Dichomeris tenextrema Li, Zhen & Mey, 2013, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Li, Houhun
name: Zhen, Hui
name: Mey, Wolfram
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2013
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Gelechiidae
Dichomeris
Dichomeris tenextrema

description: Dichomeris tenextrema sp. nov.
(Figs 6, 18)
Type material. KENYA: Holotype 3, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, 30.vi.1991, leg. Houhun Li, genitalia slide no. ZH09115 (NKUM).
Diagnosis. This new species is similar to D. pseudomorpha (Janse, 1954), but can be separated by the valva shorter than the tegumen-uncus complex, and the nearly triangular lateral lobe of the vinculum arising from the distal half in the male genitalia. In D. pseudomorpha, the valva is longer than the tegumen-uncus complex, and the nearly acanthoid lateral lobe of the vinculum arises from near base. In addition, this new species is close to D. tephrodes (Meyrick, 1909), but differs from it by the uncus anteriorly concave in a semioval, the gnathos abruptly narrowed before apex, and the sicae slightly dilated distally in the male genitalia.
Description. Adult (Fig. 6): Wing expanse 12.5 mm. Head brown, frons grey. Ocellus absent. Second segment of labial palpus about 3.5 times length of diameter of eye, with elongate triangular scale tuft on dorsal surface, with nearly oblong scale tuft on distal half of ventral surface, third segment about 1/3 length of second; first and second segments greyish brown on outer surface, grey on inner surface, third segment yellow. Antenna with scape brown on dorsal surface, pale yellow on ventral surface; flagellum alternately dark brown and greyish brown on dorsal surface, ochreous yellow on ventral surface. Thorax and tegula greyish brown; mesothorax without hair pencil arising from anepisternum. Forewing with costal margin and dorsum almost parallel, apex slightly sharp, termun obliquely straight; basal 2/5 dark brown, distal 3/5 greyish brown; costal margin with a yellow spot at distal 1/3; inconspicuous dark brown fascia from costal 3/4 to near tornus, arched outward; fringe alternately yellow and greyish brown on costal margin, dark brown except yellow basally on termen, greyish brown on dorsum. Hindwing and fringe greyish brown, fringe greyish yellow basally. Fore and mid legs brown on outer surface, yellowish white on inner surface; hind leg pale yellow.
Male genitalia (Fig. 18): Uncus nearly oblong, slightly narrowed near middle, anterior margin concave in semicircle, posterior margin bluntly rounded. Gnathos curved at 2/5, abruptly narrowed to sharp apex; culcitula nearly rounded, densely spined. Valva shorter than tegumen-uncus complex, ventral margin protrudent before apex, apex bluntly rounded; ventral free lobe short, clubbed, apex with sparse long setae. Vinculum shorter than tegumen-uncus complex; lateral lobe arising from distal half, nearly triangular, about 2/3 length of vinculum. Saccal region almost straight posteriorly; sicae symmetrical, fused basally, short clubbed, about 2/5 length of vinculum, slightly dilated and with sparse setae distally. Phallus stout, broad on basal half, rounded apically; one sclerotized lobe arising from zone ventrally, slender, sharp apically, slightly shorter than 1/2 length of phallus.
Female unknown.
Distribution. Kenya.
Etymology. The specific name is derived from the Latin prefix tenu- (= narrowed), and the Latin word extremus (= apical), referring to the gnathos abruptly narrowed to sharp apex.
description: Published as part of Li, Houhun, Zhen, Hui & Mey, Wolfram, 2013, Notes on Dichomeris Hübner, 1818 from Southern Africa and Kenya, with description of seven new species (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae, Dichomeridinae), pp. 561-574 in Zootaxa 3608 (7) on pages 569-570, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3608.7.3, http://zenodo.org/record/221060