Scrobipalpa etoshensis Bidzilya 2021, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Bidzilya, Oleksiy V.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2021
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Gelechiidae
Scrobipalpa
Scrobipalpa etoshensis

description: Scrobipalpa etoshensis sp. nov.
Figs 73, 74, 140, 186
Type material. Holotype ♀, Namibia / Namib, Etosha - Camp Halali, 1122 m, 10.viii.2007, GEO-WG 84, 16°28’211”E/ -19°02’155”S, leg. Dr. C. Wieser, Kärntner Landesmusem (LMK). Paratypes: 3 ♂, 8 ♀, same data as holotype; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, same data as holotype, but 11.viii.2007 (gen. slide 103/ 12♂, O. Bidzilya) (MFN 00089) (gen. slide 104/ 12♀, O. Bidzilya) (MFN-00088) (all LMK).
Diagnosis. Scrobipalpa etoshensis sp. nov. is characterized by a comparatively narrow grey forewing with three diffuse black transverse fasciae and light brown markings edged with black in the cell. The new species superficially somewhat resembles S. selectoides sp. nov., but the latter has broader wings, brown rather than black fasciae, and large brown spots in the cell. The male genitalia are distinguished by a large uncus; a long sacculus that extends to 1/3 the length of the valva; a deep, narrow, posteromedial emargination of the vinculum; and a short truncate saccus. For the differences from the very similar male genitalia of S. traganella, see the diagnosis of that species. The female genitalia of S. etoshensis sp. nov. are also very similar to those of S. traganella, but the signum is shorter and the ductus bursae is broader. Scrobipalpa selectoides sp. nov. also has similar female genitalia, but in latter the lobes of the ventromedial depression are broader, with stronger foam-sculpturing, and situated closer to each other (the anteromedial emargination is narrower). Scrobipalpa cultrata Povolný, 1971 from Algeria has a similar wing pattern, but it is smaller (7–12 mm), has a narrower saccus in the male genitalia, and has much longer apophyses in the female genitalia.
Description. Adult (Figs 73, 74). Wingspan 15.2–17.0 mm. Head, thorax and tegulae white to cream with brown-tipped scales, frons white; labial palpus weakly upcurved, white with black annulations at base and in middle, inner surface of palpomere 2 white; scape black, antennal segments white with black rings; forewing grey, randomly mixed with brown, dorsal margin suffused with ochreous brown from base to 3/4, two black oblique fasciae from base and from 1/4 of costal margin to fold, diffuse black transverse fascia at 2/3, black spot or black streack edged with light brown in middle and in corner of cell, subcostal vein mixed with ochreous, narrow, dirty white, subapical fascia at 3/4 length, apical 1/4 mottled with black, cilia white, black-tipped; hindwing and cilia light grey.
Male genitalia (Fig. 140). Uncus trapezoidal, slightly longer than broad, weakly narrowed apically, posterior margin weakly emarginated; gnathos hook short, very thin; tegumen elongate, weakly narrowed apically, anterior margin with deep rounded emargination to 1/3; valva extending to about top of uncus, slenderest in middle, gradually inflated after 1/2 length; sacculus about 1/3 length and nearly as wide as valva at base, outer margin gradually curved, inner margin straight, apex pointed; vinculum moderately wide, posterior margin with deep, narrow, Ushaped medial emargination; vincular process shorter than sacculus, with beak-shaped, outward-turned tip; saccus short, rectangular, extending to apex of pedunculus; phallus shorter than valva, caecum moderately swollen, distal portion straight, apex narrow, pointed, with sclerotized hook.
Female genitalia (Fig. 186). Papillae anales ovate, covered with setae; apophyses posteriores long, narrow; segment VIII almost as broad as long, posterior margin of sternum VIII with broad triangular medial emargination, subgenital plate broadly separated anteriorly and nearly joined posteriorly, inner edge folded, outer edge strongly widened after 1/2 length, foam-sculpturing along inner margin from base of apophyses anteriores to 1/2 length; lobes of ventromedial depression narrow, digitate, wrinkled anteriorly, covered with microtrichia posteriorly, extending slightly beyond anterior margin of sternum VIII, anteromedially separated by triangular emargination, nearly connected posteriorly; apophyses anteriores broad at base, then narrow, pointed, shorter than segment VIII; colliculum moderately long; ductus bursae narrow at base, broad after 1/3 length, with gradual transition to elongate corpus bursae; signum hook slender, strongly curved in middle, on right side at transition to ductus bursae.
Biology. Host plant unknown. Adults fly in August.
Distribution: Namibia.
Etymology. The specific epithet refers to Etosha National Park in Namibia, the type locality of the new species.
description: Published as part of Bidzilya, Oleksiy V., 2021, A review of the genus Scrobipalpa Janse, 1951 (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae) in the Afrotropical region, pp. 1-83 in Zootaxa 5070 (1) on pages 35-36, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5070.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/5712529