Argyresthia (Argyresthia) mala Liu, Wang & Li, 2017, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Liu, Tengteng
name: Wang, Shuxia
name: Li, Houhun
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2017
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Yponomeutidae
Argyresthia
Argyresthia mala

description: 29. Argyresthia (Argyresthia) mala, sp. nov. (Figs. 37, 78, 106, 162, 218, 267)
Argyresthia assimilis Moriuti: Ma & Sun, 1982: 315; Sun & Ma, 1999: 11; Jin & Wang, 2012: 234. [misidentification]
Description. Adult (Figs. 37, 78) wingspan 13.0̄ 16.5 mm. Head with vertex pale yellowish white, face yellowish white. Labial palpus yellowish white, fuscous laterally on basal two segments. Antenna with scape pale yellowish white, yellow on anterior margin, pecten brownish yellow; flagellum white, ringed with black. Foreleg with femur blackish fuscous on inner surface, tibia and tarsus black on inner surface, tibia dotted with black near base, at middle, and on distal part dorsally, tarsus black on distal part of each tarsomere dorsally, remainder yellowish white; midleg mostly yellowish white, femur dotted with black ventrally at middle, tibia dotted with blackish near base, at middle, and on distal part dorsally, tarsus lined black on outer surface, black on distal part of each tarsomere; hindleg mostly grayish white, tibia with distal half blackish gray on outer surface, tarsus with first tarsomere blackish gray on outer surface, other tarsomeres blackish gray on outer surface distally. Thorax pale yellowish white; tegula golden fuscous. Forewing ratio 4.3; blackish gray, distal 1/3 sometimes suffused with yellowish-white scales; costa interspersed with black and indistinct yellowish-white dots on basal 4/5, black dot before middle largest, large white spot at distal 1/10; black spot at middle of cell; dark brownish-fuscous streak below basal half of fold; dorsal band yellowish white, extending to before end of fold; dorsal fascia black, from middle of wing to basal 5/8 of costa, narrowed towards costa, sometimes interrupted near costa; tornal dot black; cilia white adjacent to large white costal spot, black around apex, blackish gray near tornus. Hindwing and cilia uniformly gray. Abdomen blackish fuscous.
Male genitalia (Figs. 106, 162, 218): Tuba analis shorter than width of valva. Socius covered with 21̄25 scale-like setae, bearing two setae posteriorly (Fig. 218). Gnathos inflated distally, with four to nine long thick setae apically. Valva widest beyond middle, dorsal margin slightly convex at about basal 1/3, straight in distal 2/3; a clump of thick setae in disc near ventral margin, a few similar setae on distal area. Saccus shorter than width of valva, with distal half linear. Phallus nearly straight, 3.2 times as long as width of valva (Fig. 162). Second sternite with about 20 micro-setae in each row; eighth sternite V-shaped. Coremata present.
Female genitalia (Fig. 267): Ovipositor 2.5 times as long as eighth segment. Anterior apophysis 4/5 length of posterior apophysis, bifurcate at middle, branches fused, forming ventral margin of ostium bursae. Lamella postvaginalis rectangular. Antrum funnel-shaped, half length of eighth segment. Ductus bursae sparsely spinulate before and near opening of ductus seminalis; ductus seminalis originating from beyond middle of ductus bursae. Corpus bursae oval, narrower on anterior 1/3, with sparse micro-denticles; signum with basal plate band-shaped, horns extending straight outward, anterior margin straight or sometimes slightly concave medially.
