Topiris cinderella 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 cinderella

description: Topiris cinderella Sterling & Lees sp. nov.
Figs 7, 34 A, B, 69, 77, 81
DNA barcodes.
BIN, BOLD: ADZ 9718 (Process IDs METAT 222-19, METAT 225-19, METAT 247-10).
Type material.
Brunei: Holotype • ♂, Brunei, Bt. Bedawan, LP 263, GR 343958, ridge dipterocarp forest, 1700 ft., 20–24.iv.1988, G. S. Robinson leg., fwl 7 mm, specimen no. NHMUK 010923201, slide no. NHMUK 010316400, Process ID METAT 247-19. Paratypes (9 ♂) 1 ♂ same collection data as holotype, specimen no. NHMUK 013700355, slide no. NHMUK 010316408; • 1 ♂ same collection data as holotype, specimen no. NHMUK 010923200; • 1 ♂, Brunei, Rampayoh Road, 100 m, LP 195 B, GR 960785, Lowland dipterocarp forest, 26–29.ix.1997, G. S. Robinson leg., specimen no. NHMUK 010923182, slide no. NHMUK 010316447, Process ID METAT 222-19; • 1 ♂ Brunei, Rampayoh Road, LP 291 B GR 951801, Lowland Dipterocarp Forest 11–15.iv.1988, G. S. Robinson leg., specimen no. NHMUK 010923135, slide no. NHMUK 010316446; • 2 ♂ Brunei, Rampayoh Road, LP 291 B, GR 951801, Lowland Dipterocarp Forest 11–15.iv.1988, G. S. Robinson leg., specimen nos., NHMUK 013700113, NHMUK 013700112; • 1 ♂, Brunei, Lamunin, Sg Burong, disturbed lowland forest, 60 m, 15–20.iv.1993, G. S. Robinson leg. specimen no. NHMUK 010923185, slide no. NHMUK 010316448, Process ID METAT 225-19; • 1 ♂ Brunei, Rampayoh R., LP 291 B, GR 951801, lowland dipterocarp forest, 150 m, 11–15.iv.1988, G. S. Robinson leg., specimen no. NHMUK 010923135; slide no. NHMUK 010316446; • 1 ♂ Brunei, Ulu Temburong, Kuala Belalong FSC, lowland dipterocarp forest, 100 m, 6.vii.1991, G. S. Robinson leg., specimen no. NHMUK 010923133, slide no. NHMUK 010315368.
Diagnosis.
Externally indistinguishable from other small white species and forms of Topiris. The comparatively thin postmedial section of the valva and shorter bristles at the apex distinguishes this species from T. ochrotincta and T. schneeweissella. The distinctions in the male genitalia between T. cinderella and T. candidella are given in the diagnosis of T. candidella.
Description.
Male (Fig. 7). Forewing length 7–7.5 mm, wingspan 15–17 mm. Head: frons with silver white appressed scales; vertex with a small tuft of silvery white scales pointing upwards and away from the base of antennae, thick tuft of long white lamellate scales pointing inwards and posteriorly from sides of occiput, overlaying collar of broad white scales pointing posteriorly from anterior margin of prothorax; pilifers small with small tufts of dark bristles; maxillary palps white. Labial palps long (> 2.5 × diameter of eye), strongly recurved; basal segment with small scale tuft; second segment longer than third, strongly curved, thinly scaled with pale ochreous and white scales; third segment almost straight, thinly scaled ochreous white. Haustellum with basal portion scaled white. Antenna ¾ length of forewing, bipectinate; scape silvery white with some ochreous scaling towards pedicel, flagellum with short broad dark pectinations for ¾ of its length covered in short white sensillae, ochreous on dorsal surface for a short distance at base, thereafter dark brown, apical portion filiform. Thorax: covered in snow white lamellate scales, tegulae snow white; foreleg with femur white, tibia and tarsus brown, moderately broad tibial epiphysis, mid and hindlegs white, hindleg with tuft of long white scales. Forewing broad, costa slightly rounded at base, otherwise straight, apex slightly projecting, termen angled slightly inwards, tornus obtusely angled, snow white with no markings except for a small line of dark brown scales at base of costa to ~ 1 / 5. Hindwing as broad as forewing, very slightly pointed at apex otherwise round and broad, white with no markings. Ventrally, surface of forewing with area between costa and Sc with brown scaling and ochreous scaling along the veins, hindwing white.
Female. Unknown.
Pre-genital abdomen. White, anal tuft white. Tergal spines on posterior parts of T 2 – T 7, T 8 weakly sclerotised anteriorly; sternites weakly sclerotised. Apodemes almost straight, venulae sinuate.
Male genitalia (Fig. 34 A, B). Uncus broad, anterior margin of dorsal surface weakly emarginate, apically slightly bilobed. Gnathos fused medially, lateral arms thin and lightly sclerotised, medial plate small and lightly sclerotised, weakly projecting posteriorly from lateral arms. Tegumen band broad, strongly arched, lateral extensions of tegumen same length as width of tegumen band. Vinculum robust, strongly sclerotised, strongly diverging distad of saccus (Fig. 77), U shaped basally, base barely projecting anteriorly beyond base of valvae. Saccus short. Juxta with base plate strongly sclerotised, anellus lobes broad. Valva long, basally broad, substantially tapering apically, costal ventral membrane confined to inner half of valva, rugose, raised distally (Fig. 81), bearing long fine setae, from base of which arises, at an acute angle, a long, sclerotised process which is setose throughout, apex thin and rounded with apical tuft of bristles, saccular margin curved, strong ventral sclerite postmedially with projection joining to base of saccular process. Sacculus very large with strong mesad shoulder, slightly longer than broad. Saccular process developing from distal part of sacculus, commencing close to costa of valva, strongly sclerotised and melanised, broad and straight at base, narrowing towards apex, apical portion a long, curved hook with a narrow apical point, short fine setae present. Aedeagus short, thin, slightly curved, small recurved, filament-like distal projection (Fig. 69). Bulbus ejaculatorius long with two coils and a broad elongate hood.
Biology and early stages.
Early stages unknown. Adults have been found in dipterocarp forest in April, July, and September.
Distribution.
Brunei.
Etymology.
cinderella — named after the heroine of the fairy tale of that name. A closely related species to Snow White (see below, T. schneeweissella). The epithet is a noun in apposition.
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