Microchilo spinosus Leger 2024, sp. n.
Creators: name: Léger, Théo
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Crambidae
Microchilo
Microchilo spinosus

description: Microchilo spinosus Léger, sp. n.
https://zoobank.org/ 36A61366-0180-4B00-8141-EF92C413498E
Figs. 56, 119, 177.
MATERIAL
Holotype: ♂ (specimen identifier coll.mfn-berlin.de_u_ 8028c5, DNA voucher MFNLEP-PYRALPHIL08-H07, TL1761♂; BOLD sample ID PYPHI237-22, Genbank Accession Number PP196916). PHILIPPINES: Mindanao, Mount Agtuuganon, 1050 m, 28.05-07.06.1996 (W. Mey). Deposited in MfN.
Paratypes: 12 ♂ (specimen identifiers coll.mfn-berlin.de_u_f6c89a, 9af9bd, d9d04d, 12a546, eca519, ee4ce6, 8302d6, b49b3c, 89de2c, da36cd, 32369b), 8 ♀ (specimen identifiers MfN: coll.mfn-berlin.de_u_bc4c7f, e3f73d, fd8d7a, 8c0402, 58c789, ea0468, 54345b; PNM: id.bioseasia.org_u_023561, 023563) (detailed information in Table S1; https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.b8gtht7mh).
SIMILAR SPECIES
Microchilo imminutela sp. n.
DIAGNOSIS
This species is much smaller and is similar in size to Microchilo imminutela sp. n. In the forewing, Microchilo spinosus sp. n. lacks the marginal black spots observed in other species. The examination of the genitalia enables unambiguous identification: Male genitalia have a narrow spatulate uncus apex and a phallus with a group of six cornuti (males of M. cebuano sp. n. and M. imminutela sp. n. unknown). In female genitalia (Fig. 177), the ring of sclerotized spines at corpus bursae opening separates this species from its congeners.
HABITUS (FIG. 56)
Forewing length 3.7-4.2 mm (n = 9), ground color brown, sparkled with cream scales. Antemedian line arched outwards, shortly indented inwards in cubital area, cream, edged distally with dark brown band. Postmedian line regularly arched outwards, cream. Subterminal area dark brown. Fringes dark brown. Hindwing greyish brown.
MALE GENITALIA (FIG. 119)
Uncus elongate, medially narrowed, apex duck-beak shaped, setose. Gnathos arms joining onto a small triangular tip covered with tiny spines. Valva ventral margin slightly convex at base, then straight, dorsal margin straight, sclerotized, projecting into a small tip distally, valva apex rounded. Juxta broad, apex deeply indented. Vesica with a group of six short, dentate cornuti and one larger, separate, curved cornutus; apex slightly sclerotized.
FEMALE GENITALIA (FIG. 177)
Papillae anales small, triangular in lateral view. Posterior apophyses ca 2 X length of tergite VIII. Anterior apophyses ca 1.9 X length of tergite VIII. Colliculum membranous. Ductus bursae very short, broad, covered with sclerotized spines near corpus opening, extending into a ring of spines at corpus opening. Corpus bursae ovoid. Signum C-shaped with dentate margin. Ductus seminalis branched directly from corpus bursae.
DISTRIBUTION
MALAYSIA: Borneo (Sabah). PHILIPPINES: Luzon (Albay, Camarines Sur), Mindoro, Negros, Mindanao (Davao Oriental). Collected at altitudes between 150 and 1050 m.
DNA BARCODING
The highest intraspecific p-distance observed is of 0.6% between sample MFNLEP-PYRALPHIL08-H09 and samples MFNLEP-PYRALPHIL08-A08 and MFNLEP-PYRALPHIL09-C07, all from Mount Agtuuganon on Mindanao.
ETYMOLOGY
From the Latin spinosus, a, um, spiny, referring to the cornuti observed on the vesica in male genitalia.
REMARKS
Specimen with DNA extraction number MFNLEP1000 from Borneo belongs to the same haplotype found in the Philippines. This suggests recent exchanges between populations of Borneo and the Philippines islands.
description: Published as part of Léger, Théo, 2024, Half of the Diversity Undescribed: Integrative Taxonomy Reveals 32 New Species and a High Cryptic Diversity in the Scopariinae and Crambinae of the Philippines (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), pp. 1-93 in Bulletin of the Society of Systematic Biologists 3 (2) on pages 77-78, DOI: 10.18061/bssb.v3i2.9527, http://zenodo.org/record/15116964