Aphanostola melliferae Bidzilya, Agassiz & Mey, 2016

Bidzilya, Oleksiy V., Mey, Wolfram & Agassiz, David, 2016, Review of the genus Aphanostola Meyrick, 1931 (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae, Anomologinae) with description of 19 new species from the Afrotropical Region, Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift 63 (1), pp. 45-74 : 58-59

publication ID	https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/dez.63.7556
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:542B0277-F899-48ED-8387-EE760EEEF5A4
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/6C5CD8FD-4D8B-4C2D-8CF4-3F2ED9621B4D
taxon LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:act:6C5CD8FD-4D8B-4C2D-8CF4-3F2ED9621B4D
treatment provided by	Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift by Pensoft
scientific name	Aphanostola melliferae Bidzilya, Agassiz & Mey
status	sp. n.

Treatment

Aphanostola melliferae Bidzilya, Agassiz & Mey sp. n. Figs 32 View Figures 22–39 , 33 View Figures 22–39 , 60 View Figures 59–64 , 61 View Figures 59–64 , 80 View Figures 80–82

Aphanostola sp. 4 - Agassiz and Bidzilya 2016 (in press).

Type material.

Holotype ♀, Kenya: Rift Valley, Lake Bogoria, 1000 m, 0°15'N, 36°05'E, l. Acacia mellifera , em. 30.viii.2007 (Agassiz) (gen. slide 142/15, O. Bidzilya) (coll. Agassiz). Paratypes: 1♂, 2♀, same data as holotype (gen. slide 1549♂, 1550♀, O. Bidzilya); 1♂, KENYA: Rift Valley, Lake Bogoria, 1000 m, 0°21'N, 36°04'E, l. Acacia mellifera , em. 6.xi.2007 (Agassiz); 1♀, KENYA: Rift Valley, Lake Bogoria, 1000 m, 0°21'N, 36°04'E, l. Acacia mellifera , em. 26.viii.2007 (Agassiz); 1♂, 1♀, KENYA: Rift Valley, Lake Bogoria, 1000 m, 0°15'N, 36°7'E, l. on Acacia mellifera , em. 23.xi, 2.xii.2005 (Agassiz) (gen. slide 143/15♂, O. Bidzilya); 1♂, KENYA: Rift Valley, Lake Bogoria, 1000 m, 0°21'N, 36°4'E, l. Acacia mellifera , em. 23.xi.2005 (Agassiz) (all coll. Agassiz); 2♂, 1♀, Namibia, Sandveld, 60 km N Gobabis, 22.-26.i.2007, LF (Mey & Ebert) (gen. slide 457/07♂, O. Bidzilya); 1 ♂, Namibia, Omatako Ranch, LF, 22-23.iii.2003 (Mey) (gen. slide 67/15, O. Bidzilya) (all MfN).

Diagnosis.

The new species can reliably be separated from Aphanostola rooiklipella sp. n., and Aphanostola africanella sp. n. by the genitalia. Aphanostola antennata sp. n. is very similar to above mentioned species, but differs in broader forewing. Aphanostola pentastigma is usually larger that Aphanostola melliferae sp. n. the forewing are narrower with black spot at base of costal margin. The male genitalia are well recognizable by very short, weakly sclerotized distal portion of valva, stout broadly rounded sacculus and the shape of the phallus. The female genitalia are defined by a characteristically shaped antrum and sub-ostial sclerites as well as by a strongly sclerotized entrance to the corpus bursae which is unique for Aphanostola .

Description.

Adult (Figs 32 View Figures 22–39 , 33 View Figures 22–39 ). Wingspan 7.2-8.1 mm. Head white, labial palpus weakly curved, dark grey with white apex, inner surface white, antenna thick and finely ciliated in male, thinner in female, scape brown, antennal segments light brown with whitish basal rings; head and thorax white to light grey; forewing covered with white brown-tipped scales, costal margin mottled with brown, apex black spotted, narrow black dash in folds, three black spots in cell, cilia grey, brown tipped; hindwing light grey.

Male genitalia (Figs 60 View Figures 59–64 , 61 View Figures 59–64 ). Uncus very short, about 1.5 times broader than long, posterior margin straight; gnathos curved at base, then straight, narrow, strongly pointed apically; tegumen trapezoid anterior margin twice the length of posterior margin, anteromedial emargination deep; valva straight, narrow, basal portion strongly sclerotized, inner margin with long thorn on ¾ length, distal ¼ weakly sclerotized, hairy; sacculus, broader than valva, beak-shaped; vinculum broad, without projections, medial incision deep, narrow; saccus stout, wide, broadly rounded, far exceeding beyond the apex of pedunculus; phallus straight, broad, posterior margin weakly emarginated, base weakly inflated, basal projection absent.

Female genitalia (Fig. 80 View Figures 80–82 ). Papilla analis sub-ovate; apophyses posteriores long, narrow; apophyses anteriores thick, twice as long as segment VIII; segment VIII sub-rectangular, weakly sclerotized; antrum tubular, strongly edged, broadened in distal half; lateral sub-ostial sclerite prolonged, leaf-shaped, posterior sub-ostial sclerite rounded; ductus bursae narrow, gradually merging into very long and narrow corpus bursae with strongly sclerotized entrance; signum absent.

Etymology.

The species is named after the name of its host plant, Acacia mellifera .

Distribution.

Kenya, Namibia.

Biology.

Larvae feed on Acacia mellifera in Kenya ( Agassiz and Bidzilya 2016 in press) and probably also on this tree in Namibia. Adults were observed in late August and late November to early December in Kenya and in January and March in Namibia.