Thiotricha semota Lee & Li 2024, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Lee, Ga-Eun
name: Li, Houhun
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Gelechiidae
Thiotricha
Thiotricha semota

description: Thiotricha semota sp. nov.   
(Figs 15C, 26C, 39C, 55E)  
 Type material. Holotype ♂, CHINA, Henan Province, Luoyang City, Mt. Baiyun (33.68°N, 111.85°E), 1580 m, 19.vii.2002, leg. Xinpu Wang, genitalia slide no. LGE16146. Paratypes. CHINA: Henan Province: 1 ♂, same data as holotype except 18.vii.2002, genitalia slide no. LGE19038; 1 ♀, Mt. Baotianman (33.52°N, 111.94°E), 1350 m, Neixiang County, 13.vii.1998, leg. Houhun Li, genitalia slide no. ZJL05050; Hubei Province: 1 ♀, Bajiaomiao, 1100 m, Shennongjia, 19.vii.2003, leg. Shulian Hao, genitalia slide no. LGE18322; Fujian Province: 1 ♀, Guadun, 1100 m, Mt. Wuyi, 31.vii.2008, leg. Weichun Li, Yongling Sun and Haiyan Bai, genitalia slide no. LGE18470; Sichuan Province: 1 ♀, Fengtongzhai Nature Reserves (30.37°N, 102.83°E), 1600 m, Baoxing County, 3.viii.2004, leg. Yingdang Ren, genitalia slide no. LGE18323.   
 Diagnosis. The species is very similar to T. rhombiformis, but the forewing span is larger and there is a distinct oblique streak running near from tornus to apical spot. The male genitalia are diagnosed by the oblong uncus and the aedeagus with an interior sclerite sometimes slightly exceeding the apex. The ductus bursae of the female genitalia are long, and the signum is small and placed near the posterior margin of corpus bursae.   
 Description. Adult (Fig. 15C). Wingspan 15.0−16.0 mm. Head white. Labial palpus as in T. rhombiformis except male with segment II entirely white and with weakly developed hair pencil. Antenna with scape white; flagellum dark brown except basal 1/2 or 2/3 of dorsal surface white, male cilia as long or slightly longer than diameter. Thorax and tegula white to creamy white. Forewing ground color white to creamy white, apical area strongly mixed with brown; apical spot round, usually suffused inwardly with greyish scales, apex falcate; markings brownish fuscous: a broad streak running from base to near apex along costa, attenuated after middle and curved obliquely toward termen; beyond this a narrow, oblique costal streak from distal 1/3 of wing, confluent with former streak at distal 1/4; beyond this another oblique costal streak from distal 1/5, confluent with former streak near apical spot; beyond this two inwardly oblique costal strigulae alternating with brownish cream scales before apical spot; a broad, outwardly oblique streak from between basal 1/4 and 1/3 of dorsum, confluent with costal streak at middle of wing near costa and running together toward apical spot; after middle of wing a large, inwardly directed V-shaped marking near dorsum, its upper fork running toward apical spot but not reaching costal streaks or apical spot, lower fork broadened on fold; beyond this a broad, oblique streak near from tornus, gradually or abruptly narrowed, running toward apex and confluent with costal streaks before apical spot; fringe on apical area brownish cream with basal and terminal black bands; on termen white at base, metallic fuscous medially and brownish grey distally; on dorsum brownish grey. Hindwing dark grey except subapex usually white and apex dark fuscous; fringe brownish grey except apical area dark fuscous terminally. Legs white; fore femur, tibia and tarsus black on outer surface; mid femur and tibia black at base, mid tibiae with a black oblique streak on outer surface after middle; hind tibia usually suffused with dark fuscous on outer surface near apex; mid and hind tarsi with tarsomere I broadly black at middle, II–IV black in basal half and V black on outer surface.   
 Male sternum VIII (Fig. 26C). Approximately 1/4 length of abdomen, subtriangular, gradually narrowed to posterior apex; posterior 1/6 bifid, inner margin between two tines V-shaped, pointed at apex.   
 Male genitalia (Fig. 39C). Uncus oblong. Gnathos hook simple, moderately long. Tegumen approximately 3 times as long as uncus. Valva gradually broadening from base to 1/3, then almost uniformly elongate to 2/3, slightly broadened distally, round at apex. Anellus lobe digitate, about 1/5 length of valva, basal 1/2 slightly or strongly constricted; apical bristle 1/2 length of anellus lobe, hooked. Juxta slightly convex in basal 1/2. Vinculum with posterior margin strongly produced medially. Saccus broad and short, not exceeding tegumen pedunculus. Aedeagus with basal 1/3 dilated, distal part almost uniformly elongate, narrowed at apex; a short interior sclerite sometimes exceeding apex of aedeagus.   
 Female genitalia (Fig. 55E). Papillae anales moderately sclerotized. Apophyses anteriores slightly longer than 1/2 length of apophyses posteriores. Segment VIII with lateral margins densely spinous, posterior margins broadly concave; sternum VIII longer than tergum VIII, with anterior half covered with spinous intersegmental membrane, anterior margin strongly produced in U-shape. Ostium bursae large, opening near anterior margin of sternum VIII. Ductus bursae very long, slightly broadened after base and almost uniformly elongate to corpus bursae; a small teardrop shaped sclerite situated at base, colliculum arising beyond this sclerite. Corpus bursae obovate or elliptical, 3/5 or 4/5 length of ductus bursae; signum small and round, placed near posterior margin of corpus bursae, consisting of minute sclerites.   
 Distribution. China (Henan, Hubei, Fujian, Sichuan).   
 Etymology. The species name is from Latin, semotus (distant), referring to the V-shaped marking on the forewing not reaching the costal streak.
description: Published as part of Lee, Ga-Eun & Li, Houhun, 2024, A taxonomic review of Thiotricha Meyrick, 1886 (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae, Thiotrichinae) from China, with descriptions of 84 new species, pp. 1-222 in Zootaxa 5449 (1) on pages 100-101, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5449.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/11233121