Thiotricha ateriguttata 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 ateriguttata

description: Thiotricha ateriguttata sp. nov.   
(Figs 7C, 23J, 30D)  
 Type material. Holotype ♂, CHINA, Guizhou Province, Suiyang County, Kuankuoshui Reserves, Xiasicun (28.13°N, 107.23°E), 840 m, 8.vi.2010, leg. Linlin Yang, genitalia slide no. LGE18113.   
 Diagnosis. This species can be distinguished from its allies by the white forewing with a row of black spots in distal 1/3. Other related species such as T. gracilis, T. vittata, T. albida and T. attenuata have a longitudinal median line in the distal part of the forewing. Also, T. ateriguttata has a dark grey hindwing with the subapex white and a small black spot on the mid tibia whereas other species usually have unicolored hindwings and mid tibiae without such spot. The male genitalia of T. ateriguttata are similar to those of T. attenuata, but the uncus is widely oblong rather than round, the anellus lobe and the apex of valva are narrower and the saccus is slightly shorter in the former.   
 Description. Adult (Fig. 7C). Wingspan 13.0 mm. Head white. Labial palpus white, segment II fuscous on ventral surface; segment III mixed with brown on ventral surface, slightly shorter than II, pointed at apex. Antenna with scape white; flagellum fuscous, slightly mixed with dirty-white, male cilia shorter than diameter. Thorax and tegula white. Forewing white, anterior edge of costa black; from distal 1/3 of costa a brown streak, its base mixed with black, obliquely extending toward apical spot; beyond this a brown, trapezoidal patch, bordered inwardly and outwardly by white scales; apical spot small and black, surrounded by brown scales outwardly; two or three fuscous median spots lying from distal 1/3 to 1/6 of wing; termen with a short black streak near apex; tornus with a large fuscous spot, anteriorly extending toward apex as a slender line, confluent with costal streak; at middle of dorsum a large fuscous spot; fringe of apical area brown at base, white sub-terminally, black terminally; remaining fringe white. Hindwing dark grey, white before apex, black at apex; fringe of apex white with black tip, remaining fringe whitish grey. Legs white; fore femur, tibia and tarsus black on outer surface; mid tibia with a black spot on outer surface apically; hind tibia with a short black streak on outer surface apically; mid and hind tarsi with first tarsomere black at middle, remaining tarsomeres black basally.   
 Male sternum VIII (Fig. 23J). Broad, subtrapezoidal, posterior margin concave at middle.   
 Male genitalia (Fig. 30D). Uncus widely oblong, setose along lateral and apical margins. Gnathos hook long and simple. Tegumen approximately 2.5 times as long as uncus, anterior margin deeply concave in U-shape. Valva curved inward, with base narrow, gradually widening to distal 1/4; distal 1/4 oblong, setose, rounded at apex. Anellus lobe 1/5 length of valva, constricted at base and at apex, bulged medially; apical bristle 1/2 length of anellus lobe, weak, slightly hooked apically. Juxta with a sparsely setose, hummock-like process. Vinculum simple, with posterior margin rounded. Saccus broad, subtriangular, slightly exceeding tegumen pedunculus. Aedeagus dilated in basal 1/2, then gradually narrowing toward pointed apex.   
Female unknown.  
 Variations. The single specimen examined has three median spots on the left forewing, but two on the right.   
 Distribution. China (Guizhou).   
 Etymology. The species name is derived from Latin ater (black) and guttatus (spotted), referring to the black spot on the mid tibia.
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 28-29, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5449.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/11233121