Parastenolechia semielliptica Li

Liu, Linjie & Li, Houhun, 2016, Taxonomic review of the genus Parastenolechia Kanazawa (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae, Litini) from Mainland China, with descriptions of six new species, Zootaxa 4178 (1) : -

Parastenolechia semielliptica Li , sp. nov.

( Figs. 13 , 24 )

Type material. CHINA: Holotype Ƌ, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region: Mt. Daming (24.93°N, 107.11°E), 1250 m, 28.v.2011, leg. Linlin Yang and Yinghui Mou, genitalia slide No. LLJ15054.

Adult ( Fig. 13 ). Wingspan 12.0 mm. Head white. Labial palpus white; second segment black in basal half and before apex on outer surface, longer than third, scales fluffy apically; third segment black near base and at apex. Antenna with scape white mixed with brown; flagellum alternately grayish white and black. Thorax and tegula white, tegula brown at base. Forewing ground color white, densely covered with deep yellowish brown scales except at base; markings black: costa with spot near base, at basal 2/5 and 3/5 respectively, almost evenly spaced, edged with white scales on outer margin, outmost spot largest; discal and discocellular spots smaller, rounded, with raised scales, surrounded by white scales; plical and tornal spots irregular in shape, with erect scales; with several dots set in area before apex; cilia grayish brown except grayish white with brown scales at apex and along termen. Hindwing and cilia grayish brown. Legs black, mixed with white scales, tarsi with each tarsomere white apically; mid tibia white in distal half; hind tibia with long pale brown scales.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 24 ). Eighth sternum subtrapeziform; anterior margin produced trapezoidally, posterior margin obtuse, with a notch at middle. Uncus semielliptical, posterior margin rounded, setose. Gnathos semielliptical, anteromedian process thorn-like. Tegumen furcate from beyond middle, triangularly projected posteriorly, lateral branch slender. Glandiductor symmetrical, longer than tegumen-uncus complex, slightly dilated basally, gently curved at basal 1/3. Valva narrow mesially; outer lobe short, clavate, about 1/3 length of juxta, dilated and setose distally; inner lobe roundly dilated, pointed apically. Juxta very long, slightly longer than half length of glandiductor, joined basally, furcate from beyond middle, suddenly narrowed and hooked from before apex; lateral margin with distal 1/6 distinctly convex outward semielliptically to before hooked apex. Vinculum and saccus not separated, rectangular. Aedeagus shorter than tegumen, extremely slender, gently curved, slightly broad basally, distal 1/6 truncate.

Female unknown.

Diagnosis. This species differs from its congeners by the very long juxta with distal 1/6 of the lateral margin convex outward semielliptically to before apex. It is more similar to P. arciformis sp. nov. superficially in the forewing pattern, and the detailed differences between them are stated under the latter species.

Distribution. China (Guangxi).

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the Latin prefix semi - (half) and ellipticus (elliptical), referring to the juxta with distal 1/6 of the lateral margin convex outward semielliptically to before apex in the male genitalia.

Figures

FIGURES 12 – 15. Adults of Parastenolechia spp. 12, P. t r ap e z ia sp. nov., holotype, male; 13, P. semielliptica sp. nov., holotype, male; 14, P. medispina sp. nov., holotype, male; 15, P. longifolia sp. nov., holotype, male (Scale bars = 2.0 mm).

FIGURES 21 – 25. Male genitalia of Parastenolechia spp. 21, P. papillaris sp. nov., paratype, slide No. LLJ 15091; 22, P. claustrifera Meyrick, slide No. LLJ 15036; 23, P. trapezia sp. nov., paratype, slide No. LLJ 15009; 24, P. semielliptica sp. nov., holotype, slide No. LLJ 15054; 25, P. longifolia sp. nov., holotype, slide No. LLJ 15043 (Scale bars = 0.3 mm).