Thiotricha albalata 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 albalata

description: Thiotricha albalata sp. nov.   
(Figs 13B, 25P, 38B)  
 Type material. Holotype ♂, CHINA, Hebei Province, Xinglong County, Mt. Wuling, Shuangyuanfeng (40.61°N, 117.45°E), 800 m, 26.vii.2011, leg. Houhun Li and Yanpeng Cai, genitalia slide no. LGE18245. Paratypes. CHINA: Hebei Province: 1 ♂, same data as holotype except 22.vii.2011, genitalia slide no. LGE18246; Henan Province: 1 ♂, Xiuwu Forest, 1028 m, Mt. Yuntai, Jiaozuo, 5.viii.2014, leg. Peixin Cong, Sha Hu and Linjie Liu, genitalia slide no. LGE18270; Shanxi Province: 1 ♂, Dahe Forest (35.46°N, 111.94°E), 1202 m, Yicheng County, Linfen City, 26.vii.2013, leg. Shulian Hao and Mingjing Li, genitalia slide no. LGE18272.   
 Diagnosis. Superficially this species is somewhat similar to T. lineata and the differences are given under the latter species. The male genitalia also resemble those of T. lineata, but the valva is almost uniformly elongate from base to apex in T. albalata whereas the valval base is very narrowed in the latter species. The female genitalia are unknown for the two species.   
 Description. Adult (Fig. 13B). Wingspan 9.0 mm. Head white. Labial palpus white; in male, segment I long, fuscous on outer surface; segment II as long as I, hair pencil reaching apex of III; segment III longer than II, tipped fuscous. Antenna with scape white; flagellum fuscous except basal 3/4 of dorsal surface white, male cilia as long as diameter. Thorax white, tinged with fuscous on posterior margin. Tegula white, fuscous along anterior margin. Forewing ground color dirty-white, anterior edge of costa dark fuscous in basal 1/3 or 1/2 of wing, apical area light brown; apical spot elongate, bordered inwardly by light brown scales, apex falcate; markings fuscous: a slender, longitudinal line running from base near costa, broadened at middle of wing as a patch, then extends obliquely toward termen as a slender line; beyond this, outwardly oblique, two costal streaks from 1/3 and 1/4 of wing, respectively, first streak wider than second, attenuated toward tornus, confluent with former costal line first then confluent with second costal streak at half way across wing, meeting a short tornal streak posteriorly; beyond this, two inwardly oblique costal strigulae before apical spot, alternating with white scales; basal 1/4 of wing an indistinct, outwardly oblique short streak running from near dorsum to fold; basal 1/2 an outwardly oblique streak running from fold toward apex, confluent with first costal streak before apex; beyond this, a short streak in parallel with former, running from near tornus toward apex, confluent with former streak before apex; fringe on apical area dark fuscous with a creamy median band, on termen metallic fuscous with base cream, on dorsum white. Hindwing grey, tipped dark fuscous; fringe grey except apical area fuscous. Legs as in T. macularis except oblique streak on mid tibia indistinct.   
 Male sternum VIII (Fig. 25P). Approximately 1/6 length of abdomen, sub-trapezoidal, posterior apex slightly concave.   
 Male genitalia (Fig. 38B). Uncus oblong. Gnathos hook simple, moderately long. Tegumen approximately 3 times as long as uncus. Valva slender, almost uniformly elongate from base to apex, rounded at apex. Anellus lobe approximately 1/3 length of valva, strongly constricted basally, distal 2/3 ovate; apical bristle slightly shorter than anellus lobe, slightly curved. Juxta simple, broadly convex. Vinculum with posterior margin nearly straight. Saccus sub-triangular, as long as tegumen pedunculus. Aedeagus with basal half dilated, narrowed beyond middle, apical 1/4 slightly broadened.   
Female unknown.  
 Variations. The base of the anellus lobe is not distinctly constricted in a specimen from Henan and a specimen from Shanxi has the valva slightly narrowed beyond the middle.   
 Distribution. China (Hebei, Henan, Shanxi).   
 Etymology. The species name is derived from Latin, albus (whitish) and alatus (winged), referring to the white forewing.
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 90-91, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5449.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/11233121