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

description: Gargela aculea Léger, sp. n.
https://zoobank.org/AC6452D7-B53A-4FBE-B7C0-A0CD01B85E79
Figs. 28, 87, 146.
MATERIAL
Holotype: ♂ (specimen identifier coll.mfn-berlin.de_u_d6f70c, DNA voucher MFNLEP-PYRALPHIL08-A06, genitalia on slide TL1207♂; BOLD sample ID PYPHI160-22, Genbank Accession Number PP196844). PHILIPPINES: Negros, Patag, 750 m, 20-25.05.1996 (W. Mey). Deposited in MfN.
Paratypes: 5 ♀ (coll.mfn-berlin.de_u_613e87, 386de0, fcb937, 4e1641, a5452e) (detailed information in Table S1; https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.b8gtht7mh).
Other specimen examined: 1 ♀ (detailed information in table S1; https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.b8gtht7mh).
SIMILAR SPECIES
Gargela hastatela Song et al., 2009; G. hainana Song et al., 2009; G. renatusalis (Walker, 1859).
DIAGNOSIS
In the forewing, the well-marked and evenly curved black median and subterminal lines as well as the conspicuous blotch formed by the median line at dorsum (Fig. 28) are unique among Gargela species of the Philippines. These characters are found elsewhere in Gargela hastatela Song et al., 2009, G. hainana Song et al., 2009, and G. renatusalis (Walker, 1859), all occurring in China. In male genitalia (Fig. 87), the dorsal spine of the costal process, the ventrally indented valva, and the three very long cornuti followed by the group of roughly 70 cornuti will separate this species from its congeners. In female genitalia, the evenly rounded posterior margin of the papillae anales, the sclerotized and wrinkled basal part of ductus bursae, and the globular corpus bursae with two lanceolate signa separate Gargela aculea sp. n. from other Gargela species.
HABITUS (FIG. 28)
Forewing length 5.0-6.4 mm (n = 6); ground color snow white. Median line thin, dark brown, broadly incurved outwards, ending at large dark brown patch at dorsum. Postmedian line thin, brown, starting at 7/10 of costa, broadly incurved outwards, ending on dorsum near tornus. Subterminal area with three marked cream yellow dashes at R4, R5, and M1, fourth dash faintly marked at M2; yellowish patch between M3 and CuA2, marked with dark brown between CuA1 and CuA2. Margin thinly marked with black from apex down to M3, with dashes between R5 and M3. Fringe white, with black distal blotches at R5, M1, M2, CuA1, and CuA2. Hindwing white, tornus bearing tuft of thin brown iridescent scales in males.
MALE GENITALIA (FIG. 87)
Uncus ca half of tegumen arm length, beak-shaped, ventrally covered with thick setae, dorso-apically setose, apex pointing downwards. Gnathos projection short, curved downwards, thinly dentate, apex pointed. Valva with broad sacculus, abruptly narrowed at distal 1/4, apex pointed; costal process fused to valva, forming a dorsal tooth at midlength, posteriorly projecting beyond valva, apex curved upwards. Juxta base narrow; apex forming two arms about half as long as total length, dentate and setose on its innerside. Phallus straight, apex lightly sclerotized. Vesica covered with 60+ small cornuti, apically with three long and slender curved cornuti.
FEMALE GENITALIA (FIG. 146)
Papillae anales posterior margin regularly rounded. Posterior apophyses ca 2.7 X length of tergite VIII. Intersegmental membrane VIII-IX ca 1.4 X tergite length. Anterior apophyses ca 1.7 X tergite length. Antrum membranous, with ventral sclerotized tongue. Colliculum elongate, forming sclerotized circumvolutions. Ductus bursae curved in basal half, straight on distal half, enlarging towards corpus opening. Ductus seminalis branching at midlength of ductus bursae. Corpus bursae globular, reticulate, with two lanceolate signa, one at corpus opening, the other at middle of corpus.
DISTRIBUTION
PHILIPPINES: Leyte, Luzon (Quezon), Mindanao, Negros. Collected at altitudes between 650 and 2100 m.
DNA BARCODING
The species delimitation analysis revealed four different MOTUs for the populations of North Luzon (Mountain Province), Luzon (Quezon), Negros, and Mindanao + Leyte. Unfortunately, only the MOTU from Negros contained male specimens, precluding unambiguous assignment of these MOTUs to G. aculea sp. n. The highest intraspecific divergence observed is of 4.3% between samples MFNLEP-PYRALPHIL07-C07 from Luzon (Quezon) and MFNLEP-PYRALPHIL08-B06 from Leyte.
ETYMOLOGY
From the Latin aculeus, i, sting, refering to the small spine of the valva in male genitalia.
REMARKS
Specimen MFNLEP-PYRALPHIL08-C06 exhibits slight differences in female genitalia and could represent another closely related species. Future investigation of male specimens will clarify this case.
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 40-41, DOI: 10.18061/bssb.v3i2.9527, http://zenodo.org/record/15116964