Gargela grandispinata Li, 2019

Yang, Jingbo, Jie, Lulan & Li, Weichun, 2019, Notes on the genus Gargela (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) ı with descriptions of two new species from China, Journal of Natural History 53 (33), pp. 2099-2104 : 2099-2104

Gargela grandispinata Li , sp. nov.

( Figures 3 – 4 and 7 )

Holotype

Male, CHINA: Guangdong Province, Wutongshan National Natural Park (22°24´N, 114°12´N), 16 August 2010, coll. Weichun Li, genital prep. no. WD17073.

Paratypes

Two males, same data as the holotype.

Diagnosis

This species can be distinguished from its congeners by the unique spine-like projection at the dorsal base of valva in the male genitalia.

Description

Adult ( Figures 3–4 ). Forewing length 4.0 – 4.5 mm. Frons and vertex silvery white mixed with pale brown. Labial palpus silvery white, first and second segments pale brown dorsally. Maxillary palpus silvery white except first segment pale brown. Antenna scapus pale brown; flagellomere silvery white on dorsal surface, pale brown on ventral surface. Patagium, thorax and tegula white. Forewing silvery white, with small pale brown dot at distal cell; medial line pale brown, convex at costal one-third; subterminal line pale brown, convex at costal one-third and slightly bent inwards at dorsal two-fifths; marginal area suffused with golden scales under apex and with blackish brown spot between M3 and Cu1; apex silvery white with blackish brown termen, with golden oblique stripe; cilia silvery white mixed with pale yellow. Hindwing white; cilia white. Abdomen pale brown, distally white.

Male genitalia ( Figure 7 ). Uncus curved downward, tapering to blunted apex. Gnathos curved upward slightly, blunted distally. Tegumen about twice as long as gnathos. Valva broad basally, narrowed towards blunt apex; dorsal base with large spine-like projection, apically bent outwards; distal one-third concave on ventral margin. Costa strongly sclerotised, dorsally straight; distal one-third gently incurved, ending with thin and long projection, distal tip slightly exceeding apex of valva. Juxta basal half thin and long, distal half broad and heart-shaped, concave at middle of distal margin. Phallus nearly as long as valva; cornuti composed of many small spines.

Female unknown.

Distribution

China (Guangdong).

Etymology

The specific name is derived from the Latin prefix grand - = large, and the Latin spinatus = spinous, in reference to the dorsal base of valva with a large spine-like projection in the male genitalia.

Figures

Figures 1–4. Adults and heads of Gargela spp. 1–2. G. polyacantha Li, sp. nov.: 1. Adult, paratype, female; 2. Head in lateral view, paratype, male; 3–4. G. grandispinata Li, sp. nov.: 3. Adult, paratype, male; 4. Head in lateral view, paratype, male.

Figures 5–7. Genitalia of Gargela spp. 5–6. G. polyacantha Li, sp. nov.: 5. Holotype, male, genital prep. no. LW11018; 6. Paratype, female, genital prep. no. LW11058; 7. G. grandispinata Li, sp. nov., holotype, male, genital prep. no. LW19073. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.