Meleonoma avicapitata Zhu & Wang, 2024, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Zhu, Xiaoju
name: Wang, Shuxia
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Cosmopterigidae
Meleonoma
Meleonoma avicapitata

description: Meleonoma avicapitata sp. nov.
(Figs 1, 7)
Type material. CHINA, Xizang: Holotype ♂, Motuo County (29.33°N, 95.33°E), 1016 m, 4.VIII.2018, leg. MJ Qi, slide No. ZXJ18027. Paratypes: 2♂, Yadong Village, Motuo County, 833 m, 16.VIII.2017, leg. MJ Qi & XF Yang, slide Nos. ZXJ18207, ZXJ19592; 1♂, Gelin Village, Beibeng Town, Motuo Town, 1063 m, 29.VII.2018, leg. MJ Qi, slide No. ZXJ19593; 1♂, Beibeng Town, Motuo County, 750 m, 1.VIII.2018, leg. MJ Qi, slide No. ZXJ19200; 6♂, Pailong Town, Linzhi County, 2031 m, 18.VIII.2018, leg. MJ Qi, slide Nos. ZXJ18059, ZXJ18060, ZXJ19199.
Diagnosis. M. avicapitata is similar to M. dorsidentata sp. nov. in the male genitalia by the costal part of the valva with an apical spine on the ventral margin. M. avicapitata can be distinguished by the costa without a denticle apically, and the sacculus with a triangular process distally; whereas the costa has an apical denticle and the sacculus lacks a triangular distal process in M. dorsidentata.
Description. Adult (Fig. 1). Forewing length 6.0– 6.5 mm.
Head yellow, mixed with dark brown scales laterally on occiput. Labial palpus yellow; first segment with scattered dark brown scales on outer surface; second segment with scattered dark brown scales in distal 2/3, forming a ring before apex; third segment 2/3 length of second segment. Antenna yellow, scape black on dorsal surface; flagellum alternated with black on dorsal surface except basal several flagellomeres yellow.
Mesonotum and tegula yellow mixed with dark brown scales. Legs yellow, with exceptions on ventral surface: coxa of foreleg with scattered black scales, femur of foreleg black, femur of midleg with scattered black scales, femur of hindleg with sparse black scales, tibiae of fore- and midlegs black except yellow at middle and apex respectively, tibia of hindleg dark brown, tarsus of foreleg black except yellow at base of basal tarsomere and at apices of basal two tarsomeres, tarsi of mid- and hindlegs black except yellow at apices of basal four and apical one tarsomeres.
Forewing broad lanceolate, apex rounded; ground color yellow, covered with dark brown scales, with a dark brown stripe along basal 1/3 of costal margin; median fascia dark brown, oblique, extending from middle of costal margin to tornus, its inner margin straight; dark brown spot at about distal 1/3 of costal margin, touching outer margin of median fascia; subterminal fascia dark brown, diffused, extended from distal part of costal margin along termen to tornus; plical spot dark brown, at about middle of fold; discal spot small, dark brown, at distal 2/5 of cell; fringe yellow except dark brown near apex and around tornus. Hindwing and fringe yellowish grey.
Male genitalia (Fig. 7). Uncus cone-shaped. Tegumen narrowed medially, broadly banded laterally. Costal part of valva narrow at base, gradually widened to obtuse apex, bird-head shaped distally; ventral margin heavily sclerotized, with a long spine apically; costa weakly sclerotized, reaching before apex of costal margin, with setae; transtilla absent; sacculus wide at base, abruptly narrowed beyond basal 2/3, forming a triangular process distally, setose distally. Saccus triangular, approx. 1.5 times as long as uncus. Juxta U-shaped. Phallus slender, approx. 1.5 times length of costal part of valva; cornuti consisting of 2‒3 spines.
Female unknown.
Distribution. China (Xizang).
Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the Latin avi- and capitatus, referring to the distal shape of the costal part of the valva.
description: Published as part of Zhu, Xiaoju & Wang, Shuxia, 2024, Six new species of the genus Meleonoma Meyrick, 1914 (Lepidoptera: Autostichidae) from China, pp. 465-474 in Zootaxa 5536 (3) on pages 466-467, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5536.3.6, http://zenodo.org/record/14239118