Apoxyptilus anthites (Meyrick) Meyrick, 2010

Alipanah, Helen, Sari, Alireza, Sarafrazi, Alimorad, Gielis, Cees & Manzari, Shahab, 2010, Key to the genera of Oxyptilini (Lepidoptera: Pterophoridae: Pterophorinae), with descriptions of two new genera, Zootaxa 2693, pp. 21-34 : 28-31

Apoxyptilus anthites (Meyrick) , comb nov.

Material examined. 1 male, Kenya, Rift valley, Turi, 2000 m, 7.i.1999, leg. D. Agassiz; 1 male, Tanzania, Arumeru Distr., Usa river, 1170 m, 31.vii.1991, leg. L. Aarvik (coll. CG 21953).

Diagnosis. This is the single species currently assigned to this new genus. It is characterized by four diagnostic characters: creamy-white tegula; bilobate anellus; circular and flat tip of the spoon-shaped valva and arch-shaped saccus.

Redescription. The following information is added to the original description. Head. Frons smooth. Vertex with large scales, almost twice size of those of frons. Labial palpus smooth-scaled; length approximately twice vertical diameter of eye; terminal (third) segment nearly as long as the second. Thorax. Smooth scaled, with metallic sheen. Tegula nearly bean-shaped, covered with creamy-white scales throughout. Wingspan 9–11 mm; forewing ( Fig. 7 A) yellowish white; each lobe of forewing with two transverse white bands on upperside: a complete preapical line and a wide line separate from apex; a very narrow transverse blackish line at base of cleft. Hindwing ( Fig. 7 A) whitish; subapical dark scale tooth of third hindwing lobe narrow (≤ 8 scales); pronounced individual dark scales on dorsum of third hindwing lobe present. Length of costal margin nearly 1.5× length of dorsum margin. Other characteristics of the wings as described for the genus. Abdomen ( Fig. 7 A). Whitish; dorsally with ferruginous-brown, small scattered patches and some darker ones towards the posterior end. Maximum length of unilobed specialized eighth sternite to maximum length of valva less than 0.3. Semicircular eighth abdominal tergite of male not sclerotized, with a depression at posterior margin in the middle. Male genitalia ( Fig. 7 C) as described for the genus. Additional diagnostic characters include circular and flat tip of spoon-shaped valva, bilobate anellus, almost arch-shaped saccus and absence of cornuti. Female genitalia ( Fig. 7 D) as described for the genus. Ring-shaped and weakly sclerotized antrum plate and the very slightly sclerotized posterior end of lamella antevaginalis are additional diagnostic characters for this species.

Ecology. Larvae feed on buds of Dombeya emarginata (Malvaceae) ( Meyrick 1936).

Distribution. Apoxyptilus anthites is known from Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, and South Africa ( Meyrick 1936; Gielis 2003).

Pseudoxyptilus , gen. nov.

Type species: Oxyptilus secutor Meyrick, 1911 .

Diagnosis. Pseudoxyptilus is characterized by the absence of a ventral scale brush on the second segment of the labial palpus; hindwing with double rows of dark scaled teeth on dorsum of third lobe: distance between subapical and apical tooth more than three times length of the latter; presence of a wide group of short, dark scales on costal margin of third hindwing lobe almost above the subapical dark scale tooth of dorsum; male genitalia with half-pyramid-shaped, apically bifurcate uncus and flat valva without valvular lobe; and female genitalia with a pair of sclerotized structures at the posterior end of lamella antevaginalis, a wide ductus bursae, and the absence of a signum.