Type material. CHINA: Holotype, Ƌ, Mt. Mian, Jiexiu County, Shanxi Province, 1370 m, 25.vii.2013, leg. Tengteng Liu and Peixin Cong. Paratypes: Shanxi Province: 7Ƌ, 11♀, same data as holotype, slide nos. LTT12314♂, LTT12748♂, LTT12751♀, LTT12753♀; 1♂, 7♀, Mt. Mian (36.87°N, 111.99°E), Jiexiu County, 1370 m, 15, 19, 20.vii.2014, leg. Tengteng Liu, Meiqing Yang and Sihan Lu, slide nos. LTT12739♀, LTT12743♂; 1♀, Mt. Lingkong (36.61°N, 112.08°E), Qinyuan County, 1560 m, 31.vii.2013, leg. Tengteng Liu and Peixin Cong, slide no. LTT12747; 1♀, Mt. Lingkong (36.61°N, 112.08°E), Qinyuan County, 1560 m, 26.vii.2014, leg. Tengteng Liu, Meiqing Yang and Sihan Lu; 1♂, 1♀, Xiyao Village (38.67°N, 112.01°E), Ningwu County, 1475 m, 21.vii.2011, leg. Shulian Hao and Jiayu Liu, slide no. LTT12838♂; 4♀, Luyashan Nature Reserves (38.67°N, 112.03°E), Ningwu County, 1450 m, 19, 20.vii.2011, leg. Shulian Hao and Jiayu Liu, slide no. LTT12754; 1♀, Dahe Forest Farm (35.46°N, 111.94°E), Linfen City, 1202 m, 24.vii.2013, leg. Shulian Hao and Mingjing Li, slide no. LTT12836; 1♂, 2♀, Dahe Forest Farm (35.46°N, 111.94°E), Yicheng, Linfen City, 1340 m, 13.vii.2012, leg. Qiang Gao and Na Chen, slide no. LTT12746♀; 1♂, Xixiakou (35.41°N, 112.00°E), Mt. Li Nature Reserves, Qinshui, Jin County, 1513 m, 27.vii.2013, leg. Shulian Hao and Mingjing Li, slide no. LTT12829; 2♀, Erhezhuang Village (37.82°N, 111.50°E), Pangquangou, Mt. Guandi, Jiaocheng County, 1626 m, 2.vii.2011, leg. Shulian Hao and Zhiwei Zhang; 2♂, 1♀, Mt. Tianlong (37.73°N, 112.37°E), Taiyuan City, 1280 m, 14, 16.vii.2013, leg. Tengteng Liu and Peixin Cong, slide nos. LTT12744♂, LTT12745♀, LTT12789♂; 1♂, Dadian Forest Station (36.55°N, 111.21°E), Mt. Wulu, Linfen City, 1620 m, 20.vii.2013, leg. Tengteng Liu and Peixin Cong, slide no. LTT12758; 1♂, Dongxia (35.82°N, 112.28°E), Xiachuan, Qinshui County, Jincheng City, 1620 m, 18.vii.2012, leg. Qiang Gao and Na Chen. Shaanxi Province: 13Ƌ, 13♀, Xinjiashan Forest Farm (34.21°N, 106.61°E), Feng County, 1600 m, 9.vii.1988, leg. Houhun Li, slide nos. JQ07342 ♀, JQ07343 ♀, JQ07344 ♂; 6♂, 15♀, Jiefangmen Village (33.86°N, 107.85°E), Houzhenzi, Zhouzhi County, 1750 m, 16̄ 18.vii.1987, leg. Houhun Li, slide no. JQ07308 ♀, JQ07309 ♂, JQ07334 ♂, LTT12784♂; 1♂, Yangling (34.27°N, 108.08°E), 450 m, 18, 28.vi.1993, leg. Houhun Li, slide no. JQ07310. Gansu Province: 6Ƌ, 17♀, Dangchuan Forest Farm (34.34°N, 106.16°E), Tianshui City, 1342 m, 28.vii.2006, leg. Xinpu Wang and Xiangfeng Shi, slide no. JQ08119 ♂; 5♂, 6♀, Huamiao (34.25°N, 106.17°E), Dangchuan Forest Farm, Tianshui City, 1331 m, 29.vii.2006, leg. Xinpu Wang and Xiangfeng Shi, slide nos. LTT12330♀, LTT12330W; 1♀, Mt. Xinglong (35.80°N, 104.07°E), Yuzhong County, 26.vi.1992, leg. Houhun Li, slide no. L93013. Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region: 15Ƌ, 15♀, Xiaonanchuan plant garden (35.34°N, 106.31°E), Erlonghe Forest Farm, Mt. Liupan, 1900 m, 27, 28.vi.2008, leg. Shulian Hao and Zhiwei Zhang, slide no. LTT12828♂; 3♂, 12♀, Dongshanpo Forest Farm (35.39°N, 106.35°E), Mt. Liupan, 2050 m, 7, 8.vii.2008, leg. Shulian Hao and Zhiwei Zhang; 6♂, 12♀, Qiuqianjian Forest Station (35.56°N, 106.44°E), Qiuqianjia Forest Farm, Mt Liupan, 1700 m, 1, 2.vii.2008, leg. Shulian Hao and Zhiwei Zhang, slide nos. LTT12078♀, LTT12770♀, LTT12818♂; 6♂, 5♀, Miaomiaotai Forest Station (35.50°N, 106.29°E), Xixia Forest Farm, Mt. Liupan, 2300 m, 23.vi.2008, leg. Shulian Hao and Zhiwei Zhang; 6♂, 10♀, Heshangpu Forest Farm (35.68°N, 106.25°E), Mt. Liupan, 2100 m, 9, 10.vi.2008, leg. Shulian Hao and Zhiwei Zhang, slide nos. LTT12826♀, LTT1301W; 2♂, 1♀, Qiuqianjia Forest Farm (35.56°N, 106.44°E), Mt Liupan, 1700 m, 1.vii.2008, leg. Shulian Hao and Zhiwei Zhang; 2♂, 1♀, Lvyuan Forest Farm (35.39°N, 106.35°E), Mt. Liupan, 1600 m, 6.vii.2008, leg. Shulian Hao and Zhiwei Zhang, slide no. LTT12830♂; 3♂, 2♀, Hougou Forest Station (35.67°N, 106.32°E), Woyangchuan Forest Farm, Mt. Liupan, 1700 m, 3.vii.2008, leg. Shulian Hao and Zhiwei Zhang, slide no. LTT12079♂; 1♀, Hongxia Forest Farm (35.50°N, 106.29°E), Mt. Liupan, 2600 m, 22.vi.2008, by net, leg. Shulian Hao and Zhiwei Zhang; 1♂, Fengtai Forest Farm (35.65°N, 106.17°E), Mt. Liupan, 2330 m, 12.vii.2008, leg. Shulian Hao and Zhiwei Zhang, slide no. LTT12822. Shandong Province: 1♀, Guanli (35.83°N, 116.03°E), Lianshan County, 8.viii.1995, leg. Shijin Li, slide no. LTT12817. Hebei Province: 1Ƌ, 1♀, Shuangyuanfeng (40.61°N, 117.45°E), Mt. Wuling, Xinglong County, 16.vii.2011, leg. Houhun Li and Yanpeng Cai, slide nos. LTT12319♂, LTT12328♀; 1♂, Mt. Wuling (40.61°N, 117.45°E), Xinglong County, 800 m, 3.vii.2009, leg. Qing Jin, slide no. LTT12805; Tianjin: 1♀, Mt. Baxian, Ji County, 600 m, 4.vii.2010, leg. Yinghui Mou and Shurong Liu; Henan Province: 1♀, Mt. Baiyun (33.68°N, 111.85°E), Luoyang City, 1560 m, 23.vii.2001, leg. Dandan Zhang, slide no. LTT12792; 1♂, Mt. Baiyun (33.68°N, 111.85°E), Luoyang City, 1580 m, 21.vii.2002, leg. Xinpu Wang; 1♂, Mt. Baotianman (33.52°N, 111.94°E), Neixiang County, 1350 m, 15.vii.1998, leg. Houhun Li, slide no. YHL00171. Hubei Province: 1Ƌ, Songbai Village (31.75°N, 110.67°E), Shennongjia, 1200̄ 1400 m, 17.vii.2003, leg. Shulian Hao, slide no. LTT12329. Liaoning Province: 1Ƌ, Laotudingzi (41.32°N, 124.90°E), Huanren Man Autonomous County, 8– 9.vii. 009, leg. Weichun Li and Jiayu Liu, slide no. LTT12801. Heilongjiang Province: 1♀, Mt. Maoershan forest park (45.29°N, 127.53°E), Shangzhi City, 18.vi.2010, leg. Jiayu Liu and Yanpeng Cai, slide no. LTT12800; 3♀, Liangshui National Nature Reserves (47.15°N, 128.87°E), Yichun City, 21-vii.2009, leg. Weichun Li and Jiayu Liu, slide no. LTT12802. Sichuan Province: 1♀, Kangding (30.00°N, 101.96°E), 2400 m, 8.vii.2001, leg. Houhun Li and Wangxin Pu, slide no. LTT12506; 1♂, 1♀, Wolong (30.34°N, 103.42°E), 2008 m, 23, 24.vii.2005, leg. Haili Yu, slide no. LTT12783 ♀. Yunnan Province: 1Ƌ, Zhongdian (27.59°N, 99.79°E), 3150 m, 14.vii.2001, leg. Houhun Li and Xinpu Wang, slide no. LTT12851. Xizang Autonomous Region: 1Ƌ, Yadong County (27.49°N, 88.91°E), 2950 m, 28.vii.2003, leg. Xinpu Wang and Huaijun Xue, slide no. LTT12495; 1♂, Baishulin (29.65°N, 94.37°E), Bayi Village, Linzhi County, 3100 m, 9.viii.2010, leg. Houhun Li et al., slide no. LTT12852.
