Coleophora fracta, Baldizzone, 2022

Baldizzone, Giorgio, 2022, On the taxonomy of Afrotropical Coleophoridae (VII). New species of genus Coleophora Hübner, 1822 from Central, Southern Africa and Oman (Lepidoptera, Coleophoridae), Zootaxa 5133 (3), pp. 431-442 : 439-442

++ Coleophora fracta , sp. nov.

(Figs. 6, 26–28)

Holotype ♂ ( GP Bldz 16934) “ OMAN: Dhofar | near Rakhyut | N 16° 47’ 4.8” E 53° 19’ 25.1” | 82m | 11.ix.2013 | D.J.L. Agassiz ”; “ NHMUK 010897776 [QR code]”, in coll. NHMUK.

Diagnosis. Small species with overall light brown appearance, forewing striated by thin white streaks. The species is similar to C. kinagopensis , sp. nov. in the structure of male genitalia. The main differences are as follows: in C. fracta , sp. nov. the cucullus is shorter and stocky, the transtilla is thinner, the ventral edge of the sacculus is much more inclined and the lateral one is shorter, the phallotheca is longer, symmetrical and sharp, the vesica much shorter without cornuti.

Description. Wingspan 10 mm. Head white, beige tinged on the frons. Antenna: scape beige, without erect scales, flagellum brown and dirty white ringed. Labial palpus brown, white on basal part; second segment about 0.5 times as long as third. Proboscis short, of normal shape. Forewing light ochraceous colour, with thin stripe along costa ending at beginning of fringes; three irregular white subcostal stripes, anal fold with scattered white scales, dorsum white at base; costal fringes dirty white, light brownish at apex, dorsal fringes light ochreous grey. Hindwing light brownish grey, fringes light ochreous grey. Abdomen brownish grey.

Abdominal structures ( Fig. 28 ): No posterior lateral struts, transverse strut with proximal edge sclerotized only in a short central portion, and curved distal edge, thicker, well sclerotized. Tergal disks (3rd tergite) length about 7 times their width, covered with about 35 spines.

Male genitalia ( Figs. 26–27 ): Gnathos knob large, globular. Tegumen middle constricted with a medial strongly sclerotized elongate longitudinal structure; pedunculus long, dilated on outer edge. Transtilla linear, long and thin. Valvula with a small curved expansion very sclerotized on outer edge of ventral part. Cucullus wide, short and stocky, ear-shaped. Sacculus with very inclined ventral edge, curved in ventral angle, with strong horn-shaped protuberance, dilated and curved at apex and reaching dorsal edge of cucullus. Phallotheca with two juxta rods, slightly curved, almost of same length, tapered and pointed at apex. Vesica very short without cornuti.

Female genitalia: Unknown.

Bionomy. The early stages and the foodplant are unknown.

Distribution. Oman.

Etymology. The name derives from the fact that the male genitalia of the holotype is devoid of a protuberance of the sacculus on one side, which was absent before dissection.

Figures

FIGURES 26–28. Male genitalia of C. fracta Baldizzone, sp. nov. 26, GP Bldz 16934, holotype. 27, enlarged detail of valva. 28, abdomen.