Helcystogramma imagibicuneum, Li & Zhen, 2011

Li, H. H. & Zhen, H., 2011, Review of the genus Helcystogramma Zeller (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae: Dichomeridinae) from China, Journal of Natural History 45 (17 - 18), pp. 1035-1087 : 1060-1061

Helcystogramma imagibicuneum sp. nov.

( Figures 7E , 11D , 16B )

Holotype

Male, CHINA: Shaanxi Province: Chenhe, Zhouzhi (34 ◦ 10 ′ N, 108 ◦ 12 ′ E), 700 m, 21 July 1987, coll. Houhun Li, genitalia slide no. ZH06224.

Diagnosis

This species can be separated from other members of the hibisci group by the vinculum with sclerotized semioval plate between apex of the lobe and middle of the inner margin. Superficially it resembles H. bicuneum (Meyrick) , but differs from the latter in the forewing broader distally, the costal margin with two short white streaks distally, the cell without ochreous-yellow spot near base, the absence of ochreous-yellow stripe above upper margin of the cell, and the dark brown spot at middle of the dorsum not extending anterodistally to near end of cell.

Description

Adult ( Figure 7E ). Wingspan 9.5 mm. Head grey, frons yellowish-white. Antenna with scape brown on dorsal surface, white on ventral surface; flagellum brown on dorsal surface, pale yellow on ventral surface. Labial palpus with second segment about twice length of diameter of eye, third segment almost as long as second; first and second segments greyish-brown on outer surface, yellowish-white on inner surface; third segment white on dorsal surface, brown on ventral surface. Thorax and tegula brown. Forewing widened distally, apex bluntly rounded, dorsum slightly concave at two-thirds length; ground colour greyish-brown, with scattered dark brown scales, blackish-brown along apex and termen, blackish brown mottled yellow above tornus; oblique stripe from costal one-third length to near upper angle of cell, white in anterior two-fifths, ochreous-yellow in posterior three-fifths, another oblique stripe from costal two-thirds length to upper angle of cell, white in anterior half, yellow in posterior half; costal margin with two short white streaks in distal quarter; triangular black-brown spot near end of cell, edged with white; large, irregularly shaped dark brown mark at dorsum mesially, extending anteriorly to more than three-fifths width of wing, yellow along inner side, whitish-yellow along outer side; two fasciae near termen, inner one silvery-grey, shining, outer one yellow, with two longitudinal short dark brown streaks below apex; fringe greyish-brown except basal half white at apex. Hindwing and fringe brown. Legs with femora yellowish-white; tibiae and tarsi dark brown, each segment white apically on outer surface, greyish-white on inner surface.

Male genitalia

Uncus nearly rectangular, lateral margin slightly concave, about one-third length of valva ( Figure 11D ). Gnathos slightly narrowed toward apex, about three-fifths length of valva; culcitula slightly concave on posterior margin. Valva narrow basally, widened distally except apex slightly narrowed and bluntly rounded, shorter than tegumen– uncus complex; ventral free lobe stout, bluntly rounded at apex, with sparse setae. Vinculum with distal two-fifths of lobes narrowed gradually to acute apex, with sclerotized semioval plate between apex of lobe and middle of inner margin. Saccus broad triangular, more or less rounded at apex ( Figure 16B ). Vinculum + saccus complex relatively larger as compared with other species in the hibisci group. Aedeagus with basal two-fifths rounded, distal three-fifths narrowed gradually to papillate apex, ventral surface chapped distally.

Female

Unknown.

Distribution

China (Shaanxi).

Etymology

The specific name is derived from the Latin prefix imag -, meaning similar, referring to the similarity of this species to H. bicuneum (Meyrick) .

Figures

Figure 7. Adults of Helcystogramma spp. (A) H. flavilineolella Ponomarenko, male; (B) H. bicuneum (Meyrick), male; (C) H. epicentra (Meyrick), female; (D) H. hibisci (Stainton), female; (E) H. imagibicuneum sp. nov., holotype male; (F) H. perelegans (Omelko et Omelko), male.

Figure 11. Male genitalia of Helcystogramma spp. (A) H. flavilineolella Ponomarenko, genitalia slide no. ZH06459; (B) H. bicuneum (Meyrick), genitalia slide no. ZH06476; (C) H. epicentra (Meyrick), genitalia slide no. ZJL05249; (D) H. imagibicuneum sp. nov. holotype, genitalia slide no. ZH06224; (E) H. perelegans (Omelko et Omelko), genitalia slide no. ZH07574; (F) H. flavifuscum sp. nov., holotype, genitalia slide no. ZJL05145.

Figure 16. Saccus of Helcystogramma spp. (A) H. lutatella (Herrich-Schäffer); (B) H. imagibicuneum sp. nov.; (C) H. perelegans (Omelko et Omelko); (D) H. flavilineolella Ponomarenko; (E) H. angustum sp. nov.; (F) saccal region of Dichomeris okadai (Moriuti).