Promalactis polyspina Kim and Park, 2012

Kim, Sora, Park, Kyu-Tek, Byun, Bong-Kyu, Heppner, John B. & Lee, Seunghwan, 2012, Genus Promalactis Meyrick (Lepidoptera: Oecophoridae) in northern Vietnam. Part II: six new species of the genus, Journal of Natural History 46 (15 - 16), pp. 897-909 : 907-908

Promalactis polyspina Kim and Park , sp. nov.

( Figs. 1K, L; 2F ; 4G,H )

Diagnosis

This species is externally similar to Promalactis xianferngensis Wang and Li , in wing pattern of forewing, but it can be easily differentiated by the female genitalia with a wide, sclerotized antrum and the ductus bursae with several spines.

Description

Adult ( Figures 1K,L; 2F ). Head: frons pale-yellowish brown; vertex dark brown; occiput with pale-yellowish brown. Antennal scape pale-yellowish brown, shorter than diameter of eye; flagellum pale-yellowish brown, alternated with dark-brown annulations. Labial palpus pale-yellowish brown; second segment tinged with greyish-brown scales from base to half the length to apex; third segment dark brown from basal third to apex ventrally, dark brown at half of length dorsally, third segment shorter than second segment. Thorax and tegula pale brown gradually darker near neck line. Wing expanse 7.5–8.0 mm. Forewing ground colour dark brown; basal band short, inconspicuous; antemedian white band strongly angled at middle, reaching one-quarter of costa and one-quarter of posterior margin, followed by golden yellow scales; postmedian white band nearly parallel to antemedian band with strong angle at middle, these two bands connected by a narrow white transverse line; one tiny white dot near three-quarters of of costa and another similar one near middle of outer margin; apical white spot well-developed beyond apex; fringes dark brown from two-thirds of costal margin to apex, golden yellow from apex beyond tornus, mixed with fuscous scales. Hindwing more or less lanceolate; fringes greyish brown. Leg dark brown; white at basal, central, apical part of tibia with two pairs of dark brown spurs; white entire first, basal part of fourth and fifth segments of tarsi.

Male. Unknown.

Female genitalia ( Figure 4G,H ). Apophysis posterioris about twice as long as apophysis anterioris. Antrum widely sclerotized with tiny spines in anterior part. Ductus bursae wide caudally, narrowed anteriorly with more than seven spines arranged into more or less long row on the left side; a sclerotized plate bearing five or six spines on the right side. Corpus bursae small, without a signum. Sixth sternum with a tongue-like spine laterally.

Holotype. Female , Tam Dao Nat. Park, Vietnam, 450 m, 30 July 2006, Park, Chae and Cuong.

Paratype. One female, same locality, 950 m, 26 April 2006, Park, Kim and Kang, slide gen. no. SNU-9044; one female, same locality, 31 July 2006, Park, Chae and Cuong, slide gen. no. SNU-9033 .

Distribution

Vietnam (North).

Etymology

The specific name of the new species is derived from the Greek poly (= many) plus the Latin spin (= spine), referring to the female genitalia bearing many spines.

Figures

Figure 2. Head (labial palpus). (A) Promalactis albipars sp. nov.; (B) Promalactis bitrigona sp. nov.; (C) Promalactis diorbis sp. nov.; (D) Promalactis forticosta sp. nov.; (E) Promalactis magnipuncti sp. nov.; (F) Promalactis polyspina sp. nov.

Figure 4. Female genitalia. (A) Promalactis bitrigona sp. nov.; (B) P. bitrigona, close-up of antrum; (C) P. bitrgona, close-up of signum; (D) Promalactis diorbis sp. nov.; (E) P. diorbis, closeup of basal part of ductus bursae; (F) P. diorbis, close-up of signum; (G) Promalactis polyspina sp. nov.; (H) P. polyspina, close-up of antrum and basal part of ductus bursae. Scale bar 0.5 mm.