Perittia spatulata, Sruoga, Virginijus & Prins, Jurate De, 2009

Sruoga, Virginijus & Prins, Jurate De, 2009, The Elachistinae (Lepidoptera: Elachistidae) of Kenya with descriptions of eight new species, Zootaxa 2172, pp. 1-31 : 17-21

Perittia spatulata , new species

( Figs. 1 , 15 , 34, 35 , 44–49 )

Type material. Holotype: 3, KENYA, Arabuko Sokoke Forest, 15 km W Gede, 50 m, 03°17’S 039°59’E, 17.iii.2004, leg. J. & W. De Prins, specimen ID RMCA ENT 0 0 0 0 0 5159, gen. prep. MRAC / KMMA 0 0 463 ( RMCA).

Paratypes: KENYA, Arabuko Sokoke Forest: 15 km W Gede, 50m, 03°17’S 039°59’E: 33, 17.iii.2004, leg. J. & W. De Prins, specimen IDs RMCA ENT 0 0 0 0 0 5160, 0 0 0 0 0 5161, 0 0 0 0 0 5164, gen. prep. MRAC / KMMA 0 0 464, 0 0 465, 0 0 468 ( RMCA); 2Ƥ, 01.iv.2004, leg. J. De Prins, specimen IDs RMCA ENT 0 0 0 0 0 5168, 0 0 0 0 0 5170, gen. prep. MRAC / KMMA 0 0 472 ( RMCA). 20 km W Gede, 90m, 03°25’S 039°53’E: 23, 06.iv.2004, leg. J. De Prins, specimen IDs RMCA ENT 0 0 0 0 0 5162, 0 0 0 0 0 5163, gen. prep. MRAC / KMMA 0 0 466, 0 0 467 ( RMCA); 4Ƥ, specimen IDs RMCA ENT 0 0 0 0 0 5165, 000005171–000005173, gen. prep. MRAC / KMMA 0 0 469 ( RMCA). 3Ƥ, 12 km W Gede, 70 m, 03°17’S 039°59’E, 08.iv.2004, leg. J. De Prins, specimen IDs RMCA ENT 0 0 0 0 0 5166, 0 0 0 0 0 5169, 0 0 0 0 0 5174, gen. prep. MRAC / KMMA 0 0 470 ( RMCA). 1Ƥ, 10.5 km W Gede, 80 m, 03°16’S 039°58’E, 02.iv.2004, leg. J. De Prins, specimen ID: RMCA ENT 0 0 0 0 0 5175 ( RMCA). 1Ƥ, 50 m, 03°17’S 39°58’E (E8), 05.iv.2001, leg. J. & W. De Prins, specimen ID: RMCA ENT 0 0 0 0 0 5167, gen. prep. MRAC / KMMA 0 0 471 ( RMCA).

Diagnosis. Perittia spatulata is a very small species externally closely resembling P. gnoma . For the separation of these species see the diagnosis of P. gnoma above.

Male ( Fig. 34 ). Forewing length 1.7–2.2 mm; wingspan 3.9–4.9 mm (n=6). Head: Vertex and neck tuft yellowish white, some scales with brownish tips; background layer of frons with some metallic lustre; labial palpus very short and straight, yellowish white above, fuscous below; scape broader than flagellum, covered with yellowish-white scales with brownish tips; flagellum rather broad, unicolourous, brownish grey. Thorax and tegula brownish grey, slightly mottled due to darker tips of scales. Forewing yellowish brown, weakly mottled by darker tips of scales. Blackish-brown scales forming two irregular patches: one in basal part of wing, extending along costal margin and along fold of wing; other extending obliquely at 2/5 of costa towards wing apex. Blackish-brown scales forming two small spots, one at 2/5 from wing base and other at 3/5. Fringe scales brownish grey with irregularly scattered blackish brown-tipped scales. Hindwing including fringe brownish grey.

Female ( Fig. 35 ). Forewing length 2.0–2.4 mm; wingspan 4.5–5.4 mm (n=11). Similar to male, but flagellum weakly ringed by whitish in basal part and blackish-brown patch less expressed in basal part of forewing.

