Sergeya chuii Bidzilya, Mey & Rajaei, 2024, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Bidzilya, Oleksiy V.
name: Mey, Wolfram
name: Rajaei, Hossein
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Gelechiidae
Sergeya
Sergeya chuii

description: Sergeya chuii sp. nov.
(Figs 7, 31)
Type material. Holotype ♂, [DR Congo] Eala, iv.1936, leg. J. Ghesquière (gen. slide 201/24, O. Bidzilya) (RMCA).
Diagnosis. The only available specimen (holotype) of S. chuii sp. nov. externally looks indistinguishable from S. malawica sp. nov. The male genitalia of S. chuii sp. nov. are recognized by curved distal process of glandiductor that extends top of cucullus (in all other species of Sergeya, distal process of glandiductor is straight and not extending top of the cucullus). Sergeya chuii sp. nov. is also somewhat similar to S. bunsoensis sp. nov., where both species have deeply emarginated anterior margin of vinculum, reduced saccus and phallus with apical triangular projection. However, in S. chuii sp. nov. uncus is extending to 3/4 length of cucullus; process of glandiductor is curved; phallus has the same length as cucullus (in S. bunsoensis sp. nov. uncus is extending to 1/2 length of cucullus; process of glandiductor is straight; phallus is shorter than cucullus).
Description (Fig. 7). Wingspan 7.0 mm. Head pale; labial palpus recurved, its segment 2 dark brown mottled with grey, its apex, inner and upper surface dark yellow, segment 3 brown with white medial and apical rings; antennal scape yellowish-brown, flagellum in basal half brown ringed with yellow, distal half with alternating 2–3 dark brown and 1–2 pale segments, terminal 1–2 flagellomeres white; thorax and tegulae light brown; forewing dark yellow, costal margin and apical 1/4 brown, dorsal margin slightly irrorated with brown, with brown tornal spot on 2/3, termen spotted with yellow; fringe light grey; hindwing and fringe light grey.
Male genitalia (Fig. 31). Uncus slender, elongate, gradually narrowed apically, densely covered with modified feather-like scales in distal 1/3, twice longer and slightly narrower than tegumen, extending to 3/4 length of cucullus; tegumen rounded; cucullus elongate, gradually broadened distally, apex rounded, densely covered with hairs in distal half; glandiductor basally weakly swollen, then slightly narrowed, distal process slender, distinctly curved, extending beyond top of cucullus; juxta lobes short, narrow; vinculum moderately broad, with deep reverse V-shaped anterior emargination; saccus reduced; phallic tube elongate, slender, straight, of equal width, basal projection about 1/5 length of phallic tube, slender, apex with lateral triangular projection.
Female genitalia. Unknown.
Biology. Host plant unknown. The holotype has been collected in April.
Distribution. DR Congo.
Etymology. The species named after “Chui” which means “Leopard” in Swahili language. This elegant cat is the national symbol of DR Congo.
description: Published as part of Bidzilya, Oleksiy V., Mey, Wolfram & Rajaei, Hossein, 2024, First record of the genus Sergeya Ponomarenko, 2008 (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae) from the Afrotropical and Oriental regions, with description of ten new species, pp. 486-506 in Zootaxa 5493 (5) on page 497, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5493.5.2, http://zenodo.org/record/13330443