Sophronia huiagaai Šumpich, 2025, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Šumpich, Jan
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2025
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Gelechiidae
Sophronia
Sophronia huiagaai

description: Sophronia huiagaai sp. nov.
Figs 1–3, 10–13
Material examined.
Type material. Holotype ♂: Mongolia, Govi-Altai aimak, Biger District, locality „BIGER 1“, 70 km SW of Biger sum, 45°51'42"N, 97°58'17"E, rocky steppe, 1660 m, 28. vi. 2023 (gen. prep. JŠ 24028), Jan Šumpich leg. (NMPC). Paratypes: 8 ♂♂, 1 ♀ (DNA Barcode NMPC -LEP-1613), same data as holotype (NMPC); 1 ♂, Mongolia, Khovd aimak, Tsenkheriin gol Whalley, 6 km N of Munkhkhairkham, locality „MUNKHKHAIRKHAM“, 47°6'31"N, 91°50'7"E, rocks, 2070 m, 10. vii. 2023, Jan Šumpich leg. (NMPC).
Diagnosis.
Sophronia huiagaai sp. nov. is an unmistakable species within the genus. In external appearance, it may somewhat resemble S. consanguinella (Figs 4–6) and S. chilonella (Figs 7–9). The dorsal margin of the forewing is white, similarly as in both these species, but in S. huiagaai sp. nov. it reaches the apex and has several black longitudinal stripes within. More notably, in S. huiagaai sp. nov., the apex of the forewing is rounded, while in S. consanguinella and S. chilonella, it is distinctly pointed. Further differences are clearly visible on the labial palpi, where the third segment is short and straight in S. huiagaai sp. nov., but long and curved in S. consanguinella and S. chilonella. The forewings of S. huiagaai sp. nov. appear nearly black and white with an overall contrasting appearance, while the central stripes of S. consanguinella and S. chilonella are dark and light brown, respectively. Regarding the male genitalia, wide and long lateromedial juxta-anellar projections are characteristic for S. huiagaai sp. nov. The female genitalia of this new species are characterized by a long, sclerotized antrum and a large, square-shaped signum.
Description.
External appearance (Figs 1–2, 5). Forewing length ♂: 15.2–16.0 mm (mean 15.8), ♀: 15 mm. Head and thorax pure white, tegulae dark brown. Antennae filiform, unicolorous dark in the first two thirds, inconspicuously ringed in the last third. The labial palpi long, the first segment covered in short white scales, the second segment with long tuft, coloured chocolate brown distally. The third segment in the form of a short and straight thorn of white colour. Forewings appear nearly black and white. Costal and dorsal fasciae pure white, one longer stripe in the subbasal part of the dorsal fascia, above it one shorter stripe in about one third of the wing and a group of smaller stripes in the last third of the wing. Apex rounded. Hindwings grey, slightly lighter at the base.
Variation. None. Sexual dimorphism not apparent.
Male genitalia. (Figs 10–11). Uncus rectangular, distal margin of uncus even. Gnathos hook-shaped, regularly curved, apex pointed. Tegumen narrow, with triangular anteromedial invagination extending to 1 / 4 of its length. Valva narrow in basal 2 / 3, distal portion gradually broadened, apex rounded, extending to the top of the uncus. Juxta-anellar projections very broad and long, oval, approximately 2 / 3 length of valva. Vinculum very narrow. Ventral sclerite narrow, extending to middle of valva, densely spinosed distally. Saccus broad, apex rounded. Phallus straight, comparatively broad, with short internal sclerite (approximately 2.5 times shorter than the length of the aedeagus).
Female genitalia (Figs 12–13). Papilla anales subovate. Apophyses posteriores very thin, longer than ductus and corpus bursae combined, apophyses anteriores two times shorter than apophyses posteriores. Antrum narrow, long, with posteriorly bifurcated sclerite. Ductus bursae and bursa copulatrix fused with no visible distinction. Signum square, anterior and posterior lobes triangular, laterally dentate.
Molecular data.
BIN: BOLD: AGD 0823. The intraspecific average distance of the barcode region is unknown (n = 1). The minimum distance to the nearest neighbor, the North American species S. primella Busck, 1907 (BOLD: AAP 5418), is 6.79 % (p-dist). For more details, see Fig. 14.
Distribution.
Mongolia (Altai Mountains).
Biology.
Early stages unknown. Adults have been collected in late June at altitudes about 1650 m, on semi-desert in low-lying areas of the Altai Mountains (Fig. 15).
Etymology.
The species name (a noun in the genitive case) is dedicated to Altankhuyag Sosorbaram, also called Huiagaa (Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar), who accompanied me while traveling in Mongolia and created excellent conditions for my fieldwork there.
description: Published as part of Šumpich, Jan, 2025, The genus Sophronia in the Altai Mountains (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae), pp. 137-144 in Nota Lepidopterologica 48 on pages 137-144, DOI: 10.3897/nl.48.147394