Epicephala jianfenglingina Li, 2016

Li, Houhun & Zhang, Zhenguo, 2016, Five species of the genus Epicephala Meyrick, 1880 (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) from China, Zootaxa 4084 (3), pp. 391-405 : 402-403

Epicephala jianfenglingina Li , sp. nov.

Figs. 4 , 9 , 14 , 19

Type material. CHINA: Holotype ♂, Hainan Province: Jianfengling Nature Reserves (18°44'N, 108°51'E), 950 m, 26.ix.2010, reared from fruits of Glochidion sp. by B.B. Hu, genitalia slide no. HBB10039 . Paratypes (2 ♀ f): Hainan Province: 1 ♀, same data as holotype except 24.ix.2010 ; 1 ♀, same locality and reared from fruits of same host-plant as holotype by J. Zhang on 15.iv.2011 .

Description. Adult ( Fig. 4 ). Forewing expanse 9.5−10.5 mm. Head white, vertex tinged with a few greyish brown scales laterally. Labial palpus with basal palpomere white; second and third palpomeres white on inner surface, blackish brown on outer surface; third palpomere white tipped, pointed. Antenna with ventral surface pale greyish yellow, dorsal surface deep greyish brown, scape snowy white anteriorly. Thorax snowy white; tegula deep greyish brown. Forewing deep greyish brown; costal margin with three white streaks: basal streak short, from about 1/4, first along costal margin for a short distance, then extending discontinuously and weakening to 1/3 of wing at anterior 1/4; median streak from beyond middle slightly oblique downward to anterior 1/4, then weakening and parallel with costal margin to about distal 1/8 discontinuously; distal streak from distal 1/4, extending below and subparallel with costal margin to distal 1/8, interrupted; short white streak between median and distal streaks placed below costal margin, slightly oblique; ventral margin with a broad creamy band from base to end of fold, dorsally produced to a strip at 2/3 obliquely extending to 3/5 of wing at middle; two white streaks from above end of fold subparallel extending to distal 1/8, stronger in female than in male; narrow greyish silvery fascia with metallic reflection at distal 1/8, edged with yellowish brown, with a yellowish white dot at costal margins in male; distal 1/8 ochre brown, with a small white spot at costal margin and a narrow triangular spot along ventral margin, with a distinct central black dot, apex with a silvery strip; cilia greyish white along costal margin and apex except black distally and with a distinct black basal line, grey along dorsal margin. Hindwing and cilia greyish brown.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 9 ). Tegumen elongate, broad tongue shaped, sclerotized marginally. Valva with costal part about same length as tegumen, widened medially, obliquely rounded apically; costa slightly protruded medially; ventral margin with a dentate semicircular protuberance medially, concave basally and before apex; transtilla narrow triangular, tapering distally. Valva with sacculus somewhat fusiform, slightly shorter than 2/3 length of costal part, nearly as wide as costal part at maximum width; dorsal margin roundly arched, ventral margin almost straight, apex narrowly rounded; distal 1/4 with dense denticles. Vinculum in broad V shape; saccus almost same length as arm of vinculum, broad, slightly less than half width of sacculus, parallel except distally narrowed to rounded apex. Phallus about same length as valva, subovately dilated basally, uniform distally; cornutus a row of clustered long spines.

Female genitalia ( Figs. 14 , 19 ). Ovipositor cone-shaped, dentate laterally, acute apically. Apophysis posterioris longer than apophysis anterioris. Lamella postvaginalis somewhat H shaped; lateral margin subparallel, sinuate; posterior margin deeply concave, broadly V-shaped, posterolaterally produced to a triangular process narrowly pointed at apex, anterolaterally produced to a triangular process with sharp apex. Antrum about 1/3 length of ductus bursae. Ductus bursae thicker than antrum, with sparsely dentate pleats; ductus seminalis arising from between antrum and ductus bursae. Corpus bursae oval, granulated, about half length of ductus bursae; signum a small subtriangular plate.

Diagnosis. This new species is similar to E. duoplantaria sp. nov. in appearance. It can be further separated from the latter in the male genitalia by the phallus subovately dilated basally; in the female genitalia by the lamella postvaginalis with lateral margins subparallel and posterior margin deeply concave in broad V shape. In E. duoplantaria sp. nov., the phallus is slightly expanded basally in the male genitalia; the lamella postvaginalis is arched laterally and shallowly concave on the posterior margin in the female genitalia.

Biology. Host-plant: Glochidion sp., close to Glochidion rubrum Bl. (Phyllanthaceae) . Larvae feed on seeds in the fruits.

Distribution. China (Hainan).

Etymology. The specific name is derived from the name of the type locality.

Figures

FIGURES 1 − 5. Adults of Epicephala spp. 1. E. ancylopa Meyrick, ♀; 2. E. duoplantaria sp. nov., paratype, ♀; 3. E. daltonii sp. nov., paratype, ♀; 4. E. jianfenglingina sp. nov., paratype, ♀; 5. E. assamica sp. nov., ♀ (Scales = 2.0 mm).

FIGURES 8 − 9. Male genitalia of Epicephala spp. 8. E. daltonii sp. nov., paratype, slide no. ZZG 14040; 9. E. jianfenglingina sp. nov., holotype, slide no. HBB 10039. 8 a, 8 b (slide no. YXF 13033), 9 a. enlarged distal of sacculus with costa; 8 c, 9 b. enlarged cornuti. (Scales 8, 9 = 0.3 mm; 8 a – c = 0.2 mm; 9 a, 9 b = 0.1 mm).

FIGURES 11 − 14. Female genitalia of Epicephala spp. 11. E. ancylopa Meyrick, slide no. ZZG 15014, 11 a. enlarged signum, slide no. ZZG 15076; 12. E. duoplantaria sp. nov., paratype, slide no. ZZG 14051; 13. E. daltonii sp. nov., paratype, slide no. ZZG 14043; 14. E. jianfenglingina sp. nov., paratype, slide no. ZZG 15199. (Scales = 0.5 mm).

FIGURES 16 − 19. Female genitalia: lamella postvaginalis of Epicephala spp. 16. E. ancylopa Meyrick, slide no. ZZG 15014 (slide nos.: 16 a. ZZG 15016, 16 b. ZZG 15076, 16 c. ZZG 15072, 16 d. ZZG 14012); 17. E. duoplantaria sp. nov., paratype, slide no. ZZG 14051 (slide nos.: 17 a. ZZG 14058, 17 b. ZZG 14024, 17 c. ZZG 14039); 18. E. daltonii sp. nov., paratype, slide no. ZZG 14043, 18 a. slide no. ZZG 14364; 19. E. jianfenglingina sp. nov., paratype, slide no. ZZG 15199. (Scales = 0.2 mm).