Coleophora animula Baldizzone 2021, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Baldizzone, Giorgio
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2021
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Coleophoridae
Coleophora
Coleophora animula

description: Coleophora animula, sp. nov.
(Figs. 1, 17–21)
Holotype ♂ (B. M. Genitalia slide No. 32608) “Barberton | Transvaal |AJTJ. | 7.12 [19]10” [handwritten by Janse]; Coleophora scariphota Meyr. | 3/4 | E. Meyrick det. | in Meyrick coll.”; “NUMUK 0101894273”, in coll. NHMUK.
Note: In the NHMUK are four specimens determined by Meyrick as Coleophora scariphota Meyrick, 1911, but they are not part of the original material of that species; there are two additional specimens similarly identified in TMSA [examined]. Of the NHMUK specimens, three come from the locality of Haenertsburg where those of the TMSA were also collected, while one was collected in Barberton. Examining the latter specimen I observed some differences in habitus and the dissection of the male genitalia confirmed that it is a new species, very different from C. scariphota.
Diagnosis. Small species of pale appearance, close to C. bantuella Baldizzone & van der Wolf, 2005, known only from Democratic Republic of Congo (Katanga). In comparison with C. bantuella the size of C. animula is smaller. In the male genitalia of C. animula the main differences concern the tegumen which is larger, less constricted in the middle, the sacculus thicker and shorter on the outer edge, the phallotheca which is smaller, the structure formed by the fusion of the cornuti, which is more sclerotized and does not have the sharp point that is at the apex of that of C. bantuella (Fig. 21). To the same group belongs C. mirabibella Baldizzone, Mey & van der Wolf, 2011, a smaller species (5–6 mm of wingspan), greyish brown in colour, which has notable differences in male genitalia.
Description. Wingspan 10 mm. Head white. Antenna white, scape white, with a tuft of erect scales. Labial palpus white; third article as long as second. Proboscis short, normal shaped. Thorax and tegula white. Forewing light ochre suffused of white scales, especially in the costal band, not clearly delimited but shaded, wide at the base becoming narrower at 3/4 of wing; area between anal fold and dorsum white; costal fringe light ochre, dorsal fringe light grey. Hindwing and cilia ochreous grey. Abdomen light ochre.
Abdominal structures (Fig. 18) Anterior lateral struts about 4 times as long as posterior ones. Transverse strut thin and linear on proximal edge, well sclerotized only in middle, thicker on distal edge. Tergal disks (3 rd tergite) length about 5 times their width, covered with about 25 small spines.
Male genitalia (Figs. 17–20): Gnathos knob globular. Tegumen medially constricted, pedunculus expanded externally. Transtilla elongate triangular. Valvula with long sclerotized ventral expansion which is fused with lateral edge of sacculus. Cucullus rather long and robust, slightly expanded on ventral side. Sacculus of trapezoidal shape, with strong, very sclerotized expansion, ventral angle rounded, dorsal angle rectangular. Phallotheca short, broad and stocky, shaped like arrowhead with rounded apex. Cornuti numerous, small, fused together in shape of short claw.
Female genitalia: Unknown.
Bionomy. The early stages and the foodplant are unknown.
Distribution. RSA (prov. Gauteng).
Etymology. From the Latin animula = little soul. In reference to the small size and pale appearance of the species.
description: Published as part of Baldizzone, Giorgio, 2021, On the taxonomy of Afrotropical Coleophoridae (VI). New species of the genus Coleophora Hübner, 1822 from South Africa (Lepidoptera, Coleophoridae), pp. 167-205 in Zootaxa 5071 (2) on pages 168-172, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5071.2.1, http://zenodo.org/record/5723470