Sergeya harambee Bidzilya, Mey & Rajaei, 2024, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Bidzilya, Oleksiy V.
name: Mey, Wolfram
name: Rajaei, Hossein
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Gelechiidae
Sergeya
Sergeya harambee

description: Sergeya harambee sp. nov.
(Figs 18, 19, 22, 40, 46)
Type material. Holotype ♂, Kenya: Aberdares Nat. Park, Ruhuryini Gate, 22.xi.2000, Camp site, Alt. 2278 m, 00°23’S 36°49’E, leg. U. Dall’Asta (gen. slide 210/24, O. Bidzilya) (RMCA). Paratypes: 2 ♂, 1 ♀, same data as for holotype (gen. slide 205/24♂, O. Bidzilya); 2 ♀, same data as for holotype, but 20.x.2001 (gen. slide 206/24, O. Bidzilya) (RMCA).
Diagnosis. Sergeya harambee sp. nov. can easy be recognized by its large size (over 12 mm in wingspan in contrast to less than 9 mm in other species of this genus); broad dark brown suffusion along margins (narrow suffusion in other Sergeya species); and dark grey hindwing (light grey in other species). The male genitalia of S. harambee sp. nov. resemble those of S. davidi sp. nov., as both species have narrow basal part of cucullus, and very broad rounded membranous basal part of glandiductor. But, in S. harambee sp. nov. basal part of glandiductor is broader than distal part of cucullus; distal process of glandiductor is weaker sclerotized and with additional narrow projection; saccus is much narrower (in S. davidi sp. nov. basal part of glandiductor is as broad as distal part of cucullus; distal process of glandiductor is strongly sclerotized and with single projection). The female genitalia of S. harambee sp. nov. are diagnostic in having rounded ostial sclerite; tubular antrum covered with honey-comb sclerotization in posterior part (in other species of the genus the honey-comb sclerotization is absent; antrum Ushaped and unmodified posteriorly). Last but not least, S. harambee sp. nov. has extremely long ductus bursae, signum absent.
Description (Figs 18, 19, 22). Wingspan 12.0–14.3 mm. Head, yellowish-brown, frons dark yellow, labial palpus recurved, segment 2 dark brown with pale apex, inner and upper surface light brown mottled with dark brown, segment 3 light brown to dark yellow, with brown medial and subapical ring; antennal scape dark brown, anterior and lower surface pale, flagellum brown, ringed with dark yellow on lower surface, apical half with alternating 3–5 dark brown and 1–3 white flagellomeres, terminal flagellomere white; thorax light brown, tegulae light brown, dark brown on base; forewing yellowish-brown to light brown in middle, with broad dark brown suffusion along margins in apical 1/4, black tornal spot on 3/4 distinct or hidden by brown suffusion, costal margin and termen spotted with yellowish brown; fringe grey; hindwing and fringe dark grey.
Variation. Some specimens are light brown without dark irroration along margins but with apex shaded with dark brown.
Male genitalia (Fig. 40). Uncus slender, elongate, of even width to half length, then weakly narrowed, densely covered with modified feather-like scales and strong setae in distal half, extending to 4/5 length of cucullus; tegumen subtrapezoid, slightly broader than long, anterior margin almost straight; cucullus gradually bent, slender in basal 2/3, then strongly broadened, densely covered with hair-like scales; glandiductor with large rounded membranous basal lobe, distal process with rounded basal plate, consisting of one broad and 5–7 narrow needle-shaped projections; juxta lobes short, hump-shaped; vinculum slightly broader than long; saccus moderately slender, weakly narrowed apically, extending to top of pedunculus; phallic tube weakly inflated at base, gradually narrowed apically, apex rounded with short down-curved lobe, basal projection slender, short.
Female genitalia (Fig. 46). Papillae anales broadly ovate, irregularly sclerotized along anterior margin; apophyses posteriores straight, slender, twice longer than apophyses anteriores; sternum VIII weakly sclerotized laterally, medial 1/3 membranous, ostial sclerite rounded, posterior margin strongly sclerotized; antrum tubular, strongly sclerotized and covered with honey-comb sclerotization in distal half; apophyses anteriores gradually pointed apically, as long as sternum VIII; ductus bursae very long and slender; corpus bursae pear shaped, no signum.
Biology. Host plant unknown. Adults have been collected in late November at an altitude of 2278 m.
Distribution. Kenya.
Etymology. “Harambee” in Swahili language means “all pull together” and is the official motto of Kenya.
description: Published as part of Bidzilya, Oleksiy V., Mey, Wolfram & Rajaei, Hossein, 2024, First record of the genus Sergeya Ponomarenko, 2008 (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae) from the Afrotropical and Oriental regions, with description of ten new species, pp. 486-506 in Zootaxa 5493 (5) on page 504, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5493.5.2, http://zenodo.org/record/13330443