Topiris lacteella Sterling & Price & Lees 2025, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Sterling, Mark J.
name: Price, Ben W.
name: Lees, David C.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2025
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Xyloryctidae
Topiris
Topiris lacteella

description: Topiris lacteella Sterling & Lees sp. nov.
Figs 15, 41 A, B
DNA barcodes.
BIN, BOLD: ADZ 8474 (Process IDs METAT 196-19, METAT 217-19, METAT 218-19, METAT 234-19).
Type material.
Thailand: Holotype • ♂, W. Thailand, Kanchanburi District, Than Lodh, 400 m, 16.v.1987, M. G. Allen leg., fwl 8.5 mm, specimen no. NHMUK 010923157, slide no. NHMUK 010316362, Process ID METAT 196-19. Paratypes (3 ♂): • 1 ♂ Chiang Mai, Samoeng / Hang Dong Rd, km 15, NW Thailand, 700 m, 05.vi–12.vi.1988, I. J. Kitching leg., specimen no. NHMUK 010923141, slide no. NHMUK 010316438, Process ID METAT 234-19; • 1 ♂ W. Thailand, Kanchanburi District, 300 m, 24.v.1987, Col M. G. Allen leg., specimen no. NHMUK 010923177, slide no. NHMUK 010316439, Process ID METAT 217-19; • 1 ♂ W. Thailand, Uthai Thani, Khao Nang Rum, 400 m, 16.vi.1986, Col. M. G. Allen leg., specimen no. NHMUK 010923178, slide no. NHMUK 010316440, Process ID METAT 218-19.
Diagnosis.
The largest white member of the salva group. In the male genitalia the uncus is indented sub-apically and apically curved, the valva is rounded at the apex, the saccular process is broad, triangular and setose with a bristle brush commencing towards its apex and the costal margin of the valva is strongly projecting inwards at the base (Fig. 41 A).
Description.
Male (Fig. 15). Forewing length 8–8.5 mm; wingspan 17–18 mm. Head: frons with appressed pure white scales; vertex with long white scales projecting away from the base of the antenna and further such scales projecting upwards from occiput, overlaying in part a collar of broader white appressed scales pointing posteriorly from anterior margin of prothorax; pilifers small with small tufts of dark bristles; maxillary palps white. Labial palps long (2 ½ × diameter of eye), strongly recurved; basal segment with small tuft of white scales; second segment longer than third, white; third segment white. Haustellum scaled silver white basally. Antenna> ¾ length of forewing, bipectinate; scape white, flagellum with moderately sized dark pectinations covered with short white sensillae for> 1 / 2 length; dark throughout but with scattered white scales, apical portion filiform. Thorax: all specimens examined worn, but with shortish lamellate silvery white scales; tegulae silvery white; forelegs with femur whitish, tibia and tarsus brown; moderate tibial epiphysis, mid legs and hind legs white, with thin white tufts of long scales. Forewing broad, costa very slightly rounded at base, thereafter straight, apex gently curved, termen angled slightly inwards, tornus obtusely rounded, white, unmarked except for a line of brown scales from the base of the costa to ~ 1 / 5. Hindwing as broad as forewing, rounded and broad with a very slightly pointed apex, white, unmarked. Ventrally, surface of forewing with patch of white scales at base of costa, pale brown scaling between costa and Sc on forewing, forewing veins lined with dark cream scales; hindwing white.
Female. Unknown.
Pre-genital abdomen. White with white anal tuft. Tergal spines on posterior part of T 2 – T 7, T 8 weakly sclerotised in part; sternites almost unsclerotised. Apodemes almost straight, venulae sinuate.
Male genitalia (Fig. 41 A, B). Uncus broad, anterior margin of dorsal surface weakly emarginate, apically short and broad, spatulate, indented sub-apically, apical margin curved. Gnathos fused, lateral arms thin and lightly sclerotised, medial plate small and lightly sclerotised, slightly projecting posteriorly from lateral arms. Tegumen band broad and strongly arched, lateral extensions of tegumen substantially longer than width of tegumen band. Vinculum broad, robust, U shaped, base substantially projecting anteriorly beyond base of valvae. Saccus large. Juxta with broad basal plate, anellus lobes short and broad. Valva long and broad, costal margin strongly projecting inwards at base, projection setose, large setose ventral membrane from costa, pre-apical area of valva with fine setae, apex rounded, saccular margin slightly curved, strong ventral sclerite postmedially. Sacculus almost as broad as valva, longer than broad. Saccular process developing from distal part of sacculus, commencing close to costa of valva, broad, triangular, setose throughout with an inwardly curved bristle brush commencing pre-apically and projecting beyond apex of process. Aedeagus long with long, recurved, filament-like projection and small, rounded, distal thickening. Bulbus ejaculatorius long, two coils, broad elongated hood.
Biology and early stages.
Early stages unknown. The adult has been found in forest habitats at 300–700 m elevation in May and June.
Distribution.
West and northwest Thailand.
Etymology.
lacteella — from lacteus (lat.) milky. This is a reference to the milky white colour of the wings of this species. The epithet is an adjective in the nominative singular.
description: Published as part of Sterling, Mark J., Price, Ben W. & Lees, David C., 2025, A revision of the hitherto neglected genus Topiris Walker, 1863 (Lepidoptera, Xyloryctidae) with taxonomic notes on the genus Athrypsiastis Meyrick, 1910, pp. 297-368 in ZooKeys 1229 on pages 297-368, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1229.119155