Lecithocera aenicta Janse, 1954

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 : 70-71

Lecithocera aenicta Janse, 1954

( Fig. 3F )

Lecithocera aenicta Janse, 1954: 337 . TL: Verulam, South Africa. [TMSA].

Adult ( Fig. 3F ). See also Janse (1954, Pl. 156, Fig. 1 ). Wingspan 12 – 15 mm.

Diagnosis. Male genitalia. See Janse (1954, Pl. 140, Fig. 14- line drawing). Similar to those of Lecithocera myopa but terminal two-thirds of valva parallel-sided and only a little narrower than basal third, whereas in L. myopa the terminal two-thirds of valva are very narrow and tapering. The figure given by Janse (Pl. 151, Fig. 6 ) is erroneous (see Remarks below).

Material examined. Type no. 3349, ♂ (holotype), [ South Africa], Verulam, 28 i 1914, Janse, gen. slide no. 5760). Paratypes: 2♂. types no. 3350 (Umkomaas, 22 i 1914, Janse) and 3352 (Pretoria, 16 i 1917, H.G. Breyer); and 1 paratype in NHMUK. Additional specimens in TMSA: 1♂, Port North, 17 i 1917, C.J. Swierstra, gen. slide no. 5635.

Distribution. South Africa (Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal) (Janse 1954).

Remarks. Janse (1954) illustrated the male genitalia of the types on Plate 140, Fig. 14, and also on Plate 151, Fig. 6 , but they represent two different species. The figure of the former matches well the description of the male genitalia and the latter looks like those of L. ideologa Meyrick, 1937 . Additional specimens are placed under the names of these two species; more than 10 under the name of L. aenicta and four under L. ideologa in the collection of TMSA, and they are probably misidentifications of other species (4♂, Knysna, C.P., Garden of Eden, 16–20 i 1955, A.J.T. Janse, gen. slide nos. 2885, 8645, 8662, & 8663; 3♀, same data as preceding specimens; and 1♂, 1♀, same locality, 10–14 i 1955, A.J.T. Janse). The genitalia of these specimens should be re-examined one by one in a future study (the first author had no time to examine all of them, due to the limited time of his visiting period). One male of the series was re-identified as L. ideologa , based on the examination of its genitalia (see the details in the “Remarks” of L. ideologa .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Photos in the TMSA.A, Ditsong National Museum of Natural History (= formerly Transvaal Museum) in Pretoria; B, An exhibition at the entrance of the museum; C, Photo of A.J.T. Janse (1875–1970).

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.