Sufetula polystrialis
Creators: name: Müller, Anne
name: Hayden, James
name: Lees, David C.
name: Léger, Théo
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2025
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Crambidae
Sufetula
Sufetula polystrialis

description: Sufetula polystrialis (Hampson, 1912)
(Figures 17, 30, 41)
Sufetula polystrialis Hampson, 1912. Type locality: “Louisiades, St. Aignan Island [Misima Island, Papua New Guinea]]”.
Material examined. Syntypes: 1 Ƌ (specimen identifier NHMUK 013699689; left wings missing): “Type” [red circled] | “St. Aignan I. Louisiade. A.S. Meek, 99 - 32” | “ Sufetula polystrialis type Ƌ. Hmpsn”; 1 ♀ (specimen identifier NHMUK 013699634); “Type” [red circled]; “ St. Aignan Nov. 1897 (Meek)” [black squared] | “ Sufetula polystrialis type ♀. Hmpsn.” | “99 - 49”; Deposited in NHMUK.
Other specimens examined. ♀ (probably not syntypic; specimen identifier NHMUK 015666552): Milne Bay A.S. Meek | 1900 - 45; 1 Ƌ (specimen identifier coll.mfn-berlin.de_u_7b23a3). Detailed information in Table S1.
Diagnosis. This species can be best recognized by the white striated postmedian area and the two flattened lunule-shaped costal spots on the forewing (Figure 17), as well as the broad postmedian line running roughly straight, slightly disrupted near the dorsum on the hindwing. In the male genitalia (Figure 41), the evenly tongue-shaped uncus separates this species from other Sufetula species. The female genitalia are not known.
Redescription. Wings (Figure 17). Forewing length: 7 - 9 mm; ground colour light brown. Antemedian line forming short tip projecting distad on radial vein, bent outwards in discoidal cell, then bent inwards in cubital area, running to basal 1/4 of dorsum. Median and postmedian area with large patch of dark brown striated with white stripes on veins. Costa with two large, flattened rounded cream spots innerly cream or light brown. Postmedian line cream, arched outwards to M 3, then abruptly bent inwards toward base, jagged, directed vertically towards dorsum in cubital area. Submarginal line dark brown. Fringe basally cream, distally greyish brown. Hindwing ground colour gray and white. Antemedian area with dark brown transverse band. Postmedian line white, basally edged with dark brown, rather wide, running straight, slightly disrupted inwards near dorsum. Submarginal area with broad dark brown band. Marginal area whitish gray. Subterminal line thin, dark brown, sharply contrasted from marginal white. Fringe light brown. Tympanal organs (Figure 30). Ƌ. Bullae tympani 1/4 recessed lateral of venula prima. Saccus tympani present, laterally demarcated, showing typical shape associated with sexually dimorphism, almost 1/2 width of bulla. Venulae secundae barely marked, fading posteriad from saccus tympani. Male genitalia (Figure 41). Uncus ca 2/5 of tegumen arm length, moderately large, with linguiform apex. Valva ca 1.6 × longer than wide, subrectangular, ventral margin concave on basal 1/3, then straight; angled at 2/3, then running upwards; apex forming slightly demarcated rounded protrusion. Female genitalia. Not known.
Distribution. PHILIPPINES: Luzon (Quezon) (Figure 55). INDONESIA: Irian Jaya (Birdshead Peninsula). PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Milne Bay (Misima Island); Hydrographer Mts 2500 ft.; Mt. Riu, Sudest I., 2000 ft.; Dampier Isl.; Ishurava, 3,000 ft; Upper Aroa R.; Sariba Isl.; New Ireland; MALUKU: Batian [Batjan]; SOLOMONS: Arawa, N. Bougainville; Rendova. Collected at an elevation of 120 m on Luzon; ca. 600 - 900 m elsewhere.
DNA barcoding. The only specimen subjected to molecular analyses did not yield any DNA barcode.
description: Published as part of Müller, Anne, Hayden, James, Lees, David C. & Léger, Théo, 2025, Assessment of species diversity of the Lathrotelinae (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) from the Philippines using morphology and DNA barcoding reveals eight new species, pp. 1-24 in Journal of Asia-Pacific Biodiversity CLXVI (CLXVI) on page 21, DOI: 10.1016/j.japb.2025.01.012, http://zenodo.org/record/15396126