Sergeya malawica 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 malawica

description: Sergeya malawica sp. nov.
(Figs 11, 23, 25, 35)
Type material. Holotype ♂, Malawi, Nyika Plateau, S of Vitintiza Hill, Sambara River, 1700 m, Brachystegia forest, LF, 15.x.1996, leg. W. Mey & M. Nuss (gen. slide 555/23, O. Bidzilya) (MfN). Paratypes: 1 ♂, same data as for holotype (gen. slide 135/21, O. Bidzilya); 2 ♂, Malawi, Zomba Plateau, down road, 1230 m, rain forest, 19.x.1996, leg. W. Mey & M. Nuss (gen. slide 35/08, O. Bidzilya) (MfN); 1 ♂, Malawi, Mulanje Mts, Likabula, 800 m, 19.x.1996, Brachystegia forest, LF, leg. W. Mey & M. Nuss (gen. slide 195/24, O. Bidzilya) (MfN).
Diagnosis. The new species resembles S. palescens sp. nov. as both species have separated costal and dorsal medial spots, but S. malawica sp. nov. has distinct tornal and dorsal medial spots (in S. palescens sp. nov. tornal and dorsal medial spots are indistinct). The male genitalia of S. malawica sp. nov. resemble those of S. palescens sp. nov., as both species have digitate basal lobe of glandiducor, but S. malawica sp. nov. has broad cucullus that is of even width; shorter basal lobe of glandiductor and narrow saccus that not extending top of pedunculus (in S. palescens sp. nov. cucullus is narrow and broadened in distal 2/3; glandiductor broad triangular, extending top of pedunculus).
Description (Fig. 11, 23). Wingspan 8.2–8.3 mm. Head yellowish-white, brown scales at base of antenna; labial palpus recurved, segment 2 brown mottled with yellowish-white and with white apex; segment 3 brown with white basal and apical rings; antennal scape brown, lower surface yellow, flagellum brown ringed with yellow in basal half, in distal half 2 brown flagellomeres followed by two or one white, apex white; thorax and tegulae yellowish-brown distinctly mixed with brown; forewing light-brown, costal margin brown to 2/3, then yellow spotted with brown, brown spot mottled with silver just after 1/2 length of costal margin that is almost connected with brown spot in middle of dorsal margin, tornal spot on 3/4 length, apex spotted with brown, fringe yellow on apex and light grey on dorsal margin; hindwing and fringe light grey.
Male genitalia (Fig. 35). Uncus moderately broad on base, distal half elongate, gradually narrowed apically, densely covered with modified feather-like scales and strong setae, slightly longer and about 1/2 width of tegumen, extending to 1/3 length of cucullus; tegumen rounded, slightly broader than long, anterior margin rounded; cucullus digitate, of even width, densely covered with feather-like scales, apex rounded; glandiductor with digitate basal lobe, distal process straight, consisting of 3 slender needle-shaped projections extending to top of cucullus; juxta lobes short, hump-shaped; vinculum broad; saccus subtriangular, elongated, apex rounded, extending almost to top of pedunculus; phallic tube of even width, weakly bent.
Female genitalia. Unknown.
Biology. Host plant unknown. Adults have been collected in mid-October at altitudes of 800–1700 m.
Distribution. Malawi.
Etymology. The species-name reflects the occurring of the new species in Malawi.
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 page 500, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5493.5.2, http://zenodo.org/record/13330443