Furcalis triodonta Park, 2018

Park, Kyu-Tek, 2018, Three new genera and ten new species of the subfamily Lecithocerinae (Lepidoptera, Lecithoceridae) from Cameroon, Africa, based on material collected in 1913 - 18, Zootaxa 4415 (3), pp. 561-579 : 574

Furcalis triodonta Park , sp. nov.

( Figs. 27, 28, 30a–b )

Type. Holotype: male, 1♂, Cameroon, Efulen, H.L. Weber, Acc. C.M. 6122; Apr. 25 1916, gen. & wing slide no. CIS-6857.

Diagnosis. The new species can be distinguished from F. efulenica sp. nov. by the following features of the male genitalia: gnathos much larger; cucullus more or less spatulate, dilated and rounded distally; two processes on the ventral margin of the valva, one fork-shaped and the other acutely pointed; phallus much thicker basally, strongly bent medially, with two small bullet-shaped cornuti. In F. efulenica , costa nearly straight; cucullus more or less triangular, and ventral process of valva single, brush-shaped; phallus much slender, narrowed toward apex; with more than 10 different sizes of cornuti.

Description. Male ( Figs. 27, 28 ): Wingspan 14 mm. Head greyish orange dorsally, with pale orange scales laterally. Antenna longer than forewing; basal segment elongate, relatively long, broadening toward apex, pale orange yellow all around; flagellum orange white, without distinct annulations in basal half, with dark-brown rings in distal half. Second segment of labial palpus thickened, densely covered with dark fuscous scales on outer surface, orange white on inner surface; 3rd segment slender, as long as 2nd segment, dark fuscous on outer surface and orange white on inner surface. Tegula and thorax greyish orange. Forewing elongate; ground color pale orange, densely and evenly scattered with brown scales, without distinct marks or streaks; costa nearly straight beyond basal 1/4, then oblique beyond 5/6; apex obtuse; termen oblique, with dark-brown scales along margin; fringe brown with indistinct orange-white basal line; venation ( Fig. 28 ) as described for genus; cell about 2/3 length of wing, closed with weak cross vein. Hindwing broader than forewing; ground color same as forewing; apex acute; termen oblique. Abdomen without zones of spines on tergites. Female unknown.

Male genitalia ( Figs. 30, 30a ): Basal lobes of uncus very short, ovate, with dense long setae caudally; caudal margin concave medially. Gnathos large, as long as tegumen, narrowed and bent apically. Tegumen shorter than vinculum, with numerous setae on dorsal surface. Costal bar connecting tegumen and valva broad, concave on anterior margin medially. Valva broad in basal part, with two processes on ventral margin: one fork-shaped and the other acute apically; cucullus spatulate, longer than basal part of valva, broadened toward apex, with transverse linear ridge medially, densely setose on surface, with round apex; sacculus well-developed, extending to about middle of ventral margin, broad at base, gradually narrowed to termination. Juxta shield-shaped, deeply emarginated on caudal margin medially and triangularly projected on anterior margin medially. Vinculum broadly developed with round apices. Phallus stout, broad at base, as long as valva, strongly bent medially, with two small, bullet-shaped cornuti. Abdominal segment VII with a long hair-pencil; sternite VIII deeply emarginated on caudal margin medially, with long bristles along margin ( Fig. 30b ). Female unknown.

Distribution. Cameroon.

Etymology. The species name is derived from the Greek, treis (= three) + odon (= tooth), referring to the ventral fork-shaped process.

Figures

FIGURES 27–31. Adult, venation, and male genitalia: 27, adult of Furcalis triodonta sp. nov., holotype, with its label; 28, ditto, venation; 29, adult of F.efulenica sp. nov., holotype, with its label; 30, male genitalia of F.triodonta; 30a, ditto, phallus; 30b, ditto, abdominal sternites VII–VIII; 31, male genitalia of F. efulenica; 31a, ditto, phallus; 31b, ditto, abdominal sternites VII–VIII.