Topiris albidella Sterling & Price & Lees 2025, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Sterling, Mark J.
name: Price, Ben W.
name: Lees, David C.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2025
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Xyloryctidae
Topiris
Topiris albidella

description: Topiris albidella Sterling & Lees sp. nov.
Figs 20, 45 A, B, 47, 60 A, B, 70
DNA barcode.
N / A. All five sequence fragments (METAT 082-18, METAT 083-18, DEPAL 051-20, DEPAL 062-20, DEPAL 063-20: see Suppl. material 2) were too short to qualify for a BIN (see Remarks).
Type material.
Indonesia, Sulawesi: Holotype • ♂, Indonesia, Sulawesi, Utara, Dumoga-Bone National Park, ‘ Edwards’ camp, lowland forest, 664 m, October 1985, Project Wallace, fwl 8.5 mm, specimen no. NHMUK 010923048, slide no. NHMUK 010316354, Process ID METAT 082-18 (339 bp). Paratypes (11 ♂, 2 ♀): • 1 ♂ Indonesia, Sulawesi, Utara, Dumoga-Bone National Park, plot B, ca. 300 m, lowland forest, September 1985, Project Wallace specimen no. NHMUK 010923049, slide no. NHMUK 010316433, Process ID METAT 083-18 (368 bp); • 1 ♂ Indonesia, W. Celebes, G. Rangkoenau, 900 ft., Nov. 1936, J. P. A. Kalis leg., specimen no. NHMUK 010923209, slide no. NHMUK 010316434, Process ID DEPAL 051-20 (133 bp); • 1 ♂; Indonesia, W. Celebes, Koelawi Paloe, 3100 ft., Mar. 1937, J. P. A. Kalis leg., specimen no. NHMUK 010923220, slide no. NHMUK 010316435, Process ID DEPAL 062-20 (136 bp); • 1 ♂ Indonesia, W. Celebes, Koelawi Paloe, 3100 ft., Mar. 1937, J. P. A. Kalis leg., specimen no. NHMUK 010923221; slide no. NHMUK 010316436, Process ID DEPAL 063-20 (244 bp); • 1 ♂ Indonesia, W. Celebes, Lindoe Paloe, 3700 ft., Apr. 1937, J. P. A. Kalis leg., specimen no. NHMUK 010219660, slide no. NHMUK 010316866; • 1 ♂ Indonesia, W. Celebes, G. Tompoe, 2700 ft., Feb. 1937, J. P. A. Kalis leg., specimen no. NHMUK 010219693, slide no. NHMUK 010316848; • 1 ♂ Indonesia, Sulawesi, Utara, Dumoga-Bone National Park, ‘ Hog’s Back’ Camp, Lowland Forest, 492 m, Project Wallace, September 1985, specimen no. NHMUK 010219699, slide no. NHMUK 014331359; • 1 ♂ W. Celebes, Koelawi Paloe, 3100 ft., Mar.1937, J. P. A. Kalis leg., specimen no. NHMUK 010219658, slide no. NHMUK 014331360; • 1 ♂ Indonesia, W. Celebes, Loda, Paloe, 4000 ft., May 1937, J. P. A. Kalis leg., specimen no. NHMUK 010219763, slide no. NHMUK 014331362; • 1 ♂ Indonesia, W. Celebes, G. Tompoe, Paloe, W. Celebes, 2700 ft., Jan. 1937, J. P. A. Kalis leg., specimen no. NHMUK 010923230, slide no. NHMUK 014331363; • 1 ♂ Indonesia, Sulawesi, Utara, Dumoga-Bone National Park, Lowland Forest, 664 m, October 1985, Project Wallace, specimen no. NHMUK 010923148, slide no. NHMUK 014331364; • 1 ♀ Indonesia, Sulawesi, Utara, Dumoga-Bone NP, G. Mogogonipa summit 1008 m, 18–20.x.1985, Project Wallace specimen no. NHMUK 010219701, slide no. NHMUK 010316865; • 1 ♀ G. Rangkoenau, W. Celebes, 900 ft., Nov. 1936, leg. J. P. A. Kalis, specimen no. NHMUK 013698481, slide no. NHMUK 014331361.
