Scrobipalpa meridioafricana Bidzilya & Mey, 2011

Bidzilya, Oleksiy V., 2021, A review of the genus Scrobipalpa Janse, 1951 (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae) in the Afrotropical region, Zootaxa 5070 (1), pp. 1-83 : 37

Scrobipalpa meridioafricana Bidzilya & Mey, 2011

Figs 77, 78 , 143, 144 , 188

Scrobipalpa meridioafricana Bidzilya & Mey, 2011 in Mey 2011: 210, Pl. 4, fig. 18, 19; pl. 9, fig. 38, pl. 32, fig. 15.

Type material examined. Holotype of meridioafricana ♂, RSA, Western Cape, Knersvlakte, Groot Graafwater , 27.x.2007, Turm, leg. W. Mey (gen. slide 8/10, O. Bidzilya) ( TMSA) . Paratypes: South Africa: 3 ♀, Northern Cape, Richtersveld, Koeroegapvlakte , 14–16.x.2001, LF (Mey) (gen. slide 7/10, O. Bidzilya) ; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Richtersveld, BIOTA observatory Numees, Helskloof Gate , 9–12.x.2001, LF (Mey) ; 1 ♀, Northern cape, 50 km NE Bitterfontein, Drai-Hoek , 25.xi.2008, LF (Ebert, Kuene & Mey) ; 1 ♀, Northern Cape, Molopo Lodge, south of Twee Rivieren , 7.x.2007 (Mey) (gen. slide 340/07, O. Bidzilya) . Namibia: 1 ♀, Namibia, Noordoewer, Orange River , 18.xi.1993, LF (Mey & Ebert) (gen. slide 345/07, O. Bidzilya) ; 1 ♂, Karas, Gondwana Canyon Lodge , Swartkoppies, 8–12.iii.2003 (Mey) (all MfN) .

Material examined. 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Namibia: Rooisand , Gamsberg pass, 20.i.2007, aut. Falle (Mey & Ebert) ( MfN) . South Africa: 2 ♀, Sprinbokfarm 10 km SW, 6.iii.2014, LF (Mey) (gen. slide 128/17, O. Bidzilya) ( MfN) ; 1 ♂, 2 ♀, Springbok , 5 m East, 11–12.viii.1961 (van Son & Vari) ; 1 ♀, Worcester , Fairy Glen, 15, 19.x.1966 (Vari & Potgieter) ; 1 ♂, Nababiep, C.P., 30.viii–2.ix.1962 (Vary & Goode) (gen. slide 130/17, O. Bidzilya); 1 ♂, Nababieb C.P., 13–14.viii.1961 (Vari & van Son); 1 ♂, Rosh Pinah Loc 29 SE 27 16 Dd, 4.x.1989 (Cottrel); 1 ex, Vredendal, 23–30.vii.1927 (G. van Son) (all TMSA) .

Diagnosis. The species is easily recognized externally by its light brown forewing with two narrow, ochreous-brown, basal, oblique stripes edged with black on their inner margins. This forewing pattern is unique among Palaearctic and Afrotropical species of Scrobipalpa . The male genitalia are characterized by a slender valva; a long, inward-curved sacculus; and a short, broad saccus; and these feature separate it from its congeners. The female genitalia can be separated from other South African species of Scrobipalpa by having the ventromedial depression broadly covered with foam-sculpturing, very short apophyses anteriores, and a distinctly broadened anterior portion of the ductus bursae.

Biology. Host plant unknown. Adults fly in January, March, and from July to early September.

Distribution. Namibia, South Africa.

Figures

FIGURES 71–80. Scrobipalpa spp., adults. 71, 72. S. selectoides sp. nov., Namibia. 71. Spencerbay Water, HT, female (gen. slide 246/12, OB). 72. Swakopmund, PT, female (B.M. gen. slide No. 34185). 73, 74. S. etoshensis sp. nov., Namibia, Etosha. 73. HT, female. 74. PT, male.75, 76. S. traganella. 75. South Africa, Knersvlakte, Groot Graafwater, male. 76. South Africa, Cederberg, male. 77, 78. S. meridioafricana. 77. Namibia, Drai-Hoek, PT, male. 78. South Africa, Springbok, female. 79, 80. S. geomicta, South Africa. 79. New Hanover, HT, female (gen. slide g. 5475). 80. Pretoria, female, HT of vicaria. Scale bar = wingspan.

FIGURES 143–148. Scrobipalpa spp., male genitalia. 143, 144. S. meridioafricana, Namibia. 143. Orange River, PT (gen. slide 345/07, OB). 144. Nababiep (gen. slide 130/17, OB). 145. S. geomicta, Namibia, Brandberg (gen. slide 63/13, OB). 146. S. portosanctana, South Africa, Asante-Sana (gen. slide 155/17, OB). 147, 148. S. swakopi, Namibia. 147. Swakopmund, PT (gen. slide 441/07, OB). 148. Brandberg, HT (gen. slide 12/10, OB).

FIGURES 187–190. Scrobipalpa spp., female genitalia. 187. S. traganella, South Africa, Knersvlakte, Groot Graafwater (gen. slide 80/13, OB). 188. S. meridioafricana, South Africa, Sprinbokfarm 10 km SW (gen. slide 128/17, OB). 189, 190. S. geomicta, South Africa 189. New Hanover, HT (gen. slide g. 5475). 190. Petersburg (gen. slide 327/20, OB).