Lecithocera flavalba, Yu & Wang, 2024

Yu, Shuai & Wang, Shuxia, 2024, The genus Lecithocera (Lepidoptera: Lecithoceridae) from China, with descriptions of twenty-one new species, European Journal of Taxonomy 924, pp. 1-74 : 14-15

Lecithocera flavalba sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:488BA4BA-CE58-4372-A9ED-A5B2A2BC356A

Figs 2D , 7A , 11D , 16A , 18F

Diagnosis

The new species is similar to L. chersitis Meyrick, 1918 in both male and female genitalia. It can be distinguished by the orange white forewing with a rounded discocellular stigma, a triangularly produced apex, a concave termen and the subtrapezoidal uncus of the male genitalia. In L. chersitis , the brownish orange forewing has a reniform discocellular stigma, a rounded apex and an gently convex termen, and the uncus is V-shaped.

Etymology

The specific epithet is derived from the Latin “ flavus ” and “ albus ”, referring to the colours of the forewing.

Type material

Holotype

CHINA – Yunnan Province • ♂; Menghai County, Mt Mannong ; 21º55′ N, 100º25′ E; 12‒20 Feb. 2014; H.L. Han leg.; slide no. YS19060 ; NKU.

Paratype

CHINA – Yunnan Province • 1 ♀; same collection data as for holotype; slide no. YS19061 ; NKU .

Description

ADULT ( Figs 2D , 7A ). Wingspan 15.0‒ 15.5 mm. Head and antenna creamy white. Labial palpus creamy white on inner surface, yellowish brown on outer surface; third palpomere as long as second palpomere. Thorax and tegula creamy white. Forewing with costal margin nearly straight, apex triangularly produced, termen shallowly concave; ground colour orange white, with scattered dark brown scales; markings blackish brown: discal stigma very small; discocellular stigma larger, rounded; fringe orange white basally, pale brownish yellow distally; R 3 and R 4+5 short-stalked, R 5 to termen, M 2 and M 3 subparallel, CuA 1 and CuA 2 short-stalked. Hindwing orange white, tinged with pale brownish yellow; fringe pale brownish yellow, basal line orange white; M 3 and CuA 1 short-stalked.

MALE GENITALIA ( Fig. 11D ). Uncus subtrapezoidal; caudal lobe papillary, setose. Gnathos with lateral arm taenioid and as wide as basal width of median process; median process wide at base, narrowed to distal ¼ where it is curved, then slender to pointed apex. Valva broad basally; cucullus about half length of valva, narrowed from base to obliquely blunt apex, shallowly concave on costal margin, setose on ventral half, with row of bullet-shaped setae along ventral margin; costal bar narrow, sinuate slightly; sacculus broad and straight in basal half, narrowed in distal half, reaching cucullus. Juxta subrectangular, longer than wide, notched at middle on posterior margin, with small triangular process at middle on anterior margin; posterior lobe narrow taenioid, extending outward. Vinculum broad; saccus not developed, rounded on anterior margin. Aedeagus shorter than valva, almost tubular, with two tiny dorsal denticles, with dense granules in vesica; with two cornuti: one bar-shaped, about 2/5 length of aedeagus, with tooth; the other plate-shaped, bifurcate, placed medially.

SEVENTH ABDOMINAL STERNITE ( Fig. 16A ). Anterior margin gently convex; anterolateral rib taenioid, reaching before posterior margin of sixth abdominal sternite; posterolateral lobe subtriangular.

FEMALE GENITALIA ( Fig. 18F ). Eighth abdominal sternite deeply incised in V shape on posterior margin, forming two large posterior lobes. Apophyses posteriores about twice as long as apophyses anteriores. Antrum sclerotized. Ductus bursae shorter than corpus bursae, broad; ductus seminalis arising from near antrum, broad. Corpus bursae large, ovate; signum situated at middle, subrounded, densely denticulate.

Distribution

China (Yunnan).

Figures

Fig. 2. Adults of species of Lecithocera Herrich-Schäffer, 1853 (NKU), dorsal view. A. L. bigeminata sp. nov., holotype, male. B. L. chersitis Meyrick, 1918, male. C. L. duplicispinea sp. nov., holotype, male. D. L. flavalba sp. nov., holotype, male. E. L. flavistriata sp. nov., paratype, female. F. L. furvibasis sp. nov., paratype, male. Scale bars =2.0 mm.

Fig. 7. Wing venations of species of Lecithocera Herrich-Schäffer, 1853, all paratypes (NKU). A. L. flavalba sp. nov., female, slide no. YS19061. B. L. flavistriata sp. nov., male, slide no. YS19661. C. L. furvibasis sp. nov., female, slide no. YS20004. D. L. laticuculla sp. nov., male, slide no. YS19684. E. L. ligulacea sp. nov., male, slide no. LSR13453. F. L. margirecta sp. nov., male, slide no. ZMR10321. Scale bars =2.0 mm.

Fig. 11.Male genitalia of species of Lecithocera Herrich-Schäffer, 1853(NKU).A. L. bigeminata sp. nov., holotype, slide no. YS18192. B. L. chersitis Meyrick, 1918, slide no. YS19205. C. L. duplicispinea sp. nov., paratype, slide no. ZYM06270. D. L. flavalba sp. nov., holotype, slide no. YS19060. E. L. flavistriata sp. nov., paratype, male, slide no. YS19661. F. L. furvibasis sp. nov., holotype, slide no. YS18169. Scale bars=0.5 mm.

Fig. 16. Male seventh abdominal sternite of species of Lecithocera Herrich-Schäffer, 1853 (NKU). A. L. flavalba sp. nov., holotype, slide no. YS19060. B. L. flavistriata sp. nov., paratype, slide no. YS19661. C. L. furvibasis sp. nov., holotype, slide no. YS18169. D. L. haviensis Park, 2016, slide no. YS19710. E. L. laticuculla sp. nov., paratype, slide no. YS19684. F. L. ligulacea sp. nov., paratype, slide no. LSR13414. G. L. margirecta sp. nov., paratype, slide no. YS19483. H. L. medogensis sp. nov., holotype, slide no. YS19166. Scale bars =0.5 mm.

Fig. 18. Female genitalia of species of Lecithocera Herrich-Schäffer, 1853, all paratypes (NKU). A. L. alpestra Park, 2005, slide no.YS19093.B. L. alpina Park, 2016, slide no.YS19464.C. L. bigeminata sp. nov., slide no. YS18194. D. L. cherstis Meyrick, 1918, slide no. YS19206. E. L. duplicispinea sp. nov., slide no. ZMR10313. F. L. flavalba sp. nov., slide no. YS19061. Scale bars =0.5 mm.