Sergeya davidi Bidzilya, Mey & Rajaei, 2024, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Bidzilya, Oleksiy V.
name: Mey, Wolfram
name: Rajaei, Hossein
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Gelechiidae
Sergeya
Sergeya davidi

description: Sergeya davidi sp. nov.
(Figs 16, 17, 26, 39)
Type material. Holotype ♂, Kenya, Rift Valley, L. Bogoria, 3000 ft, 3.vii.1999, leg. D. Agassiz (gen. slide 20/23, O. Bidzilya) (DA). Paratype: 1 ♂, same data as for holotype (gen. slide 38/22, O. Bidzilya) (DA).
Diagnosis. The new species is recognized by its pale, yellowish-grey forewing uniformly mixed with brown-tipped scales, and brown almost connected spots forming oblique interrupted line from 2/3 of costa nearly to middle of dorsum. Other species of Sergeya have more contrasting forewing with light brown ground colour. Male genitalia of S. davidi sp. nov. resemble those of S. harambee sp. nov., as both of them have basal part of cucullus narrower than distal part, and broad rounded membranous basal lobe of glandiductor. But, in S. davidi sp. nov. basal part of glandiductor is as broad as distal part of cucullus; distal process of glandiductor is single and strongly sclerotized (in S. harambee sp. nov. basal part of glandiductor is broader than distal part of cucullus; distal process of glandiductor has an additional narrow projection and is weaker sclerotized). Saccus in S. davidi sp. nov. is broader than in the other two latter species.
Description (Figs 16, 17). Wingspan 8.1–8.3 mm. Head pale to yellowish-brown, brown-tipped scales above the eyes and at base of antennae; labial palpus recurved, segment 2 brown mottled with yellow, apex white, inner and upper surface pale; segment 3 brown with white basal and apical rings; antennal scape brown mixed with grey, flagellum in basal half brown on upper surface and pale beneath, in distal half 4 white flagellomeres followed by 4 brown, and then 3–4 white alternating with 3–4 brown, terminal 1–2 flagellomeres white; thorax and tegulae yellowish-brown, densely mixed with dark brown; forewing uniformly covered with yellowish white brown-tipped scales except middle and end of cell, diffuse brown spot on 2/3 of costal margin, large brown spot in middle of cell and smaller brown spot before middle of dorsal margin, diffuse brown tornal spot with black dot inside on 3/4 of dorsal margin, fringe white tipped with brown on apex and grey on dorsal margin; hindwing and fringe light grey.
Male genitalia (Fig. 39). Uncus of even width, elongate, densely covered with modified feather-like scales and strong setae in distal half, twice longer than and about 1/2 width of tegumen, extending to 2/3 length of cucullus; tegumen slightly broader than long, anterior margin weakly concave; cucullus narrow in basal half and distinctly broadened in distal half, densely covered with hair-like scales, apex rounded; glandiductor with rounded membranous basal part, distal process straight with weakly curved apex, extending to about 1/2 length of cucullus; juxta lobes short, hump-shaped; vinculum narrow; saccus broad, subtriangular, extending almost to top of pedunculus; phallic tube weakly inflated at base, then weakly curved, almost of even width, apex pointed with short down-curved flagellate process.
Female genitalia. Unknown
Biology. Host plant unknown. Adults have been collected in early July at altitude of about 900 m.
Distribution. Kenya.
Etymology. The species is named in honor of David J.L.Agassiz, the well-known specialist for Microlepidoptera, who collected type series of this new species.
description: Published as part of Bidzilya, Oleksiy V., Mey, Wolfram & Rajaei, Hossein, 2024, First record of the genus Sergeya Ponomarenko, 2008 (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae) from the Afrotropical and Oriental regions, with description of ten new species, pp. 486-506 in Zootaxa 5493 (5) on pages 503-504, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5493.5.2, http://zenodo.org/record/13330443