Elachista achlyodes Kaila 2017, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Kaila, Lauri
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2017
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Elachistidae
Elachista
Elachista achlyodes

description: Elachista achlyodes sp. nov.
Figs 2, 11
Type material. Holotype ♂: New Caledonia 20°24’S 160°11’E Mandjelia, 650 m, 20.–21.II.1984 M. Pogue & M. Epstein leg., Genitalia slide by L. Kaila, USNM 142,823 (USNM).
Diagnosis. Elachista achlyodes is a species with dark grey forewing ground colour. Its only pattern is formed of even darker, prominent discal and plical spots. It is darker than other New Caledonian species, and according to the shape of male genitalia close to the Australian E. aluta Kaila, 2011 and E. sphaerella Kaila, 2011. The characteristics in common with these species are the long and distally broadened uncus lobes, the narrow and elongate spinose knob of the gnathos and the very long and narrow digitate process. The phallus with its small dorsal tooth at apex, however, is more reminiscent to the Australian E. flammula Kaila, 2011. It is lacking in E. aluta and E. sphaerella. This character also distinguishes E. achlyodes from other New Caledonian species. The shape of the juxta lobes with a distinct angle at medial margin distinguishes E. achlyodes from all the related Australian species.
Description. Forewing length 3.8 mm. Labial palpus ascending, 1.2 x diameter of head; second segment and median part of third segment bluish white above, mottled dark grey below. Scales of head, neck tuft, patagia, thorax, scape and pedicel iridescent, bluish grey, dark grey tipped. Pecten formed of a few narrow scales at the base of scape. Flagellum dark grey, serrate in distal half. Scales of legs iridescent, bluish grey, dark grey-tipped, tibia and tarsomeres with pale distal rings; hind tibia basally broadly pale. Forewing ground colour consisting of basally blue, distally dark grey scales with bronzy sheen; plical spot black, elongate, at 1/2 wing length at fold, fold outward with a few black, raised scales; discal spot similar to plical spot, at 3/4 wing length in the middle of wing; fringe scales grey as forewing ground colour; underside dark grey. Hindwing and underside of both wings dark grey with concolorous fringe.
Male genitalia. Uncus lobes medially separated by deep drop-shaped indentation; lobe three times as long as wide, spoon-shaped, basally narrow, distally somewhat broadened and rounded; ventral surface distolaterally broadly covered by cylindrical scales arising from erect pinaculae. Basal arms of gnathos as long as uncus lobe, distally separate. Spinose knob of gnathos small, diamond-shaped, over twice as long as wide at its wides point. Valva 4 x as long as wide, parallel-sided; basal fold of costa straight, extended to 2/3 length of valva, distal fold broad triangular, extended to 6/7 length of valva where it fades and where cucullus is twisted on top of costa forming distinct hump; sacculus nearly straight, apically with curved horn-like spine; sacculus joining cucullus at an angle of 100°; cucullus small, produced towards costa. Digitate process 2/5 length of valva, straight, narrow medially, distally twice wider than in its narrowest point and blunt, sparsely covered with setae medially and distally. Median plate of juxta concave without lateral or posterior extensions, oval. Juxta lobe laterally produced, medial margin short and straight joining distal margin without angle; medial 2/3 of distal margin slightly concave, lateral part concave, with a group of setae at distal angle. Vinculum U-shaped. Phallus weakly bent, S-shaped, somewhat tapered towards apex, 8.8 x as long as wide in the middle of its length; length 7/ 8 x as long as valva; insertion of ductus ejaculatorius dorsoposteriorly directed; caecum blunt, as long as width of basal opening of phallus; distal opening of phallus extended to distal 2/3 of phallus; apex dorsally bent, tapered to tip; cornuti absent.
Female genitalia. Unknown.
Biology. Unknown.
Distribution. New Caledonia.
Etymology. The name is derived from the Greek word achlys, ‘darkness’. This refers to the dark grey wing colour of E. achlyodes.
Remarks. The overall similarity of E. achlyodes to the Australian E. aluta and E. sphaerella, but in some respects, also to E. flammula, all placed in the E. catarata section, suggests that E. achlyodes is also a representative of this species group.
description: Published as part of Kaila, Lauri, 2017, First records of Elachistinae from New Caledonia: evidence of repeated dispersal events with Australia (Lepidoptera, Gelechioidea, Elachistidae), pp. 536-550 in Zootaxa 4300 (4) on page 540, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4300.4.4, http://zenodo.org/record/839266