Diagnosis.
This species is similar externally to T. digiticosta, but in T. digiticosta the apex of the forewing is slightly more angulated and the terminal line terminates prior to the tornus. In the male genitalia the distal margin of the valva of T. albidella is almost straight, the apex is pointed posteriorly but not projecting and there is a small process towards the basal margin, whereas in T. digiticosta the apical margin is strongly concave, forming two distal lobes, the posterior lobe long and digitate, the anterior lobe smaller and curved.
Description.
Male (Fig. 20). Forewing length 8–9.5 mm; wingspan 17.5–20 mm. Head: frons white with small area of ochreous scaling laterally; vertex with small tuft of white scales projecting forward at base of antennae with thick tufts of long white lamellate scales projecting sideways and diagonally from sides of the vertex, overlaying in part a collar of broad white scales projecting posteriorly from anterior margin of prothorax; pilifers short with small tuft of dark bristles; maxillary palps white. Labial palps long (3 × diameter of eye), strongly recurved, basal segment covered in fine ochreous scales, second segment longer than third, strongly curved, white, third segment almost straight, covered in appressed pale ochreous scales. Haustellum with basal half scaled silver white. Antenna ¾ length of forewing, bipectinate, scape thickly scaled, white at base and on much of dorsal surface, otherwise dark cream, flagellum with pectinations for ¾ of length, apical portion filiform, basal flagellomeres scaled dark cream on dorsal surface, otherwise black. Thorax: white with metallic reflections, tegulae short, white; femur of foreleg pale ochreous; tibia and tarsus dark brown intermixed ochreous; moderate tibial epiphysis; mid legs and hind legs white, hind legs with thick tuft of long white scales with metallic reflections. Forewing broad, costa gently rounded at base, otherwise almost straight, apex rounded, termen almost straight, tornus slightly rounded, hindwing broad and rounded; glossy white, unmarked except for small line of dark brown scales at the base of the costa to ~ 1 / 5 and a dark brown terminal line commencing just prior to apex and terminating after tornus; dorsal patch sometimes visible. Hindwing as broad as forewing, white with a faint terminal line near 1 + 1 A. Ventrally, forewing with brownish grey scaling between costa and Sc on the forewing, veins lined with brownish scales, terminal line also present though not as distinct as the forewing, hindwing white.
Female. Similar to male, slightly larger, forewing length 9.5–11 mm; wingspan 20–24 mm, antenna filiform throughout.
Pre-genital abdomen. White with white anal tuft. Tergal spines on posterior part of T 2 – T 7; weak sclerotisation of part of T 8 and sternites. Apodemes slightly curved, venulae slightly sinuate.
Male genitalia (Figs 45 A, B, 47). Uncus anteriorly broad, anterior margin of dorsal surface weakly emarginate, lateral edges tapering towards posterior apex. Gnathos not fused medially and with two narrow, strongly sclerotised lateral posterior projections. Tegumen band broad, strongly arched, lateral extensions of tegumen longer than width of tegumen band. Vinculum long, robust, U shaped, base substantially projecting anteriorly beyond base of valvae. Saccus large. Juxta with broad V-shaped base plate, anellus lobes broad, tapering. Valva broad, slightly tapering distally, costal margin almost straight, setose ventral membrane from costa confined to inner half of valva, small ridge along anterior margin, distal margin almost straight, pointed posterio-apically, a small, slightly sclerotised process close to angle of distal and saccular margin, saccular margin curved towards base, otherwise straight, long thin ventral sclerite postmedially, projection attaching to basal part of saccular process. Sacculus as broad as valva, longer than broad, with scattered setae. Saccular process arising from distal part of sacculus, commencing medially in valva, straight and narrow, setose for> 1 / 2 length with brush of long bristles apically. Aedeagus long with long, recurved, filament-like distal projection and pointed distal thickening, with small sclerite postmedially (Fig. 70). Bulbus ejaculatorius long with two coils and large broad hood.
