Promalactis gracilenta Wang & Liu & David 2024, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Wang, Shuxia
name: Liu, Chen
name: David, Lees
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Oecophoridae
Promalactis
Promalactis gracilenta

description: Promalactis gracilenta Wang, sp. nov.
(Figs 13, 46, 74)
Type material. Thailand: Holotype ♂, Khao Nang Ram viewpoint, Huai Kha Khaeng WS, Uthai Thani, 500 m, 30–31.X.1991, leg. I.J. Kitching & A.M. Cotton, slide No. NHMUK010316902.
Paratypes. Thailand: 2♀, same data as holotype, slide No. NHMUK010316901; 1♂, Khao Nang Rum, Uthai Thani Dist., 400 m, 6–8.VI.1986, leg. M.G. Allen, slide No. NHMUK010316911; 1♂ 1♀, Ramkhamhaeng NP, 700 m, 27.X.1990, leg. J.D. Bradley & Angoon Lewvanich, slide Nos. NHMUK010316921 ♀, NHMUK010317169 ♂; 5♀, Khao Nang Ram Res. Stn. HQ, Huai Kha Khaeng WS, Uthai Thani, 400 m, 29.X.1991, leg. I.J. Kitching & A.M. Cotton, slide Nos. NHMUK010316903, NHMUK010316904.
Diagnosis. The new species is similar to P. faithyella Adamski, 2019 in the features of both the male and female genitalia. It can be distinguished in the male genitalia by the saccus 1.2 times the length of the valva and the phallus with one cornutus; and in the female genitalia by the ductus bursae with five spines at anterior 1/6. In P. faithyella, the saccus is slightly shorter than the valva and the phallus has two cornuti, and the ductus bursae has four spines at anterior 2/5 (Adamski 2019: 146).
Description. Adult (Fig. 13). Forewing length 4.5–5.5 mm.
Head. Vertex and frons snowy white, frons mixed with brown scales laterally, occiput ochreous brown. Labial palpus with second segment orange yellow on outer surface, with black scales apically, pale yellow on inner surface; third segment black except white at base and apex. Antennal scape snowy white dorsally, with black scales on anterior margin, pale grey ventrally; flagellum black, with white annuli dorsally.
Thorax. Mesonotum and tegula dark ochreous brown. Forewing dark brownish ochreous; basal fascia white edged with black scales, slender, extending from base of costal margin obliquely outward to dorsum; antemedian fascia white edged with black scales, extending from basal 1/4 of costal margin to beyond middle of dorsum, narrowed medially, widened anteriorly, subparallel with basal fascia; costal spot white edged with black scales, rounded, extending from distal 1/4 to posterior angle of cell; tornal spot greyish black, sub-triangular, diffused to costal spot anteriorly; apical spot black, diffused to costal spot along costal margin, extending sparsely along termen; fringe orange yellow, except black along distal part of costal margin and around tornus. Hindwing and fringe grey. Foreleg grey ventrally, black dorsally, tibia with white spot at base and middle, with a tuft of white scales at apex, tarsus white at apices of basal two tarsomeres and on entire apical tarsomere; midleg brown ventrally, black dorsally, tibia with a tuft of white scales at apex, tarsus white at apices of basal two tarsomeres and on entire apical tarsomere; hindleg brown ventrally, black dorsally, tarsus white at apices of basal four tarsomeres and on entire apical tarsomere.
Male genitalia (Fig. 46). Uncus triangular, wide at base, narrowed to rounded apex, heavily sclerotized laterobasally. Gnathos same length as uncus; mesial plate sub-triangular, wide at base, narrowed to distal 1/3, then uniform in width to obtuse apex. Tegumen furcate from posterior 2/3; lateral arm narrowed to anterior end. Valva elongate, basal 3/4 wide and subparallel, distal 1/4 produced into a digitate process, finely serrate on ventral margin, with a large triangular sclerite beyond basal 2/3; costa shallowly concave medially, convex at distal 1/3; sacculus with basal 1/2 forming a wide band, distal 1/2 free from valva, slender, clubbed, densely setose, not reaching apex of valva. Saccus elongate, 1.2 times length of valva, wide at base, narrowed to apex. Juxta sub-quadrate, concave at middle on posterior margin; basal lobe slender. Phallus extremely long and slender, approx. 2.8 times length of valva; cornutus being a long spine at apex.
Female genitalia (Fig. 74). Apophyses anteriores slightly shorter than apophyses posteriores. Eighth sternum sub-rectangular, concave at middle on posterior margin, with setae. Ductus bursae with posterior 2/3 extremely slender, anterior 1/3 dilated toward corpus bursae, with a cluster of five spines at about anterior 1/6. Corpus bursae large, sub-elliptical, shorter than ductus bursae; signum ovate, with an erect transverse median ridge.
Distribution. Thailand.
Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the Latin gracilentus, referring to the slender phallus.
description: Published as part of Wang, Shuxia, Liu, Chen & David, Lees, 2024, Partial revision of Promalactis Meyrick (Lepidoptera: Oecophoridae), based on specimens deposited in the Natural History Museum, London, pp. 1-58 in Zootaxa 5536 (1) on pages 14-15, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5536.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/14023827