Agonopterix sphaeroidea Zhu & Zhang & Wang 2023, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Zhu, Xiaoju
name: Zhang, Li
name: Wang, Shuxia
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2023
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Oecophoridae
Agonopterix
Agonopterix sphaeroidea

description: Agonopterix sphaeroidea Zhu & Wang, sp. nov.
(Figs 13, 36)
Type material. CHINA, Guizhou: Holotype ♁, Huguosi, Mt. Fanjing, 1300 m, 3.VIII.2001, leg. HH Li & XP Wang, slide No. ZL 08076. Paratypes: 2♁, same data as holotype, slide Nos. ZXJ20570, ZL08106.
Diagnosis. The new species is similar to A. likiangella Lvovsky & Wang, 2011 (Lvovsky & Wang 2011: 64, figs 1, 6) and A. parallela sp. nov. in the forewing pattern. It can be distinguished from the two species by the forewing with a small black dot before outer margin of the cell; and by the S-shaped cuiller directed inward apically in the male genitalia. In the latter two species, the forewing lacks a black dot before the outer margin of the cell; and the nearly straight cuiller is strongly spine-shaped.
Description. Adult (Fig. 13). Wingspan 21.0–24.0 mm.
Head white, except dark brown on lateral sides of eyes. Labial palpus white; basal segment black on outside; second segment black in basal 2/5, black dorsally near apex, without protruding scales; third segment black in distal half except white at apex. Antenna with scape dark brown, white ventroterminally; flagellum dark brown alternated with yellow on dorsal surface, yellow on ventral surface.
Mesonotum yellowish white, with erect scale tufts posterolaterally, with a stripe anterolaterally; tegula greyish brown, mixed with pale yellow medially, greyish white distally. Foreleg with coxa dark brown, femur yellowish white, dark brown dorsally, tibia dark brown except yellowish white near base, at middle and at apex, tarsus dark brown except yellowish white at base of basal one tarsomere and at apices of basal one and apical one tarsomeres; midleg with femur yellowish white mixed with dark brown scales, tibia dark brown, yellowish white at middle and at apex respectively, tarsus dark brown except yellowish white at base of basal one tarsomere and yellowish white at apices of basal four tarsomeres, apical one tarsomere yellowish white; hindleg yellowish white.
Forewing ground colour pastel yellow, with black, greyish white and yellowish white scales, except distal 1/6 greyish white speckled with black scales; basal half of costal margin with differently sized black spots interrupted by yellowish white, distal half with a large black maculation narrowed to outer margin of cell, with two yellowish white spots on costal margin and a third yellowish white spot below preceding two spots; black stripe along proximal base; cell with a few black scales near base on anterior margin, with small black dot beyond middle and before outer margin, with a greyish white stripe-shaped spot on its outer margin, surrounded by black scales; dorsum with several short black streaks, interrupted by yellowish white scales; pale reddish brown shadow from near base of dorsum to near end of fold, spreading obliquely upward to near posterior margin of cell; terminal spots black, evenly spaced, extending from below apex along termen to before tornus; fringe grey, darker at base. Hindwing and fringe blackish grey.
Male genitalia (Fig. 36). Uncus reduced. Socii subquadrate. Gnathos spheroidal. Valva stout, wide at base, gradually narrowed to apex, with long setae distally. Transtilla membranous; transtilla lobes dilated, membranous, hairy. Sacculus heavily sclerotized, reaching half length of valva; cuiller heavily sclerotized, curved in S shape, apically pointed inward, reaching below costa. Juxta heart-shaped, shrunken laterally near anterior margin; lateral lobes membranous, reaching 2/3 length of juxta. Phallus wide at base, slightly tapered to apex, curved medially; cornuti being clustered tiny spinules.
Female unknown.
Distribution. China (Guizhou).
Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the Latin sphaeroideus, referring to the spheroidal gnathos.
description: Published as part of Zhu, Xiaoju, Zhang, Li & Wang, Shuxia, 2023, New species and newly recorded species of the genus Agonopterix Hübner, [1825] (Lepidoptera: Depressariidae) from China, pp. 379-404 in Zootaxa 5258 (4) on page 391, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5258.4.2, http://zenodo.org/record/7784364