Thiotricha flavitermina Kyaw, Yagi & Hirowatari

Kyaw, Khine Mon Mon, Yagi, Sadahisa, Oku, Jouhei, Sakamaki, Yositaka & Hirowatari, Toshiya, 2019, Taxonomic study of Thiotricha Meyrick (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae) in Japan, with the description of two new species, ZooKeys 897, pp. 67-99 : 67

publication ID	https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.897.38529
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:88D86D5E-12BC-4C97-A3BE-3A5F704A8753
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/2DAD0FF8-0CAB-50E6-B1E5-B91FAD140889
treatment provided by	ZooKeys by Pensoft
scientific name	Thiotricha flavitermina Kyaw, Yagi & Hirowatari
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Thiotricha flavitermina Kyaw, Yagi & Hirowatari sp. nov. Figs 5 C–F View Figure 5 , 7F View Figure 7 , 8K, L View Figure 8 , 9F View Figure 9 , 10F View Figure 10

Cnaphostola sp. 1: Oku et al. 2018: 29, fig. 44.

Type material.

Holotype: Japan - Ryukyu • 1 ♂; Okinawa Pref., Kunigami vill., Ookunirindo; 26, 27 May. 2000; T. Mano leg.; gen. slide no. KM-100; in OPU.

Paratypes: Japan - Ryukyus [Kagoshima] • 1♂; Tokara Island, Nakanoshima Is, Takao; 15 Nov. 2018; K. Sakagami leg. • 1♂; Mt. Akatuti-yama, Uken-son vill., Amamioshima Is.; 21 May. 2013; S. Sameshima leg.; KGU • 5♀♀; same locality and collector; 8-11 Jun. 2013; KGU • 2♂♂, 1♀; same locality and collector; 25-27 May. 2015 (KGU); gen slide no. KM-3,134(♂), KM-46(♀) • 1♂, 1♀; Nankawa path, Amamioshima Is.; 2 Jun. 2013; S. Sameshima leg.; KM-39(♂); KGU • 1♀; Mt. Yuwan-dake, Uken-son vill.; 19 Jun. 2014; S. Sameshima leg. (KGU) [Okinawa] • 6♂♂, 1♀; same locality and collector as holotype; 26-27 May. 2000; KM-6(♂), 38(♂), 55(♀), 99(♂), 102(♂), TU-749(♂); OPU • 1♂; Mt. Nishime, Kunigami-son; 31 May. 2015; S. Yagi leg.; gen. slide no. KM-133.

Diagnosis.

The external morphological character of this new species is quite similar to that of T. angustella ; the wings of both species are shaded brown apically. However, the two can be differentiated based on the brightness of the color of the apical wing markings. In the new species, the wings feature a huge dark brown area distally, so it can be recognized easily at a glance. Likewise, in the male genitalia, the anellus lobe is a small membranous spherical lobe basally with a delicate, thread-like spine apically. Also, the size of apophyses and shape of the signum in the female genitalia are different to those of T. angustella . On the other hand, the male genitalia are quite similar to those of Thiotricha xanthodora Meyrick, 1923, which was described from Pyinmana, Myanmar, but differ in terms of the uniformly elongate valva, spherical-shaped and straight phallus. In T. xanthodora , the shape of the valva is dilated along 1/3 of its length apically whereas the phallus is slightly rounded basally and twisted forward.

Description.

Male ( Figs 5C, E View Figure 5 , 7F View Figure 7 ). Forewing length 3.3 mm in holotype, 2.5-3.2 mm in paratypes. Wing span 6.2 mm in holotype, 5.6-6.9 mm in paratypes

Head: shiny creamy white with appressed scales. Antennae filiform, basal segment rather large and elongate, white, sparsely speckled with brown scales on dorsal surface; flagellum creamy white on dorsal surface before middle, then entirely grayish brown beyond on both surfaces with extraordinarily long and fine cilia ventrally. Labial palps white, long, and recurved; first segment shortest, creamy white with brown scales medially on outer surface; second segment thickened with white scales evenly on both surfaces, as much as 2.5 times the length of the first; third segment as long as second segment, entirely grayish brown, considerably acute and slender.

Thorax and tegula: creamy white.

Legs: white; forefemur and tibia inwardly suffused with brown and white on outer surface; fore tarsus completely brown; mid femur and tibia entirely white; mid tarsus with brown; hind femur and tibia creamy white, with long, stiff, white bristles until the midpoint anteriorly, brown bristles on upper surface at ca. 1/4 beyond half of its length posteriorly, with white bristles ventrally; all tarsal segments dark grayish in color.

Forewing: eleven veins, R3 + R4 stalked, M1 separate, R5 absent, anal veins furcate. ( Fig. 7F View Figure 7 ). Forewing rather broad, rounded and slightly pointed apically, ground color creamy white from base along 2/3 of wing, significantly occupied with a huge dark brown or pale-yellow area along costal margin to apex at ca. 1/3 apically; cilia well-fringed and dark brown or yellowish brown before apex to inner base of wing.

Hindwing: narrower than forewing, brownish white, pale brown; cilia well-fringed around apex and then white to anterior rim of base.

Male genitalia: ( Figs 8K, L View Figure 8 , 9F View Figure 9 ) eighth abdominal sternite obtuse, slightly emarginate at the tip, short, and broadened from base toward apex. Uncus swollen and rather small, like a tubercle, with long and short fine setae on its dorsal surface. Gnathos short and stout, slightly flattened posteriorly, then moderately curved apically. Tegumen extremely long and larger than uncus, with a cluster of dense hairs at approximately its midpoint dorsally. Anellus lobe, a small membranous rounded lobe basally, bearing a flexible and weakly sclerotized thread-like spine, reaching toward nearly 2/3 of valva, slightly curved inwardly, a few spines arising around it. Valva simple, uniformly elongate, broad basally, narrowly elongate from base toward apex, with numerous long fine hairs on its ventral surface. Vinculum narrow and elongate, with long and short fine hairs on rim of its surface posteriorly. Saccus somewhat rounded and triangular in shape. Phallus spherical basally, becoming narrow and straight, then slender in distal half.

Female ( Fig. 5D, F View Figure 5 ). Forewing length 2.5-3.1 mm. Wing expanse 5.6-6.5 mm. Similar to male.

Female genitalia: ( Fig. 10F View Figure 10 ) papillae anales nearly equal in length to posterior apophysis, with long and short fine setae on its entire surface. Apophysis posterioris longer and apophysis anterioris nearly half the length of posterior. Ostium opening close to anterior margin of 8th sternite. Ductus bursae rather broad, uniformly elongate, nearly same length as corpus bursae. Ductus seminalis arising ca. 1/3 of posterior of ductus bursae. Corpus bursae oblong in shape with narrow; signum short and arch-shaped at left side wall of posterior end.

Distribution.

Japan (Ryukyus).

Etymology.

The name refers to the coloration of the forewing (yellow apically).

Host plant.

Unknown.

Remarks.

There are two alternative types of wing markings at the distal portion: the brown form collected from Okinawa-jima Island, and the yellow ones from Amami-oshima Island. As mentioned above, individuals with these wing color variations were separately collected from these two islands in the same season. Therefore, this difference may be due to geographical variation.