Thiotricha lineata Lee & Li 2024, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Lee, Ga-Eun
name: Li, Houhun
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Gelechiidae
Thiotricha
Thiotricha lineata

description: Thiotricha lineata sp. nov.   
(Figs 13A, 25O, 38A)  
 Type material. Holotype ♂, CHINA, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Hechi, Huanjiang County, Yangmeiao (25.29°N, 109.31°E), 1180 m, 24.vii.2015, leg. Meiqing Yang and Ga-Eun Lee, genitalia slide no. LGE18230.   
 Diagnosis. This species closely resembles T. vittaticosta and the differences between two species are stated under the latter species. It is also similar to T. albalata with regard to having a narrow line near the forewing costa, but T. lineata is a more slender moth with vivid markings. In T. albalata, two costal streaks are more remote from each other and the dorsum has much reduced and indistinct markings compared to T. lineata. The male genitalia of T. lineata are characterized by the slender valva and the stout anellus lobe.   
 Description. Adult (Fig. 13A). Wingspan 7.0 mm. Head white. Labial palpus white; in male, segment I long, fuscous on outer surface; segment II as long as I, hair pencil slightly exceeding apex of III; segment III longer than II, fuscous on ventral surface. Antenna with scape white; flagellum fuscous except basal half of dorsal surface white, male cilia twice as long as diameter. Thorax white, with a broad, fuscous median streak. Tegula white, fuscous along anterior margin. Forewing ground color white, slightly mixed with grey and cream, anterior edge of costa dark fuscous in basal 1/3 of wing, apical area light brown; apical spot round, suffused inwardly with silvery white scales, apex falcate; markings fuscous: a very slender line running from base near costa, longitudinally and uniformly extended to middle of wing, then abruptly broadened on costa forming a patch or a spot, narrowed again after middle and slightly curved toward termen; beyond this, outwardly oblique, two costal streaks from distal 1/3 and 1/4 of wing, respectively, first streak confluent with former costal line, then confluent with second costal streak at half way across wing, running toward tornal streak but interrupted by silvery scales; beyond this, two inwardly oblique costal strigulae before apical spot, alternating with white scales; a fuscous shade from near base to basal 2/3 along dorsum; above this, a longitudinal streak from near base to basal 1/3, slightly curved distally and reached fold; from basal 1/3 of dorsum, the shade becomes distinct and broadened, extends toward apex as an outwardly oblique streak, attenuated beyond fold, meets costal streak before apex; from near tornus two slender and inwardly oblique streaks shortly running toward discal cell, both confluent anteriorly, then strongly curved outward forming a V-shaped marking, running toward apical spot and confluent with costal streak distally; tornal streak short, running toward costal streaks but interrupted by silvery scales; fringe on apical area dark fuscous with a creamy median band, on termen metallic fuscous with base cream, on dorsum grey strongly mixed with cream distally. Hindwing grey, subapex mixed with cream, apex dark fuscous; fringe grey except apical area fuscous. Legs as in T. macularis.   
 Male sternum VIII (Fig. 25O). 1/5 length of abdomen, elongate trapezoidal, lateral margins broadly concave, posterior apex truncate.   
 Male genitalia (Fig. 38A). Uncus oblong. Gnathos hook simple, moderately long. Tegumen approximately 3 times as long as uncus. Valva very slender, distal 2/3 slightly broadened. Anellus lobe obovate, with base strongly constricted, approximately twice width and 1/3 length of valva; apical bristle 1/2 length of anellus lobe, slightly curved inward. Juxta simple, broadly convex. Vinculum with posterior margin slightly convex at middle. Saccus short, triangular. Aedeagus with basal half dilated, apical 1/4 abruptly narrowed, apex blunt.   
Female unknown.  
 Distribution. China (Guangxi).   
 Etymology. The species name is from Latin, lineatus (having a fine line), referring to the slender line near costa of the forewing.
description: Published as part of Lee, Ga-Eun & Li, Houhun, 2024, A taxonomic review of Thiotricha Meyrick, 1886 (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae, Thiotrichinae) from China, with descriptions of 84 new species, pp. 1-222 in Zootaxa 5449 (1) on pages 88-90, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5449.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/11233121