Male genitalia ( Figs. 44–47 ). Uncus short, posterior margin weakly sclerotized. Basal arms of gnathos very short; spinose knob of gnathos slightly wider than long, tapered towards apex. Valva short and broad; sacculus strongly concave, tapering into short and slightly curved setose cucullus; tip of cucullus with short, slender, minutely dentate process ( Fig. 46 ). Ventral shield of juxta elliptical with broadly rounded proximal end, about 3/4 length of phallus; juxta lobes very short ( Fig. 47 ). Digitate processes not developed. Vinculum U-shaped, without saccus. Phallus short, about 4 times longer than broad, ventral margin of apex extending obliquely into broad spatula-shaped, strongly sclerotized process ( Fig. 47 ). Vesica with numerous tiny, elongate spines and two rows of large cornuti, each row consisting of 4–5 cornuti, slightly variable in size. In two specimens with smaller cornuti, vesica without spines.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 48, 49 ). Papillae anales elongate, with scattered long setae; ventrally, especially medially and posteriorly, with many very short fine setae. Tergite 8 not sclerotized, apophyses posteriores extending from central part of segment and spreading apart laterad. Apophyses posteriores slightly shorter than apophyses anteriores. Antrum as long as apophyses posteriores, with strongly sclerotized longitudinal folds. Colliculum indistinct. Ductus bursae long, about 10 times longer than apophyses posteriores. Corpus bursae without internal spines and signum.

Biology. Unknown.

Flight period. Based on the specimens available, adults fly from mid-March to mid-April.

Distribution. So far this species is known only from Arabuko Sokoke Forest in the Coastal Province of Kenya ( Figs. 1 , 15 ).

Etymology. The species name is derived from the Latin spatula (a broad paddle) in reference to the broad, spatulate apex of the phallus in the male genitalia.

Remarks. This species, along with P. gnoma and P. tantilla , differs from all other known species of the Elachistinae by the direction of the spines on the apical knob of the gnathos (see description of P. gnoma above). In the female genitalia the apophyses posteriores unusually extend from the central part of tergite eight ( Fig. 49 ) while in all other known species of the subfamily, they extend from the lateral parts of the sclerotized tergite 8.

Figures

FIGURE 15. Collecting localities of Elachistinae species in Kenya: 1, Arabuko Sokoke Forest National Park; 2, Aberdares National Park; 3, Hell's Gate National Park; 4, Kakamega Forest National Reserve.

FIGURES 1 – 4. Collecting localities in Kenya. 1, Arabuko Sokoke Forest National Park; 2, Aberdares National Park; 3, Hell’s Gate National Park; 4, Kakamega Forest National Reserve.

FIGURES 32 – 36. Adults of Perittia species. 32, P. gnoma sp. n., male, holotype. Specimen ID: 000005176; 33, P. falciferella sp. n., female, paratype. Specimen ID: 000005180; 34, P. spatulata sp. n., male, holotype. Specimen ID: 000005159; 35, P. spatulata sp. n., female, paratype. Specimen ID: 000005172; 36, P. tantilla sp. n., male, holotype. Specimen ID: RMCA ENT 0 0 0 0 0 5148. Scale bar 1 mm.

FIGURES 44 – 47. Perittia spatulata sp. n., male genitalia. 44, general view (juxta and phallus removed); 45, juxta and phallus, lateral view. Paratype, gen. prep. MRAC / KMMA 0 0 464, specimen ID: RMCA ENT 0 0 0 0 0 5160. Scale bar 0.1 mm. 46, lateral part of genitalia; 47, apical part of phallus and juxta lobes (a, spatula shaped process of phallus; b, juxta lobe). Holotype, gen. prep. MRAC / KMMA 0 0 463, specimen ID: RMCA ENT 0 0 0 0 0 5159.

FIGURES 48 – 49. Perittia spatulata sp. n., female genitalia, paratype. 48, general view. Scale bar 0.2 mm; 49, caudal part of genitalia. Gen. prep. MRAC / KMMA 0 0 470, specimen ID: RMCA ENT 0 0 0 0 0 5166.