Female genitalia (Fig. 60 A, B). Papillae anales short and broad, apophyses posteriores 1 ½ × length of apophyses anteriores. S 8 with posterior and anterior margins medially recessed. Ostium small and circular. Antrum long, straight and narrow, sclerotised, melanised, and strongly scobinate almost throughout. Ductus bursae long and thin, anteriorly coiled around posterior part of corpus bursae, posteriorly thin and membranous, anteriorly finely scobinate. Corpus bursae large and elongate, without signum.
Biology and early stages.
Early stages are unknown. The Dumoga-Bone specimens were taken at light at night. The species has been found in February, March, September, October, November, and December in forest habitat from 300–1000 m elevation.
Distribution.
Known from the area around Palu in the late 1930 s and from the Dumoga-Bone National Park in the mid- 1970 s. Both are in Sulawesi, Indonesia.
Etymology.
albidella — from albidus (lat.), white. The adult moth of this species is almost entirely white in colour. The epithet is an adjective in the nominative singular.
Additional material examined
(57 ♂): • 24 ♂ W. Celebes, G. Rangkoenau, 900 ft., Nov. 1936; • 2 ♂ W. Celebes, G. Rangkoenau, 1800 ft., Dec. 1936; • 3 ♂ W. Celebes, G Tompoe, 2700 ft., Jan. 1937; • 8 ♂ W. Celebes, G Tompoe, 2700 ft., Feb. 1937; • 1 ♂ W. Celebes, Koelawi Paloe, 3100 ft., Mar. 1937; • 3 ♂ W. Celebes, Lindoe Paloe, 3700 ft., Apr. 1937, (all J. P. A. Kalis leg); • 2 ♂ Indonesia, Sulawesi, Utara, Dumoga-Bone National Park, 7 / 8.ii.1985, 7.9.1985 J. D. Holloway leg.; • 3 ♂ Indonesia, Sulawesi, Utara, Dumoga-Bone National Park, Project Wallace, March 1985; 11 ♂ Indonesia, Sulawesi, Utara, Dumoga-Bone National Park, Project Wallace, September 1985. The additional material was not examined in detail and does not form part of the type material.
Remarks.
No full COI sequences were obtained from any specimen. Short sequences of 133–368 bp were obtained from five specimens (two failure tracking, three next generation sequences). Specimen nos. NHMUK 010923048 and NHMUK 010923049 produced sequences of 339 and 368 bp respectively. These specimens were both taken in 1985. Specimen nos. NHMUK 010923209, NHMUK 010923220 and NHMUK 010923221 (taken in 1936 and 1937 respectively) were submitted for next generation sequencing and produced sequences of 133 bp, 136 bp and 244 bp respectively. Sequences for NHMUK 010923220 and NHMUK 010923221 are almost 3 % pairwise divergent from NHMUK 010923048 and NHMUK 010923049. All these specimens are males. Their external characters are the same. Each specimen has been dissected and their genitalia are indistinguishable. We have included all these specimens within T. albidella on the basis of the identity in their morphological characters and the substantially incomplete information from their sequences. It remains possible, however, that T. albidella contains a species complex. Topiris digiticosta is externally cryptic with T. albidella although its male genitalia are readily distinguishable. We have therefore included all the additional material which appear to be this taxon on external examination, without dissection or sequencing, as T. albidella, but not included this material in the type material.
description: Published as part of Sterling, Mark J., Price, Ben W. & Lees, David C., 2025, A revision of the hitherto neglected genus Topiris Walker, 1863 (Lepidoptera, Xyloryctidae) with taxonomic notes on the genus Athrypsiastis Meyrick, 1910, pp. 297-368 in ZooKeys 1229 on pages 297-368, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1229.119155