Promalactis similidierli 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 similidierli

description: Promalactis similidierli Wang, sp. nov.
(Figs 29, 62, 79)
Type material. Nepal: Holotype ♂, Godawari, Kathmandu Dist., 5600 m, 24.V.–6.VI.1983, leg. Allen, Brendell, Robinson, Tuck, slide No. NHMUK010317068.
Paratypes. Nepal: 1♂, Kakani, Kathmandu Dist., 6800 m, 1–2.VI.1983, leg. Allen, Brendell, Robinson, Tuck, slide No. NHMUK010317067; 3♂, mixed Schima-Castanopsis for., Phulchoki, 1750–1950 m, 27.V.1984, leg. M.G. Allen, slide No. NHMUK010317071; 1♀, mixed Schima-Castanopsis for., Phulchoki, 1750–1950 m, 19.VI.1984, leg. M.G. Allen, slide No. NHMUK010317069; 1♂, oak-laurel forest, Phulchoki, 2000–2500 m, 3.VII.1984, leg. M.G. Allen, slide No. NHMUK010317066.
Diagnosis. The new species is similar to P. dierli Lvovsky, 2000 in male genitalia. It can be distinguished by the costal part of the left valva produced into a distal process that is 1/6 length of the costal part and the costal part of the right valva with a hollow structure bearing a hairy ovate process before rounded apex. In the latter species, the distal process of the left costal part is 2/5 of its length, the distal process of the right costal part is digitate and longitudinally bears a wide line of dense setae distally.
Description. Adult (Fig. 29). Forewing length 5.5–7.5 mm.
Head. Vertex snowy white, frons pale greyish brown, occiput ochreous brown. Labial palpus with second segment ochreous yellow on outer surface, yellow on inner surface; third segment black, white apically. Antennal scape white; flagellum black, with white annuli dorsally.
Thorax. Mesonotum and tegula pale ochreous brown. Forewing ochreous yellow; markings white, edged with dark brown to black scales: costal spot black, diffused, a white stripe from below it extending to above posterior angle of cell; basal streak from dorsum oblique inward to base of fold, slender; antemedian streak from before middle of dorsum extending to basal 1/3 of anterior margin of cell, slightly curved medially, dense black scales between basal and antemedian streaks along dorsum; dorsal streak from distal 1/4 of dorsum oblique outward to posterior margin of cell, silvery grey scales from its outer margin anteriorly diffused to costal spot; tornal spot silvery grey, diffused to posterior angle of cell; apical spot ill-defined, with dense dark brown scales; fringe orange yellow, except dark grey around tornus. Hindwing and fringe grey. Foreleg black dorsally, pale grey ventrally, tibia with white spot at base and middle respectively, with a tuft of white scales at apex, tarsus white at apices of basal two tarsomeres; midleg brown ventrally, black dorsally, tibia with white spot at base and middle respectively, with a tuft of white scales at apex, tarsus with basal two tarsomeres white apically, apical tarsomere white entirely; hindleg yellowish brown ventrally, black dorsally, tarsus white at apices of basal three tarsomeres and on entire distal two tarsomeres.
Male genitalia (Fig. 62). Uncus with basal 1/3 wide and parallel sided, suddenly narrowed from basal 1/3 to pointed apex; large elongate process arising from middle ventrally, slightly widened to obtuse apex. Gnathos as long as uncus; mesial plate narrow; basal arm longer than mesial plate. Tegumen furcate from posterior 1/3; lateral arm narrowed to pointed anterior end. Valva with costal part narrowed at base, widened distally, asymmetrical: Left valva with costal part produced into a distal process bearing a tuft of setae apically, curved downward, 1/6 length of costal part; sacculus widened medially, apex obtuse, not reaching apex of costal part. Right valva with costal part having an elliptical hollow structure bearing a large hairy ovate process before obtusely rounded apex; sacculus narrowed from wide base to apex, exceeding apex of costal part. Saccus longer than uncus, slightly narrowed to narrowly rounded apex. Juxta reaching posterior 1/3 of tegumen, triangularly produced mediolaterally, strong thumb-shaped distally; basal lobe slender, shorter. Phallus as long as left valva, straight, pointed at apex, serrate laterodistally; cornutus being a spine, 1/7 length of phallus, placed near apex.
Female genitalia (Fig. 79). Apophyses anteriores about 1/4 length of apophyses posteriores. Eighth sternum semicircular, posterior margin serrate, concave at middle, with sparse setae; eighth tergum fan-shaped. Antrum slightly narrowed anteriorly. Ductus bursae weakly sclerotized and with short spines in posterior 1/3, membranous and uniformly wide anteriorly. Corpus bursae rounded, slightly shorter than ductus bursae; signum being a narrow plate with a row of denticles.
Distribution. Nepal.
Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the Latin similis and the specific name of another species dierli, referring to the similarities between the two species.
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 page 29, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5536.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/14023827