Scaeosopha victoriensis Sinev et Li, 2012

Li, Houhun, Zhang, Zhiwei & Sinev, Sergey Yu., 2012, Review of the genus Scaeosopha Meyrick, 1914 (Lepidoptera, Cosmopterigidae, Scaeosophinae) in the world, with descriptions of sixteen new species, Zootaxa 3322, pp. 1-34 : 20-21

Scaeosopha victoriensis Sinev et Li sp. nov.

( Figs. 17, 41)

Description. Adult ( Fig. 17): Wingspan 15.5 mm. Head whitish-yellow mixed with black scales, scale tuft behind compound eye yellow, black posteriorly. Antenna with scape whitish-yellow, mottled black scales dorsally; flagellum deep leaden, ringed with deep-yellow dorsally. Labial palpus black; inner surface and apex of second segment whitish-yellow; third segment with a longitudinal grayish-yellow line on inner surface, apex whitish-yellow. Thorax and tegula black tinged with grayish-yellow scales along margins. Forewing yellowish-white mottled black scales, overlaid with black spots and patches throughout; cell with a rounded spot at about middle beneath anterior margin, with a commalike spot at end; fold with distinct spot at distal 1/3 and on tornus respectively; other spots and patches irregularly formed; cilia whitish-yellow mixed with black. Hindwing and cilia deep-gray. Legs grayish-yellow, fore femur and tibia black on ventral surface, tarsus ringed with black; mid tibia and tarsus ringed with black.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 41): Brachia of uncus sclerotized, slightly pointed at apex. Valva broad and short, gradually expanded from base to apex, nearly trapezoidal; costa, ventral margin and terminal slightly concave; valvellae finger-shaped, same width and half length as uncus brachium, setose distally, slightly asymmetrical: left valvella curved slightly downward, right valvella rising straight upward. Anellus a sclerotized triangular plate, reaching base of brachia of uncus, slightly concave laterally. Phallus evenly broad, coiled at middle, with two long cornuti.

Female. Unknown.

Type material. Holotype ♂, ZIMBABWE: Victoria Falls [17°56' S, 25°51'E], 22.ii.1997, coll. D. J. L. Agassiz, BMNH Microlep. slide no. 32349, Zhiwei Zhang ( BMNH, London).

Distribution. Zimbabwe.

Diagnosis. This new species is similar to S. minuta sp. nov. in the shape of brachia of uncus, but can be separated from it by its larger size, the valva nearly trapezoidal and the triangular anellus in male. In S. minuta sp. nov., the size is conspicuously smaller, the valva is rounded terminally and the anellus is gradually narrowed to narrowly pointed apex ( Fig. 36).

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the type locality, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.