Other material: Shanxi Province: 1Ƌ (without abdomen), Mt. Li (35.59°N, 111.97°E), Jin City, 1520 m, 16.viii.2006, leg. Xu Zhang and Haiyan Bai. Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region: 3Ƌ (without abdomen), 5♀ (without abdomen), Xiaonanchuan plant garden (35.34°N, 106.31°E), Erlonghe Forest Farm, Mt. Liupan, 1900 m, 28.vi.2008, leg. Shulian Hao and Zhiwei Zhang; 1♂ (without abdomen), 1♀ (without abdomen), Qiuqianjian Forest Station (35.56°N, 106.44°E), Qiuqianjia Forest Farm, Mt Liupan, 1700 m, 2.vii.2008, leg. Shulian Hao and Zhiwei Zhang; 2♂ (without abdomen), Miaomiaotai Forest Station (35.50°N, 106.29°E), Xixia Forest Farm, Mt. Liupan, 2300 m, 23.vi.2008, leg. Shulian Hao and Zhiwei Zhang; 1♂ (without abdomen), 1♀ (without abdomen), Qiuqianjia Forest Farm, Mt. Liupan, 1700 m, 1.vii.2008, leg. Shulian Hao and Zhiwei Zhang; 1♂ (without abdomen), Fengtai Forest Farm (35.65°N, 106.17°E), Mt. Liupan, 2330 m, 11.vii.2008, leg. Shulian Hao and Zhiwei Zhang. Shaanxi Province: 1Ƌ, 2♀, Xinjiashan Forest Farm (34.21°N, 106.61°E), Feng County, 1600 m, 9.vii.1988, leg. Houhun Li; 4♂ (without abdomen), 3 exs (without abdomen and hindwings), Jiefangmen Village (33.86°N, 107.85°E), Houzhenzi, Zhouzhi County, 1750 m, 16, 18.vii.1987, leg. Houhun Li; Heilongjiang Province: 1Ƌ (without abdomen), Liangshui National Nature Reserves (47.15°N, 128.87°E), Yinchun City, 21.vii.2009, leg. Weichun Li and Jiayu Liu.
Host plant: Malus pumila Mill. (Rosaceae) (Ma & Sun 1982).
Distribution. China (Gansu, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Hubei, Liaoning, Ningxia, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Sichuan, Tianjin, Xizang, Yunnan).
Diagnosis. This new species resembles A. (A.) niphospora Meyrick, 1938. It can be separated by the forewing with indistinct yellowish-white dots on the costa and having a yellowish-white dorsal band; A. (A.) niphospora has distinct white dots on the costa and a white dorsal band on the forewing. Additionally, A. (A.) mala is similar to A. (A.) gephyritis Meyrick, 1938 in the female genitalia, but it differs remarkably in superficial characters. Argyresthia (A.) mala has a dark brownish-fuscous streak below the basal half of the fold, but lacks a transverse fascia from the base of the costa to the basal 1/4 of the dorsum in the forewing; A. (A.) gephyritis lacks a streak below the fold, but has a transverse fascia from the base of the costa oblique to basal 1/4 of the dorsum. Argyresthia (A.) mala resembles A. (A.) decurtata, and the diagnosis is given under the latter species.
Etymology. The specific name is derived from the genus name of the host plant, Malus pumila, referring to the host association of this species.
Remarks. Ma & Sun (1982) misidentified this species as A. (A.) assimilis based on specimens collected from Shaanxi and Gansu. We describe it as a new species based on specimens collected from more localities. Argyresthia (A.) mala is sympatric with A. (A.) conjugella in China, and the two species are economically important pests of apple (Ma & Sun 1982).
description: Published as part of Liu, Tengteng, Wang, Shuxia & Li, Houhun, 2017, Review of the genus Argyresthia Hübner, [1825] (Lepidoptera: Yponomeutoidea: Argyresthiidae) from China, with descriptions of forty-three new species, pp. 1-135 in Zootaxa 4292 (1) on pages 40-42, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.827746