Tawaya flaventia Ponomarenko, M. Omelko et N. Omelko, 2021

Ponomarenko, Margarita G., Omelko, Michail M. & Omelko, Natalia V., 2021, New genus of gelechiid moths (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) from Borneo, and its four new species, Zootaxa 5004 (3), pp. 465-480 : 470-471

Tawaya flaventia Ponomarenko, M. Omelko et N. Omelko sp. n.

Type material. Holotype: ♂, Borneo, E Malaysia, state of Sabah, 9 km NNW Keningau , 28.02.2018 (leg. M. Om- elko).

Paratypes: 5♂, 2♀, same locality, 28.02– 26.03.2018, GS 153 (♂), 156 (♀) MP ; 4♂, 2♀, 24 km N Tawau , 17.08– 05.09.2019 (leg. M. Omelko) .

Diagnosis. The new species is similar to all congeners in forewing pattern, but it can be identified by the cucullus with a conspicuous ledge-like widening at the middle and the triangular shape of the tegumen in the male genitalia; and by goblet-like antrum with sclerotization elongated anteriorly in the female genitalia. In contrast, in the related species T. luteola , T. rutila , T. armeniaca , the cucullus is slightly widened in basal part in the male genitalia and the antrum is cup-like ( T. armeniaca ) or narrow and sclerotized laterally ( T. rutila ) in the female genitalia.

Adult ( Figs 1, 2 ). Head grey or light grey interspersed with brownish or blackish-brown scales on vertex. Antennal scape whitish with dispersed brown scales; flagellum pale sandy alternating with black in proximal 0.5, and with 1‒2 black segments alternated with 1–2 pale sandy segments in distal 0.5. Basal segment of the labial palpus brownish; second segment longer than apical segment, widened distally, mostly brownish, white-ringed distally; third segment white at base, middle, and apex, with two black rings near base and beyond middle.

Forewing length 3.0– 3.2 mm. Forewing brownish-yellow, with dispersed blackish scales and small black spots before middle and beyond 0.66 wing length, both bordering by white scales anteriorly and alternated by brown and white scales posteriorly. Several indistinct fuscous spots on anal vein in proximal 0.5, along costal margin in distal 0.5. Apical part of wing with a row of black dots along costal part and termen. Fringe yellowish-brown along wing apex and termen, grey along dorsal margin. Hindwing and fringe grey. Forelegs unicolorous, dark sandy, or tibia and tarsi brownish, tibia with white oblique stripe at middle. Femora in mid- and hind-leg grey with brownish darkening on outer surface along posterior margin. Mid-tibia brownish with raised elongate scales dorsally in proximal part and white rings in middle part and distally, tarsomeres brown. Hind tibia yellowish-brownish, fuscous laterally in proximal 0.5 or along entire tibia, with dark sandy or dark grey brush of hair-like scales on their dorsal margin and in proximal part of their ventral margin.

Male genitalia ( Figs 10‒12 ). Tegumen triangular and arched, deeply hollowed on posterior margin, joined with parategminal sclerites and valvar basal processes (hemitranstilla). Cucullus narrow digitate in distal 0.33, ledge-like widened at middle, and slightly narrowing to base, with crest of flattened chaetae densely distributed along apical margin and strong needle-like thorns along dorsal margin in middle part, with large, complex basal process with a protruding triangular plate. Aedeagus long, its length exceeding total length of genitalia, narrow, tube-like in distal 0.33, inflated at middle and with narrower obliquely incised basal part. Ejaculatory duct entering along longitudinal axis. Vinculum band-like, with slender saccus, 0.2 times length of aedeagus. Juxta fused with posterior margin of vinculum into single sclerite and covering aedeagus latero-ventrally, deeply split distally into two strongly sclerotized lobes bearing short thick thorns laterally.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 22 ). Ovipositor long, membrane between 8 th and 9 th segments 2 times as long as 8 th segment, with membranous large probably gland sack (about 0.66 of ovipositor width) at middle of ovipositor on dorsal side. Papillae anales moderate in length, 0.22 times as long as ovipositor, slightly sclerotized.Apophyses posteriores 2.3 times as long as apophyses anteriores. Ostium at level of anterior margin of 8 th segment. Antrum sclerotized latero-dorsally, membranous ventrally, goblet-shaped, narrowing between inflated distal and tubular anterior part, latter with elongated triangular sclerotization ventrally. Ductus bursae slightly sclerotized, narrow, tube-like, enlarged into gutter-shaped dorsal sclerotization anteriorly. Bursae copulatrix small, oval, membranous, as long as tubular part of ductus, signum absent; ductus seminalis arising in posterior part of bursae.

Distribution. Malaysia (Sabah).

Etymology. The species name is derived from Latin root “ flaveo -” meaning yellow, which is corresponding to the dominant colour in the forewings.

Figures

FIGURES 1–9. Adults, wing venation and 2nd sternite of Tawaya gen. n. spp. 1, T. flaventia sp. n., holotype, male; 2, T. flaventia, paratype, female; 3, T. rutila sp. n., holotype, male; 4, T. rutila, paratype, female; 5, T. luteola sp. n., holotype, male; 6, T. armeniaca sp. n., paratype, male; 7, T. armeniaca, paratype, female; 8, T. flaventia, venation, voucher V-MP-621; 9, T. luteola sp. n., 2nd sternite of the female. Scale bar 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 10–15. Male genitalia of Tawaya gen. n. spp. 10, T. flaventia sp. n., voucher V-MP-621, GS 153 MP; 11, T. flaventia, ventral view; 12, T. flaventia, dorsal view; 13, T. rutila sp. n., paratype, GS 155 MP; 14, T. rutila, ventral view; 15, T. rutila, dorsal view. aed—aedeagus, b.pr—basal process of valva, cl—cucullus, jux.pr—process of juxta, l.rid—longitudinal ridge of tegumen, p.scl—parategminal sclerite, sc—saccus, teg—tegumen.

FIGURES 22–28. Female genitalia, 2nd sternite and 7th abdominal segments of Tawaya gen. n. spp. 22, T. flaventia sp. n., paratype, GS 156 MP; 23, T. flaventia, 2nd sternite; 24, T. rutila sp. n., paratype, GS 159 MP; 25, T. rutila, 7th abdominal segment, paratype; 26, T. armeniaca, paratype, GS 158 MP; 27, T. armeniaca, 7th abdominal segment, paratype; 28, ditto, 2nd sternite, paratype. Scale bar 0.2 mm.