Asapharcha strigifera Meyrick 1920
Creators: name: Bidzilya, Oleksiy V.
name: Mey, Wolfram
name: Rajaei, Hossein
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Gelechiidae
Asapharcha
Asapharcha strigifera

description: Asapharcha strigifera Meyrick, 1920
Figs 7–10, 20, 29, 36
Asapharcha strigifera Meyrick, 1920: Annals of the South African Museum: 292. Two syntypes (♂, ♀), not examined (SAM). Lacistodes brunneostola Janse, 1960. The moths of South Africa, 6(2): 146. Holotype (♂) and four paratypes (1 ♂, 3 ♀), examined (DMSA). Syn. nov.
Type material examined. Holotype of L. brunneostola ♂, South Africa: “ Gl. Saltpan, 20.i.31, G.v.Son ” | “g. 5730” | “ Lacistodes brunneostola J., ♂, Holotype No. 3678” (DMSA).
Material examined. South Africa: 1 ♀, “ Junction of Crocodile and Marico rivers” | Asapharcha strigifera Meyr., 1/1, E. Meyrick det., E. Meyrick Coll” | “ Paratype ♀, Asapharcha strigifera Meyr., teste K. Sattler, 1970” | “ B. M. Genitalia slide No. 7393, ♀ ” (NHUK). Namibia: 1 ♀, Kunene, Baynes Mts., 1252 m, 23–25.ii.2008, LF; leg. Mey; gen. slide 30/23, O. Bidzilya; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Varianto, Otavi Mountains, 29–31.iii.2003, leg. Mey; gen. slide 17 / 10♀, O. Bidzilya; 1 ♂, Okatjikona, Waterberg Nat. Park, 14–18.ii.2008, LF, leg. Mey; gen. slide 44/09, O. Bidzilya (MfN).
Diagnosis. Asapharcha strigifera is an externally variable species, with the forewings darker or lighter depending on the extent of brown irroration (Figs 7–10). However, distinguishing characteristics of the species include an elongated, comparatively narrow forewing, usually with a distinct brown pattern along the margins and in the apical 2/3; the absence of large brown spots; the head usually yellow; and the hindwings dark. The most similar species is A. ochrocapitella sp. nov., which has darker, more uniformly brown forewings, and hindwings that are lighter, grey rather than brown or dark grey in A. strigifera. The male genitalia of A. strigifera are distinguished by having a comparatively short uncus (1/2 length of tegumen) and a broad cucullus with a brush of hairs on the posterior 3/4 of the ventral margin. The male genitalia of A. ochrocapitella sp. nov. has uncus that is longer than the tegumen, and the cucullus does not bear a brush of hairs on the posterior 3/4 of ventral margin. The female genitalia of A. strigifera have a large, rounded subostial sclerite and two conical signa in contrast to all other species of Asapharcha which have no signum, or the signum is a doubled, elongated plate as in A. ochrocapitella sp. nov.
Redescription. Wingspan 16.0–18.3 mm. Head and labial palpus dark yellow, segment 2 sparsely irrorated with brown on outer surface at base; scape dark yellow to fuscous, flagellum brown ringed with grey. Tegulae and thorax pale to light brown, dark brown caudally. Forewing ground colour off white to light grey, costal margin dark brown to 2/3, apical 1/3 dark brown with diffuse costal greyish-white spot, dorsal margin dark brown in medial 1/3, fold with brown spot at end, brown spot in middle and paired brown spot at end of cell, fringe scales pale, tipped with brown; hindwing brown to dark grey, fringe yellowish white with brown medial line.
Variation. Head, thorax, and forewing ground colour vary from pale or dark yellow to light brown; brown pattern on the forewing varies from dense suffusion to separate narrow transverse stripes.
Male genitalia (Fig. 29). Uncus subrectangular, as long as broad, 1/2 as long as tegumen, with short apical emargination, densely covered with setae along margins; gnathos comparatively short, strongly curved at base, then straight, with short, pointed, upcurved tip; tegumen subtrapezoidal, distinctly differentiated from uncus, weakly narrowed posteriorly, anteromedial emargination broadly triangular, extending to 1/3 length of tegumen; cucullus narrow at base, widened apically, posterior margin rounded, extending to 3/4 length of uncus, densely haired especially in distal part, with brush of hairs on ventral margin before apex; sacculus and valvella reduced; saccus triangular, rounded anteriorly, extending beyond base of tegumen; phallus short, distal part straight, equal in length to caecum, rounded apically, caecum moderately swollen, ovate, ductus ejaculatorius about 4 times as long as phallus, with indistinct sclerotization in anterior part.
Female genitalia (Fig. 36). Papillae anales subovate, about 1/2 length of apophyses posteriores, covered with long setae at base and short setae in distal part; apophyses anteriores 3 times as long as apophyses posteriores; segment VIII twice as broad as long, unmodified, evenly sclerotized, anterior margin weakly concave, subostial sclerite rounded; apophyses anteriores straight, 2/3 length of segment VIII; ductus bursae slender, antrum indistinct; corpus bursae very long, pear-shaped, distinctly differentiated from ductus bursae, signa a pair of conical sclerites.
Distribution. This species is known from South Africa and Namibia.
Remarks. Asapharcha strigifera was described from a male and a female from “junction of Crocodile and Marico rivers” (South Africa, Gauteng). Both syntypes are deposited in the South African Museum (Cape Town). A female from this locality deposited in NHMUK (Fig. 7) is not a part of type series, but agrees with original description. Lacistodes brunneostola was described from two males (Fig. 8) from Saltpan [Tswaing], Pretoria District (South Africa, Gauteng), and four females from Abachaus [Abaehausberg], Otjiwarongo District (Namibia, Otjozondjupa Region).
Female genitalia of A. strigifera agree in all details to those of A. brunneostola. Adults of both species are identical, although the holotype of L. brunneostola is slightly darker than the female of A. strigifera studied by us. Hence, the following synonymy is proposed: Lacistodes brunneostola Janse, 1960, syn. nov. of Asapharcha strigifera Meyrick, 1920.
description: Published as part of Bidzilya, Oleksiy V., Mey, Wolfram & Rajaei, Hossein, 2024, Taxonomic revision of Asapharcha Meyrick, 1920 (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae), with descriptions of four new species, pp. 548-566 in Zootaxa 5443 (4) on pages 559-560, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5443.4.4, http://zenodo.org/record/11064338