Promalactis similinfulata Wang, Kendrick & Sterling, 2009, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Wang, Shuxia
name: Kendrick, Roger C.
name: Sterling, Philip
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2009
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Oecophoridae
Promalactis
Promalactis similinfulata

description: Promalactis similinfulata sp. nov.
(Figs. 2, 12)
Type material: CHINA: Holotype, 3, Nam Chung Valley, Hong Kong, 135 m, 18.iv.2007, leg. Houhun Li et al., genitalia slide No. W07022. Paratype: 1 3, same data as for holotype.
Description. Imago (Fig. 2). Wing expanse 8.5 mm. Head with vertex whitish yellow, frons shiny grey. Antenna white or greyish yellow on scape, greyish yellow and brown on flagellum. Labial palpus whitish yellow mixed with deep greyish brown, third segment black except basal 1/3 and end pale yellow. Thorax and tegula black. Forewing ground colour ochreous with dense black scales; costal margin with large black blotches at base, middle and distal reaching across midwing, respectively; ventral margin white at base tinged with black; six short white streaks present: first streak from outside of basal blotch to 2/5 of cell at middle, second streak from outside of middle blotch reaching near lower corner of cell, third to fifth streaks extending from proximal base, about 1/4 and slightly beyond middle of ventral margin extending to above fold, respectively, sixth streak from above the fourth one reaching near end of lower corner of cell meeting the second line and joining all the lines except the ventral proximal one; the area between third to fifth lines dark brown, forming two squarely shaped spots; termen mottled white and black scales; apex pointed, with white spot; cilia orange yellow but greyish white apically. Hindwing and cilia deep grey. Legs dark brown except tibia of hindleg greyish brown on dorsal surface, greyish yellow on ventral surface.
Male genitalia (Fig. 12). Uncus wide at base, narrowed toward pointed apex, somewhat triangular. Gnathos tongue-shaped, granulated in anterior 1/3; lateral arms strong. Valva with dorsal and ventral margins nearly parallel for basal 3/4; costa gently concave beyond middle, extending to a thumb-like distal process. Sacculus narrow and sclerotized, produced into a large rounded distal process bearing a small spine at apex, end not reaching costa. Saccus about same length as uncus, nearly parallel-sided, rounded at apex. Juxta slender, reaching middle of gnathos; lateral lobe slender, bifurcate and curved inward distally, its outer branch stronger and longer than inner branch. Phallus straight, longer than valva; cornutus spine-formed, about 1/3 length of phallus.
Female. Unknown.
Diagnosis. This species is close to P. infulata Wang, Li et Zheng in appearance, but can be separated from it by the lateral lobe of juxta bifurcate and curved inward distally, and the cornutus small, about 1/3 length of phallus in the male genitalia. In P. infulata, the lateral lobe of juxta is straight and tapers to apex, and the cornutus is large, about 3/4 as long as the phallus.
Etymology. The specific name is derived from the Latin prefix simil - (similar) and the name of another species infulata, referring to the similarity of the two species.
Hong Kong distribution and status. To date, this species has been found at a single site in the far northeast of the New Territories, with well developed secondary forest at 135 m elevation, and a permanent large stream in the immediate vicinity; the flight period appears to be mid-April.
description: Published as part of Wang, Shuxia, Kendrick, Roger C. & Sterling, Philip, 2009, Microlepidoptera of Hong Kong: Oecophoridae I: the genus Promalactis Meyrick, pp. 31-44 in Zootaxa 2239 on pages 34-35, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.275204