Plume moths of Malawi (Lepidoptera: Pterophoridae)
Author
Kovtunovich, V.
Author
Ustjuzhanin, P.
Author
Murphy, R.
text
Zootaxa
2014
3847
4
451
494
journal article
10.11646/zootaxa.3847.4.1
f18438f9-7043-45af-b603-3a12ee96e884
1175-5326
250050
C1F94BC0-BE4B-42A9-9FE0-1F700D384B48
Stenoptilia juniper
Kovtunovich & Ustjuzhanin
sp. nov.
(
Figs. 15–18
)
Type
material:
Holotype
,
male, (
BMNH
22942), N.
Malawi
, Rumphi District,
100 km
N Mzuzu, Uzumara Mt.,
10°52'S
34°07'E
, h
1931 m
, 21–
22.12.2010
, Kovtunovich V. & Ustjuzhanin P.
Paratypes
,
6 ♂
N.
Malawi
, Rumphi District, Nyika National Park,
Juniper
Forest, S
10º45' E
33º54',
2215 m
, 11–
14.08.2009
,(slide 22936
BMNH
);
2 ♂
19–
21.12.2011
, R.
Murphy
.
External characters.
Frons covered by tightly appressed brownish-grey scales, forming small labial palpus 2–2,5 times smaller than eye diameter. Palpi brown laterally, grey dorsally, small, equal or somewhat longer than eye diameter. Antennae slender, brown. Thorax and tegulae brownish-grey. Wingspan
20 mm
in the
holotype
and
19–22 mm
in
paratypes
. Forewing brownish-grey near bifurcation, with very weak dark spots situated in middle part of wing. Fringe greyish-brown inside cleft. Second lobe on external edge of fringe near apex and ventrally with two dark-brown spots. Hindwings uniform brownish-grey. Fringe of all three lobes concolorous with wing ground color. Legs light-brown.
Male
genitalia.
Valvae with slightly concave costal edge. Cucullus arcuated at right angle and with sharp terminus. Uncus narrow, short, its top slightly reaches posterior margin of tegumen. Lobes of tegumen welldeveloped and triangular. Branches of anellus short, slightly arcuated. Saccus has shape of bluntly rounded triangle. Uncus narrow, slightly broadened near apex, pointed and recurved at apex. Aedeagus long, arcuated. Cornutus situated in distal part of aedeagus. Basal process of aedeagus perpendicular to coecum.
Female
unknown.
Diagnosis.
Shapes of tegumen and uncus in the male genitalia of the new species are similar to those of
Stenoptilia zophodactyla
(Duponchel, 1840)
, the new species it is differentiated by the shape and length of the aedeagus and the acute apex of the cucullus. The new species also differs by external characters of the imago.
Distribution
:
Malawi
.
Flight period
: August and December.
Etymology.
The species is named after collection locality, a protected stand of
Juniper
Forest (
Juniperus procera
) within the National Park.