Promalactis tenuiclavata Wang, 2019

Wang, Shuxia & Liu, Chen, 2019, Taxonomic study of the genus Promalactis Meyrick, 1908 (Lepidoptera Oecophoridae) V. The unistriatella species group, with descriptions of seven new species, Zootaxa 4668 (4), pp. 588-598 : 596-597

Promalactis tenuiclavata Wang sp. nov.

(Figs 7, 14)

Type material. CHINA, Yunnan Province: Holotype ³, Bubang, Xishuangbanna , 656 m, 22.VII.2014, coll. Kai- jian Teng, Wei Guan, Xiuchun Wang and Shurong Liu, sild No. HXM14145.

Diagnosis. This species can be distinguished from its congeners by the costa with a slender clubbed process arising from its middle and a serrate edge along distal 1/3. It is similar to P. heppneri Kim et Park, 2010 and P. spinivalvaris sp. nov. in having a bilobed uncus, but can be separated from them by the uncus lobes distally divergent and apically obtuse, whereas the uncus lobes extend inward crossing each other distally and are acute apically in the latter two species.

Description. Adult (Fig. 7). Wingspan 8.0 mm. Head with vertex snowy white, frons yellowish brown, occiput dark ochreous brown. Labial palpus with second segment dark brown on outer surface, yellow on inner surface; third segment white except black distally. Antenna with scape white; flagellum with dorsal surface white on basal several flagellomeres, white alternated with yellowish brown on remaining flagellomeres, ventral surface dark brown. Thorax and tegula dark ochreous brown. Forewing ochreous brown; distal 1/3 with dense silvery grey and sparse blackish brown scales, somewhat forming a dark costal spot beyond distal 1/4 and an apical spot, costal spot diffused to beyond tornus, then extended inward to end of fold on dorsum; antemedian fascia white, extending from basal 1/4 of costal margin obliquely to basal 3/5 of dorsum, slightly widened anteriorly, edged with black scales leteromedially; cilia orange yellow around apex, dark grey along distal part of costal and ventral margins. Hindwing and cilia deep grey. Foreleg black; midleg grey ventrally, black dorsally, tibia with a tuft of long white scales apically; hindleg yellowish white ventrally, grey dorsally; all tarsi white at apex of each tarsomere dorsally.

Male genitalia (Fig. 14). Uncus bilobed, each lobe wide at base, narrowed to basal 2/3, then slightly widened to obtuse apex. Tegumen short, narrowed anteriorly. Valva triangular, wide at base, gradually narrowed to rounded apex, densely setose on distal 1/4; costa with a clavate process arising from beyond middle bearing sparse setae, with a serrate edge along distal 1/3. Sacculus narrow, ill-defined. Saccus elongate triangular, narrowly rounded at apex, approximately 1.2 times length of valva. Juxta Y shaped; lateral arm widened basally, narrowed distally, sparsely setose; anterior lobe slender. Aedeagus approximately 2 times length of valva; cornutus absent.

Female unknown.

Distribution. China (Yunnan).

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the Latin prefix tenu - and the Latin word clavatus, referring to the slender, clavate costal process.