Esexalata natalyae Ponomarenko et M. Omelko, 2024

Ponomarenko, Margarita G. & Omelko, Ichail M., 2024, A new genus and two new species of gelechiid moths (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae, Gelechiinae) from the East Malaysia with unusual male secondary characters, Zootaxa 5447 (4), pp. 573-582 : 580

Esexalata natalyae Ponomarenko et M. Omelko sp. n.

( Figs 2, 4 , 27–30 )

Type material. Holotype: ♁, Borneo, E Malaysia, state of Sabah, 24 km N Tawau , 18.viii 1995, GS 229 MP (leg. M. Omelko), FSCB.

Paratype: 1♁, same locality as holotype, 28.viii 1995, GS 230 MP (leg. M. Omelko), FSCB .

Diagnosis. The new species is similar to E. beljaevi sp. n. in appearance and in main characters of the male genitalia. It can be distinguished by the smaller size of adult and pattern of forewing with three dark yellow spots along costal margin and same number of monochromatic spots along dorsal margin. In the male genitalia, E. natalyae sp. n. differs from the previous species by the narrow cucullus almost equal to sacculus in width, and aedeagus with extended narrow apex, two triangular projections on its dorsal side and a bundle of long filiform cornuti.

Description. Adult ( Fig. 2 ). Head with mainly monochromatic grey or greyish-brown scales. Scapus whitish with black, indistinct median band and with row of elongate black scales along anterior margin interrupted before middle; pedicellus and basal flagellomeres slightly widened ( Fig. 4 ); flagellum black in proximal part and brownish in distal part, with dispersed whitish scales; and with long cilia on ventral side. First segment of labial palpus black; second segment white on inner side, blackish brown on outer side in basal and apical parts, with tuft of elongated grey scales; third segment light grey on inner side, with two black or brownish transverse bands at 1/4 and beyond middle and with tuft of elongated black or blackish brown scales on upper edge beyond middle. Patagia light grey, tegula and thorax dark brown. Forewing length 3.8–3.9 mm. Forewing greyish brown, with blackish basal and apical parts and spots of dark yellow raised scales—three spots along costal margin and three spots along dorsal margin; fringe mainly blackish grey, scales of fringe on costal margin with white tips. Hindwing brownish-grey; fringe dark brownish grey. Fore- and midlegs whitish on inner side and blackish on outer side with scattered whitish scales; hindlegs light grey, dorsal edge of hind tibia with brush of concolorous scales.

Segment 8 with elongate tergite with parallel sides and rounded posterior margin, and semi–oval sternite with broadly rounded posterior margin ( Fig. 30 ).

Male genitalia ( Figs 27–29 ). Uncus with a rounded apex and semi-oval lateral lobes. Culcitula of gnathos divided into two parts by median constriction; median sclerite of gnathos parallel-sided, with convex ventral edge and concave dorsal edge. Cucullus narrow and arched in distal part, slightly dilated towards apex, with large semi-oval ventral lobe in proximal part. Sacculus widened in basal part (ratio of maximal widths in basal and distal parts 3:1), narrowed beyond middle, slightly widened towards claw-like apex directed ventrally. Aedeagus relatively small, shorter than cucullus, tube-like and arched, with ventral, narrow, band-like sclerotisation stretching towards an elongated apex and two triangular dorsal projections, without caecum, opening for ejaculatory ductus on dorsal side and proximally bordered by ribbon-like apodeme for phallic muscles; fixed at basal 1/3 by semi-sclerotised anellus, vesica with bundle of long filiform cornuti. Juxta consisting of two lateral lobes, each with knob-like apex, integrated with vinculum. Vinculum widened laterally and with deep notch on posterior margin, saccus wide, triangular and with rounded apex.

Female unknown.

Etymology. The new species is named after entomologist Natalya V. Omelko, who took part in organization of expeditions to Borneo and processing the collected material. A noun in the genitive case.

Figures

FIGURES 1–9. Esexalata gen. n., external morphology. 1, 3, 4a, 5–9—E. beljaevi sp. n.: 1—adult, holotype, male; 3—head, basal part of antenna and labial palpus, paratype, female; 4a—magnified scapus, pedicellus and base of flagellum, ventral view; 5—basal part of ciliate flagellum in male, dorsal view; 6—ditto, ventral view; 7—wing-like structure and hair-pencil in male, dorsal view, enlarged; 8—wing-like structures folded crosswise on the thorax in male; 9—hair-pencil under lifted wing-like structure in male; 2, 4—E. natalyae sp. n.: 2—adult, holotype, male; 4—ciliate antenna in male. Scale bar for figures 1, 2—1 mm; for figure 7—0.5 mm. pd—pedicellus, sc—scapus.

FIGURES 20–30. Esexalata gen. n., male genitalia and 8th abdominal segments. 20–26, E. beljaevi sp. n.: 20—unrolled, medial view, holotype, GS 221 MP; 21—aedeagus, lateral view, left side, holotype, GS 221 MP; 22—uncus, gnathos with culcitula, ventral view, paratype, GS 223 MP; 23—row of needle-shaped cornuti in aedeagus; 24—distal part of aedeagus, right side, paratype, GS 223 MP; 25—distal part of genitalia in glycerol; 26—sternite (left) and tergite (right) of 8th abdominal segment, paratype, male; 27–30, E. natalyae sp. n.: 27—unrolled, medial view, holotype, GS 229 MP; 28—aedeagus, lateral view, left side, holotype, GS 229 MP; 29—distal part of aedeagus with bundle of long filiform cornuti; 30—sternite (left) and tergite (right) of 8th abdominal segment, paratype, male. Scale bar 0.2 mm with the exception of enlarged figures 22, 23 and 29. set. lat—setae on the lateral side of cucullus.