Platyptilia mugesse Kovtunovich & Ustjuzhanin

Kovtunovich, V., Ustjuzhanin, P. & Murphy, R., 2014, Plume moths of Malawi (Lepidoptera: Pterophoridae), Zootaxa 3847 (4), pp. 451-494 : 459-460

Platyptilia mugesse Kovtunovich & Ustjuzhanin sp. nov. ( Figs.7–9 )

Type material: Holotype, female, ( BMNH 22699), Mugesse Forest, 11– 12.01.2009 —1 ♀, Kovtunovich V. & Ustjuzhanin P. Paratype, male, ( BMNH 22700), same data as holotype, 8– 18.06.2002, R. Murphy .

External characters. Wingspan 37 mm in the holotype and 32 mm in the paratype. Head, thorax and tegulae light-yellow. Palpi long, straight, pointed to apex, 3 times longer than eye diameter. Forewing light-brown. Darkbrown spot situated near apex of first lobe on costal edge. Two dark-brown spots situated near bifurcation. Another spot situated between wing base and bifurcation. Fringe yellow basally and dark-brown on distally. Hindwings somewhat darker than forewings, uniformly brown. External edge of fringe of third lobe thick, covered by black hairs from base and nearly to apical part, more intensively near base. Legs light-brown, with more dark suffusion in places of attachment of spurs.

Male genitalia. Valvae symmetrical, narrow, with developed fold at apex. Branches of anellus short and broad, with teeth at terminus. Saccus has shape of bluntly rounded triangle. Uncus narrow, slightly broadened near apex, pointed and recurved at apex. Aedeagus short, arcuated. Basal process of aedeagus rather long, oval, somewhat shorter than rest part of aedeagus. Coecum broad and short, directed to apex of aedeagus.

Female genitalia. Papilla analis widely-rounded. Posterior apophyses narrow, long, pointed to top. Anterior apophyses with small angular projection near apex. Lamina postvaginalis forming two isolated ovals. Antrum short, funnel-shaped. Ductus long, narrow, posterior 70% sclerotized, remaining part membranous. Bursa copulatrix large, oval, with two narrow, rather long tapered signa.

Diagnosis. The new species is closely related to P. rhyncholoba Meyrick based on characters of the male genitalia but differs by the narrow uncus, whereas P. rhyncholoba has a broad rhomboid-shaped uncus. Characters of the female genitalia of P. mugesse also suggest a close relationship to P. rhyncholoba but differ in the long sclerotized part of the ductus bursae, which equals 70 % of the total ductus length in P. mugesse , whereas it equals 90% of the ductus length in P. rhyncholoba . By wingspan the new species belongs to the group of the giant true Platyptilia which includes P. rhyncholoba , P. daemonica , P. postbarbata , P. aarviki , and P. nyungwea .

Distribution: N. Malawi.

Flight period: January, June.

Etymology. The specific epithet “ Mugesse ” is a toponymic name, referring to the type locality of the new species in the Mugesse forest in the north of Malawi.

Figures

FIGURES 7 – 9. Platyptilia mugesse Kovtunovich & Ustjuzhanin sp. nov. 7. Adult, female, holotype; 8. Male genitalia, paratype (slide 22700 BMNH); 9. Female genitalia, holotype (slide 22699 BMNH).