A taxonomic revision of the genus Mesophleps Hübner, 1825 (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) 3373
Author
Li, Houhun
Author
Sattler, Klaus
text
Zootaxa
2012
2012-07-04
3373
1
82
journal article
11755334
Mesophleps coffeae
sp. nov.
(
Figs 8
,
51, 52
,
107
,
137
)
♂
,
♀
. Wingspan 8.0–16.5 mm. Labial palpus segment 2 black, distally with white ring, 3 white, sometimes extreme apex black. Antenna with scape and basal one-third of flagellum white, remainder of flagellum alternatively ringed greyish white and light brown. Forewing whitish yellow to greyish brown, with distinct discocellular spot.
Genitalia
♂
(
Fig. 8
). Uncus rounded, gnathos hooks short, at base approximated but distinctly separated; posterior margin of vinculum with pair of strong, outwardly-directed spines; phallus straight, base swollen, more evenly tapered, not abruptly constricted, apex obliquely truncated.
Genitalia
♀
(
Figs 107
,
137
). Dorso-posterior extension of segment VIII broadly sub-triangular with large field of microtrichia. Area around ostium bursae with sparse, predominantly longitudinal wrinkles, sclerotized antrum short, tubular to weakly tapered anteriorly; corpus bursae long, oval, length two to three times greatest width; ductus seminalis thin, arising from posterior part of corpus bursae well away from entrance of ductus bursae.
Remarks
.
M. coffeae
externally resembles
nairobiensis
but the dark costal stripe of the forewing is narrower and less distinct. In the male the uncus is rounded, almost circular, rather than oval as in
nairobiensis
(sub-triangular in
albilinella
), the gnathos hooks are shorter, more widely separated, the outwardly-directed spines on the posterior margin of the vinculum are longer and the phallus is slimmer. In the female the cover of microtrichia on the dorso-posterior extension of segment VIII is more extensive than in the other two species; however, this character requires observation under high magnification.
Biology.
Host-plants:
Coffea liberica
,
Coffea
sp. (Rubiaceae)
. The record of
Coffea quillou
for
M. palpigera
(
Yunus & Ho 1980: 69
, 307;
Robinson
et al.
2001: 263
) may also apply to
M. coffeae
. The larva lives in the dry berries.
Distribution.
China
(
Hong Kong
),
Thailand
,
Malaysia
,
Indonesia
(
Sulawesi Utara
), Timor (‘Portuguese Timur’).
Etymology.
The specific name is derived from the host-plant genus
Coffea
.
Material examined
(
8 ♂♂
,
2 ♀♀
, including
4 ♂♂
,
2 ♀♀
genitalia preparations)
Holotype
♂
,
Thailand
,
Chiang Mai
,
750 m
,
11.xii.1985
(
Allen
) (slide no. 30801;
BMNH
).
Paratypes
.
China
:
1 ♂
,
Hong Kong
(
New Territories
),
Pat Sin Range
,
300 m
,
15–17.iii.1982
(
Robinson
)
.
Thailand
:
1 ♂
,
1 ♀
,
Uthai Thani District
,
Khao Nang Rum
,
400 m
,
26–27.i.1987
(
Allen
) (
♂
NKUM
)
;
1 ♂
,
Phua Rua National Park
,
14–15.ii.1990
(
Bradley
,
Fletcher
&
Lewvanich
)
.
Malaysia
:
1 ♂
,
Morib
, ex dry berry of
Coffea liberica
,
11.xii.1935
(
Entom. Div
.
)
;
2 ♂♂
,
Kuang
, ex fruits of
Coffea
sp. (
Miller
)
.
Indonesia
:
1 ♀
,
Sulawesi Utara
,
Dumoga-Bone National Park
, lowland forest,
200–300 m
,
iii.1985
(
R. Ent. Soc. London
,
Project Wallace
).
Timor
(‘
Portuguese Timur’
)
:
1 ♂
, 1892 (
Doherty
).