Description. Head. Frons and vertex smooth scaled. Labial palpus upturned, smooth scaled, second segment without pronounced ventral scale brush along third segment. Length of antenna approximately one - half length of forewing; dorsal surface ringed with black and white scales. Chaetosema absent. Thorax. Smooth scaled. Legs with pronounced rough scales at base of spurs. Forewing ( Fig. 8 A) with cleft in middle or slightly beyond; first lobe nearly lanceolate, pointed apically; second lobe slightly widened distally, with an oblique excavated termen. Fringe greyish white; at dorsum of first lobe, a narrow preapical group of rather long dark fringe bordered by whitish fringe. Hindwing ( Fig. 8 A) with first lobe tapering to nearly pointed apex; width of second lobe decreasing from about mid-dorsum towards apex. Fringe greyish white with two dark scale teeth on dorsum of third lobe: subapical and apical; distance between these two groups slightly more than length of subterminal one; venous scales on underside of the wing ferruginous brown, in two longitudinal rows. Forewing venation ( Fig. 8 B) with R1 and R2 stalked proximad of cleft base; R3 and R4 stalked; R5 free; M1, M2, Cu1, and Cu2 present; Cu1 branched from 0.3 length of M3; Cu 2 branched from beyond lower angle of discal cell. Hindwing with Sc+R1 extended to middle of wing; M3, Cu1, Cu2, and An1 present. Abdomen. Lateral concavity nearly at middle of tergite II in male; anterior half of sternite II with an inverse Vshaped sclerotized structure at posterior margin; eighth abdominal tergite almost rectangular ( Fig. 8 H), not sclerotized; specialized eighth sternite bilobed, with lobes connected to each other internally-laterally or slightly separated near tips; apex of each lobe relatively wide and rounded ( Figs 8 C, G); anterior margin of specialized eighth sternite lacking internal flap; ventral surface without conspicuous setal tufts. Male genitalia ( Figs 8 C–G) with valvae symmetrical, flat, narrowing towards base, without costal processes; valvular lobe absent; cucullus undifferentiated; basal sclerotized processes on outer surface of valvae almost semi-circular to nearly oval. Uncus above tegumen, half-pyramid-shaped with bifurcate tip. Tegumen unilobed. Gnathos arms absent. Anellus without arms, sclerotized throughout; an elongated rectangle in anterior view and in antero-lateral view as a nearly asymmetric cone that is basally extending entire length of rectangle. Saccus somewhat T-shaped. Phallus straight, bulbus ejaculatorius positioned antero-dorsally to the phallobase, with a fish-hook-shaped sclerite inside. Female genitalia ( Figs 8 I, J) with papillae anales setaceous on posterior margins. Apophysis posterioris slender throughout, nearly as long as length of sternite VIII. Apophysis anterioris absent. Ostium bursae exposed; ostium and antrum positioned centrally. Antrum wide, somewhat funnel-shaped. Antrum plate present, single. Posterior end of lamella antevaginalis with pair of symmetrical sclerotized structures. Ductus bursae wide. Corpus bursae without signum. Ductus seminalis origniating from posterior end of corpus bursae.

Etymology. The generic name reflects the superficial similarity of this genus to Oxyptilus .

Remarks. This genus differs from Oxyptilus in having a greater distance between the two dark scale teeth on the dorsum of the third hindwing lobe; a rectangular eighth abdominal tergite of male; the shape of the specialized eighth sternite; the half-pyramid-shaped uncus; the unilobed tegumen; the position of the bulbus ejaculatorius in relation to the phallobase and the presence of a sclerotized structure within it; the shape of the anellus, saccus, and basal sclerotized process on outer surface of the valve; the absence of a signum in the corpus bursae; and the shape of the antrum, the antrum plate, and the sclerotized areas at the posterior end of lamella antevaginalis. Furthermore, the results of a phylogenetic analysis of Oxyptilini (Alipanah et al. in press) based on morphological data place it convincingly outside of Oxyptilus . This genus is closer to the Oxyptilus generic group than Trichoptilus . It shares a similar distance between the two dark scale teeth on the dorsum of the third hindwing lobe with Crombrugghia ; the common stalks of R1 and R3 with R2 and R4 with Sphenarches (except for the position of common stalk of R1 and R2); the bilobed specialized eighth sternite whose lobes are separated near the tip with Capperia , Geina , and Sphenarches ontario ; the T-shaped saccus, position of the bulbus ejaculatorius, and sclerotized structure within it with Capperia , Procapperia , Intercapperia , Eucapperia , Geina , and Sphenarches ; the rectangular anellus with Capperia , Procapperia , Paracapperia , Intercapperia ; the position of the uncus above the tegumen with most Trichoptilus and Megalorhipida species; semicircular to oval shape of the basal sclerotized process on outer surface of the valva with Dejongia , Trichoptilus , Megalorhipida ; and the presence of a pair of sclerotized structures at posterior end of the lamella antevaginalis with Eucapperia .

Figures

FIGURE 7. Apoxyptilus anthites (Meyrick) comb. nov. A, adult male. B, fore- and hindwing venation. C, male genitalia (ventral view) and phallus. D, female genitalia.

FIGURE 8. Pseudoxyptilus secutor (Meyrick) comb. nov. A, adult male. B, forewing venation. C, male genitalia (ventral view). D, phallus. E, male genitalia (lateral view). F, saccus. G, specialized eighth sternite (ventral view). H, eighth abdominal tergite of male. I, posterior margin of the lamella antevaginalis, including antrum and antrum plate. J, female genitalia.