Exploring the diversity of Gracillariidae (Lepidoptera) in South Africa: host plants, distribution, and DNA barcoding analysis, with the description of nine new species Author Triberti, Paolo Zoology Department, Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Verona, Lungadige Porta Vittoria 9, 37129 Verona, Italy; Author Staude, Hermann 0000-0002-2549-4372 Author Sharp, Ian Author Lopez-Vaamonde, Carlos 0000-0003-2278-2368 IRBI, UMR 7261, CNRS-University of Tours, Tours, France carlos.lopezvaamonde@inrae.fr text Zootaxa 2024 2024-10-24 5529 1 1 51 http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5529.1.1 journal article 10.11646/zootaxa.5529.1.1 1175-5326 14021754 0613682E-532B-482F-A498-6714A01F5DE5 18. Cryptolectica capnodecta Vári, 1961 ( Figs 13 , 38 , 71 ) Cryptolectica capnodecta Vári, 1961: 179 Material . 1♂ South Africa , Limpopo , Hoedspruit , Magalieskop farm, mn 22/xi/2014 , em 08/xii/2014 , (rearing: M943b), A. & I. Sharp leg., CLV7576, slide TRB4455 ♂ . Biology . Host plant previously unknown. Here we describe it for the first time reared on Syzygium cordatum (Hochst.) ( Myrtaceae ) ( Fig. 71 ). Distribution . South Africa ( Mpumalanga ). New finding for Limpopo . DNA barcodes . DNA amplification of the specimen failed (SOURE 020-19). Remarks . This species is known only for the holotype . The collected specimen shows the following differences: forewing pattern with longer dorsal white line ( Fig. 13 ), ending at height of the costal strigula; male genitalia ( Fig. 38 ) with apex of valva more rounded than in the Vári’s drawing (1961); tegumen with a row of short bristles ventrally, not “..finely haired ventrally…” as mentioned in the original description ( Vári 1961: 180 ); phallus with a bundle of many needle-shaped short cornuti. Hence, this specimen is placed here with some reservation suggesting further verification on the variability of this species.