal streak but interrupted by dark grey scales extended from near inner margin of apical spot; fringe on apical area creamy white with basal and terminal black bands, on termen fuscous, on dorsum mixed cream and grey. Hindwing dark grey except subapex tinged with white; fringe dark grey. Legs white, sometimes mixed with cream; fore coxa tinged with fuscous on outer surface, fore femur, tibia and tarsus black on outer surface; mid femur and tibia black at base; mid and hind tibiae with a black oblique streak on outer surface near apex; mid and hind tarsi with tarsomere I broadly black at middle, II–IV black in basal half and V black on outer surface.

Male sternum VIII ( Fig. 26B View FIGURE 26 ). Approximately 1/4 length of abdomen, with lateral margins broadly concave and narrowed posteriorly; posterior 1/4 bifid, inner margin between two tines V-shaped, blunt at apex.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 39B View FIGURE 39 ). Uncus tongue-shaped. Gnathos hook simple, long. Tegumen approximately 2.5 times as long as uncus. Valva with base slightly curved inward, basal 2/3 almost uniformly elongate after base, slightly narrowed in distal 1/3, rounded apically. Anellus lobe obovate, 1/4 length of valva; apical bristle shorter than anellus lobe, hooked. Juxta broadly convex in basal 3/4. Vinculum with posterior margin produced medially. Saccus broad, subtriangular, not exceeding tegumen pedunculus. Aedeagus with basal 1/3 dilated, then gradually narrowing toward apex, ventral margin shortly produced before apex; apex constricted, twisted and blunt.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 55D View FIGURE 55 ). Papillae anales moderately sclerotized. Apophyses anteriores 1/2 length of apophyses posteriores. Segment VIII with lateral margins broadly and densely spinous; tergum VIII with posterior margin deeply concave medially, with a linear sclerite along the concave margin; sternum VIII longer than tergum VIII, with posterior margin broadly concave, anterior half covered with a spinous intersegmental membrane, anterior margin strongly produced in U-shape. Ostium bursae opening near anterior margin of sternum VIII. Ductus bursae long, with base narrow, then evenly elongate, twisted near corpus bursae; a short, teardrop shaped or round sclerite situated at base, colliculum arising beyond this sclerite. Corpus bursae obovate, slightly shorter than ductus bursae; signum rhombiform, placed in posterior 1/3, consisting of petal-like sclerites, bulged inward.

Variations. One male from Hubei ( Fig. 15B View FIGURE 15 ) has a darker forewing without the brownish oblique streak running from the dorsum to the costa. The superficial appearance of this individual appears to belong another species, but the identification was confirmed by the genital morphology and comparison of the mitochondrial COI gene (unpublished data).

Distribution. China (Hebei, Hubei, Shanxi).

Etymology. The species name is derived from Latin, rhombus and forma, referring to the lozenge-shaped signum of the female genitalia.