Thaumatovalva deprinsorum Timm & Brown

Timm, Alicia E. & Brown, John W., 2014, A new genus of Grapholitini from Africa related to Thaumatotibia (Lepidoptera, Tortricidae), ZooKeys 438, pp. 113-128 : 118

Taxon classification Animalia Lepidoptera Tortricidae

Thaumatovalva deprinsorum Timm & Brown sp. n. Figs 6, 10, 14, 18

Type material.

Holotype ♂, Democratic Republic of Congo, P. N. A., Secteur Nord, Mutsora, 1200 m, 4 Dec 1957, A. Vanschuytbroeck (RMCA). Paratypes (12♂, 1♀). Democratic Republic of Congo: P. N. A.: Secteur Nord, Bumali village pres Mutwanga, 1300 m, piege lumineux, 28 Nov 1957 (3♂), A. Vanschuytbroeck (RMCA). Secteur Nord, Mutsora, 1200 m, 4 Dec 1957 (1♂), A. Vanschuytbroeck (RMCA). Secteur Nord, riv. Talya, affl. dr. Lume, 1260 m, 26 Sep 1956 (1♂), A. Vanschuytbroeck (RMCA). Massif Ruwenzori, riv. Kakalari, 1800 m, affl. Bombi, 28 Nov 1957 (5♂, 1♀), A. Vanschuytbroeck (RMCA). Massif Ruwenzori, Kyandolire (lieu-dit), 1810 m (sous bananiers savages), 24 Dec 1957 (1♂), A. Vanschuytbroeck (RMCA). Massif Ruwenzori, Gotte Ibatama, 1610 m (lumiere), 4 Ma00y 1958 (1♂), A. Vanschuytbroeck (RMCA).

Diagnosis.

Thaumatovalva deprinsorum is nearly indistinguishable from Thaumatovalva albolineana and Thaumatotibia spinai in forewing pattern and size, but it is easily separated by the modified scaling on the underside of the hindwing. In Thaumatovalva deprinsorum the patch of white scales occupies the entire inner portion of the anal region with a short dash extending beyond the patch along the wing margin (Fig. 10).

Description.

Male.Head: Vertex dark brown mixed with lighter brown, upper frons concolorous with vertex, lower frons cream; labial palpus slightly lighter than vertex, inner surface slightly lighter yet; antennal scaling brown. Thorax: Dorsum dark brown, mixed with lighter brown, tegula concolorous with dorsum; hind tibia with dark brown patch of expanded scales. Forewing length 6.5-8.2 mm (mean = 7.0; n = 10), as described for genus; hindwing upper surface nearly uniformly brown, under surface concolorous with forewing undersurface with white scaling from anal margin to about CuP, extending through anal region from wing margin to approximately CuP (Fig. 10). Abdomen: Brown; black scale patches not visible on undissected specimens. Genitalia (Fig. 14) with valva narrow basally, broadening to middle, with large, triangular expansion of valva ventrally just before cucullus, outer edge of cucullus rounded, valva attenuate through cucullus, apex rounded; phallus narrow, with bulbous subbasal lobe and conspicuous elongate dorsal lobe ca. 0.66 distance from base to tip.

Female.Head and thorax: Essentially as described for male, except forewing length 8.0 mm (n = 1). Abdomen: Brown. Genitalia (Fig. 18) essentially as described for genus; ventral portion of segment VIII with a broad subrectangular semi-sclerotized patch with V-shaped posterior edge, ostium situated at end of short narrow trough extending from vertex of V-shaped sclerotized region; ductus bursae long, ca. twice length of corpus bursae, slender, frail, with ring-like sclerite near middle; ductus seminalis originating ca. 0.5 distance between sclerotized ring and corpus bursae; ductus gradually broadening into corpus in distal 0.1; corpus bursae pear-shaped, finely punctate (at high magnification), with two nearly equal signa, each a long curved spine from a rounded sclerotized base.

Distribution and biology.

This species is known only from the middle elevations (1200-1810 m) of the Democratic Republic of Congo. It has been collected primarily in November and December, with a single record from May.

Etymology.

The specific epithet is a patronym for Willy and Jurate De Prins.