Epicephala angustisaccula Li

Li, Houhun, Wang, Zhibo & Hu, Bingbing, 2015, Four new species of Epicephala Meyrick, 1880 (Lepidoptera, Gracillariidae) associated with two species of Glochidion (Phyllanthaceae) from Hainan Island in China, ZooKeys 508, pp. 53-67 : 58-61

Taxon classification Animalia Lepidoptera Gracillariidae

Epicephala angustisaccula Li sp. n. Figs 8, 14, 18

Description.

Adult (Fig. 8). Forewing expanse 7.0−8.5 mm. Head grayish white to white, laterally mixed with brown scales. Labial palpus grayish white, grayish brown on outer surface of second palpomere, basal 2/3 of third palpomere brown. Antenna grayish brown. Thorax dirty white to snowy white; tegula grayish white to brown. Forewing grayish brown to deep brown; costal margin with three parallel white striae obliquely extending outward from basal 1/3, 1/2 and 3/4 respectively, first and third striae broad and short, reaching 1/3 of wing width, second stria narrow and long, reaching midwing; a broad creamy white band extending from base to tornus along dorsal margin, its upper margin extended to a broad, ill-defined white stria at 2/5, reaching below fold dorsally, second white stria from 2/3 obliquely outward to meet second costal stria at midwing, third stria from beyond second one and parallel with it to midwing, sometimes meeting third costal stria; a silvery fascia with metallic reflection from costal 5/6 to dorsal margin, slightly arched outward medially; distal 1/6 yellowish brown, with a central black dot, with a small white dot at costa and a white streak along dorsal margin; cilia white from distal part of costal margin along termen to tornus except black at base and apex, gray along dorsal margin. Hindwing gray to deep gray, sometimes basal 1/3 densely covered with rough black scales; cilia gray.

Male genitalia (Fig. 14). Tegumen elongate oval, sclerotized laterally. Costa longer than tegumen, nearly parallel dorso-ventrally, rounded at apex, with long dense setae ventrally; dorsal margin slightly sinuate; ventral margin slightly protruded with strong short setae at 3/4, then concave inward before apex. Sacculus elongate triangular, about 4/5 length of costa, slightly curved ventrad, tapered distally. Transtilla triangular, curved ventrad distally, acute apically. Vinculum broad U-shaped, rounded on posterior margin; saccus broad digitiform, as long as vinculum, apex rounded. Phallus straight, longer than valva, expanded in basal 1/3; cornuti with four spines compactly grouped into a bundle.

Female genitalia (Fig. 18). Ovipositor small and short, triangular, dentate laterally, acute apically. Apophysis posterioris 1.6 times longer than apophysis anterioris. Lamella postvaginalis well developed, heavily sclerotized, composed of two narrow, widely spaced rectangular plates derived from caudal margin of ostium bursae, about half length of 8th abdominal segment, caudal margin serrated. Ostium bursae sclerotized, broad. Antrum heavily sclerotized, broad, as long as 8th abdominal segment, with large rounded appendix protruding near ductus bursae on right side. Ductus bursae slightly longer than antrum, sclerotized, expanded, broader than corpus bursae; ductus seminalis arising from base of ductus bursae. Corpus bursae elongate oval, as long as ductus bursae; signum triangular, small, placed at posterior 1/3.

Diagnosis.

This species is similar to Epicephala domina sp. n. in appearance and genitalia, but can be separated from the latter in the male genitalia by the subtriangular sacculus and the dilated basally phallus; in the female genitalia by the apically acute ovipositor and the lamella postvaginalis being shorter than 8th abdominal segment. In Epicephala domina sp. n., in the male genitalia the sacculus is broad-oval and the phallus is not dilated basally; in the female genitalia the ovipositor is bilobed apically and the lamella postvaginalis is as long as 8th abdominal segment.

Type material.

5♂, 1♀, with genitalia preparations of 5♂ and 1♀.

Holotype ♂ − CHINA: Hainan Province: Yinggeling Mountain Nature Reserves (19°01'N, 109°33'E), 450 m, 18.i.2014, reared from the host-plant Glochidion sphaerogynum by Zhibo Wang, genitalia slide no. WZB14001.

Paratypes − CHINA: Hainan Province: 1♂, Yinggeling Mountain Nature Reserves (19°01'N, 109°33'E), 450 m, 02.x.2010, reared from Glochidion sphaerogynum by Bingbing Hu; 3♂, same locality as holotype except the dates 29.x.2013 and 18-25.i.2014, reared or collected from Glochidion sphaerogynum by Zhibo Wang; 1♀, same locality as holotype except the date 15.v.2010, reared from Glochidion wrightii by Bingbing Hu; 1♂, same locality as holotype except the date 24.i.2014, reared from Glochidion wrightii by Zhibo Wang.

Distribution.

China (Hainan).

Biology.

Larvae feed on seeds in the fruits of Glochidion sphaerogynum ( Müll.Arg.) Kurz and Glochidion wrightii Benth. ( Phyllanthaceae ).

Etymology.

The specific name is derived from the Latin angustus (narrow) and sacculus, in reference to the distally narrowed sacculus in the male genitalia.