Torodora niphadodes Park

Park, Kyu-Tek & Lee, Sangmi, 2012, Two new species of the Torodora karismata species complex and a new species of the Torodora leucochlora species complex (Lepidoptera: Lecithoceridae: Torodorinae), Zootaxa 3547, pp. 46-54 : 51-53

Torodora niphadodes Park , sp. nov.

( Figs. 11, 12, 12 a–b, 13, 14, 14a–c, 16, 16a–b)

Holotype. ♂, Philippines, Palawan, Mantalingajan, Pinigisan 600 m, 4 ix 1961, Noona Dan Exp. 61–62, Caught by Mercury light 19:00–03:00, gen. slide no.CIS-6145/Park. Paratypes: 5♂, 1Ƥ, same locality, 4–9 ix 1961, gen. slide no. CIS-6158/Park (Ƥ).

Diagnosis. The new species is hardly distinguishable from the preceding species, T. leucochlora by superficial characters. They can be distinguished from each other by the genital characters: male genitalia with broadly expanded, fan-shaped cucullus, whereas it is more elongate, shoes-shaped in T. leucochlora ; female genitalia with the deeply emarginate caudal margin of the antrum and the smaller signum, whereas the caudal margin is slightly concave and the signum is large, as long as the length of corpus bursae in T. leucochlora .

Description. Male and female ( Figs. 11, 12, 12 a, 12b). Wingspan, 15–17 mm. Head, tegula, and thorax silvery white. Basal segment of antenna slender, pale orange gray, densely speckled with brownish scales dorsally, dark brown apically; flagellum whitish, with pale brown annulations. Second segment of labial palpus normally thickened, pale orange gray on outer surface, orange white on inner surface; 3rd segment slender, as long as 2nd segment, orange white throughout. Forewing elongate, evenly orange white throughout, with pale-brownish, broad antemedian fascia; costa gently arched; apex produced, obtuse; termen concave beyond apex; fringe orange white, brownish near tornus; venation with R1 arising from middle; R2 close to R3+4, distance between R1 and R2 about four times length of distance R2-R3+4; R3 and R4 stalked near basal 2/5 length; R4 and R5 stalked near 3/5; R5 to apex; M1 gently curved to R4 at base; M2 stalked with M3 at base; CuA1 and CuA2 stalked beyond 4/5; cell open. Hindwing nearly same width as forewing; silvery white; apex acute; termen oblique, sinuate; fringe concolorous; venation with Rs and M1 short-stalked; M2 present; M3 and CuA1 stalked at basal 1/3. Hind tibia silvery white before median spur, with brush-like rough scales around median spur, then silvery white dorsally, brownish laterally, with brownish and white scales mixed at apex; spurs brownish yellow; tarsi whitish.

Male genitalia ( Figs. 14, 14 a, 14b, 14c). Uncus sclerotized, broad basally and narrowed towards apex, slightly longer than basal stalk of gnathos, with round apex. Median process of gnathos large, with basally broad and strongly bent preapically. Valva with broadly expanded, fan-shaped cucullus; costa deeply concave medially; ventral margin slightly convex near basal ¼ length, then gently concave; cucullus densely setose, with strong bristles along outer margin; sacculus weakly developed, about 1/3 length of valva. Juxta H-shaped, weakly sclerotized, with long lateral arms anteriorly and sharply acute latero-caudal processes ( Fig. 14 c). Vincullum heavily sclerotized, band-shaped. Phallus stout, as long as valva, globular at base and narrower towards apex, with 5–6 small, conic spines medially and 2–3 similar ones apically.

Female genitalia ( Figs. 16, 16 a). Caudal margin of abdominal sternite VIII nearly flat, with short latero-caudal lobes. Antrum weakly sclerotized; caudal margin deeply concave. Ductus bursae long, more than three times of corpus bursae, spiral posteriorly, sparsely with fine conic spinules internally. Corpus bursae elongate; signum strawberry-shaped, with dense conical spines on surface.

Distribution. Palawan, Philippines.

Etymology. The species name is derived from the Greek, niphas (= snow), with Greek suffix, odes, referring to the whitish body.

Figures

FIGURES 10 – 13. Adults and wing venation of T. leucochlora species-complex. 10, T. leucochlora (Meyrick), lectotype; 10 a, Label of T. leucochlora; 11, T. niphadodes sp. nov., holotype; 12, ditto, female, paratype; 12 a, ditto, labial palpus; 12 b, ditto, hind leg; 13, ditto, wing venation.

FIGURES 14 – 16. Genitalia of T. leucochlora species-complex. 14, Male genitalia of Torodora niphadodes Park, sp. nov., paratype; 14 a, ditto, phallus; 14 b, ditto close-up of uncus and gnathos; 14 c, ditto, close-up of juxta; 15, Female genitalia of T. leucochlora (Meyrick), lectotype; 15 a, ditto, close-up of antrum; 15 b, ditto, close-up of signum; 16, T. niphadodes Park, sp. nov., paratype; 16 a, ditto, close-up of antrum.