Plagiocrossa picrodora ( Meyrick, 1913 )

Park, Kyu-Tek & Prins, Willy De, 2019, A review of the Lecithoceridae (Lepidoptera: Gelechioidea) of southern Africa, based on type specimens deposited in the Ditsong National Museum of Natural History (TMSA), with descriptions of three new species, Zootaxa 4623 (1), pp. 61-89 : 74

Plagiocrossa picrodora ( Meyrick, 1913)

( Figs. 3F , 6 C–G)

Lecithocera picrodora Meyrick, 1913: 294 . TL: Three Sisters [Mpumalanga], South Africa. [TMSA].

Plagiocrossa picrodora ; Janse, 1954: 348.

Adult. ( Figs. 3L , 6E ). See also Janse (19 54, Pl. 195, Fig. 2 ). Wingspan, 16 mm.

Diagnosis. Wing venation given by Janse (1954, Pl. 142, Fig. 9 ), and labial palpus given by Janse (1954, Pl. 142, Figs. 10 & 12). Abdomen with broad spinous zones on the tergites ( Fig. 6G ).

Male genitalia ( Figs. 6C, D, F ). See also Janse, 1954, Pl. 142, Fig. 6 (line drawing); Pl. 151, Fig. 3 (photo). Valva with a digitate lobe at middle, then deeply emarginated on ventral margin, aedeagus stout, nearly parallel sided, with heavily sclerotized both margins apically, with patch of numerous spines beyond middle.

Female genitalia. See Janse (1954, Pl. 142, Figs. 11 & 12- line drawings).

Material examined. Type no. 580, ♀ (lectotype, designated here), [ South Africa], Three Sisters, Barberton, leg. A.J.T. Janse, gen. slide no. CIS-6601, deposited in TMSA. Three additional specimens (one with the same locality label as the type) are preserved in TMSA. For this study, 2♂ (Transkei, Langeni for. 26 x [19]87, N.J. Duke) were dissected (gen. slide no. CIS-7219/Park and CIS-7220/Park (together with the forewing, illustrated in Fig. 6E ).

Distribution. South Africa (Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga) ( Meyrick 1913).

Remarks. The male genitalia of the species can be separated from those of Lecithocera by having a distinct thumb-like process on ventral margin medially. The specimens examined here are much larger than the types, with wingspan 16 – 17 mm (vs. 11 mm of the type), but their genitalia match well.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Photos in the TMSA. A, Drawers of the Lepidoptera collection in the TMSA; A1, Drawers for the species of Lecithoceridae; B, A drawer of type specimens arranged according to the type numbers (Gelechiidae, Lecithoceridae), which is preserved in a stainless cabinet placed in the fire-proof type-specimens room.

FIGURE 3. Adults of Lecithocerinae with their labels: A, Atrichozancla gymnopalpa Janse, lectotype ♂; B, Atrichozancla phaeocrossis Meyrick, paratype ♂; C. Eridachtha crossogramma (Meyrick), holotype ♂; D, Frisilia compostoma Meyrick, holotype ♂; E, Homaloxestis lophophora Janse, lectotype ♂; F, Lecithocera aenicta Meyrick, holotype ♂; G, L. binotata Mey- rick, holotype ♂; H, L. flavipalpis Walsingham, holotype ♀; I, L. ideologa Meyrick, holotype ♂; J, L. lucernata Meyrick, ♂ specimen; K, L. myopa Meyrick, lectotype ♂; L, Plagiocrossa picrodora (Meyrick), lectotype ♀.

FIGURE 6. Male and female genitalia. A, female genitalia of L. flavipalpis Walsingham; B, female genitalia of L. lucernata Meyrick, C, male genitalia of Plagiocrossa picrodora (Meyrick); D, ditto, aedeagus; E, forewing venation; F, close-up lateral view of gnathos; G, abdomen. Scale bar: 1.0 mm.

FIGURE 9. Male and female genitalia of Idiopteryx. A, male genitalia of Idiopteryx jansei sp. nov.; B, ditto, aedeagus; C, abdo- men; D, male genitalia of I. obliquella Walsingham; E, ditto, aedeagus; F, female genitalia of I. obliquella. Scale bar: 1.0 mm.

FIGURE 10. Adults and venation of Protolychnis species. A, adult of P. maculata Walsingham, male; B, P. natalensis sp. nov., holotype, male; C, P. chlorotoma Meyrick, holotype in NHMUK; D, P. maculata Meyrick, holotype in NHMUK; E, P. marginata Walsingham, holotype in NHMUK; F, venation of P. maculata; G; additional specimens of P. maculata in TMSA; H, Lecithocera flavipalpis Walsingham, female.

FIGURE 11. Male and female genitalia of Protolychnis species: A, male genitalia of P. maculata Walsingham; B, ditto, aedea- gus; C, ditto, close-up of uncus+ gnathos; D. ditto, abdomen; E, male genitalia of P. natalensis sp. nov.; F, ditto, lateral view; G, ditto, aedeagus; H, ditto, close-up of uncus + gnathos; I, female genitalia of P. maculata Walsingham, holotype in NHMUK; J, female genitalia of P. marginata Walsingham, holotype in NHMUK. Scale bar: 1.0 mm.