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

description: Scrobipalpa ochroxantha sp. nov.
Figs 8–10, 95, 158
Type material. Holotype ♂, S. Africa, nr. Grahamstown, Burnt Kraal, 3317S, 2629E, reared ex. Solanum coccineum, Stem Galls, PEH 44, 29/5/85, coll. PEHulley / AcRH 480 (gen. slide 278/12, O. Bidzilya) (TMSA). Paratype: 1 ♀, same data as holotype, but PEH 41, 8.v.85 (gen. slide 261/12, O. Bidzilya) (TMSA); 1 ♀, S. Africa, nr. Grahamstown, Oatlands North, reared ex. Solanum rigescens, stem galls, 20.viii.1987 (Olckers) | AcRH 481(gen. slide 122/17, O. Bidzilya) (TMSA); 1 ♀, RSA, East Cape, Asante-Sana, 28.ii-5.iii.2014 (Mey) (gen. slide 147/17, O. Bidzilya); 1 ♀, South Africa, E. Cape, Graaff-Reinet District, Sneeuberg, Petersburg, 6–14.xi.2012 (Krüger) (gen. slide 108/17, O. Bidzilya) (TMSA).
Diagnosis. Scrobipalpa ochroxantha sp. nov. can be recognized by its large size (17.8–20.0 mm) and nearly unicolorous light ochreous-brown forewing and brown hindwing with contrasting light yellowish-grey cilia. The broad, apically rounded vincular process of the male genitalia are very similar to those of S. incola, but differ in having a narrower saccus and longer caecum. The female genitalia are distinguished by a broadly foam-sculptured area along the inner margin of the subgenital plates, long apophyses anteriores and a signum with a small basal plate lacking a broadened basally distal hook. Scrobipalpa wieseri sp. nov. differs in its shorter, stronger curved and basally broader hook of the signum.
Description. Adult (Figs 8–10). Wingspan 17.8–20.0 mm. Head yellowish brown to light brown; labial palpus strongly upcurved, light brown, outer surface dark brown at base, palpomere 2 twice length and twice width of palpomere 3, with moderate groove on underside; scape brown, antennal segments lights brown with whitish rings; thorax, tegulae, cilia and forewing uniformly ochreous; hindwing dark brown, cilia light yellowish grey.
Male genitalia (Fig. 95). Uncus elongate, about 1/2 length of tegumen, weakly narrowed apically, slightly longer than broad at base, gnathos stout, distal sclerite broad, subtriangular with pointed tip; tegumen twice as long as wide, with indistinct transition to uncus, subrectangular, anteromedial emargination broad, triangular, extending to 1/3 length of tegument; valva weakly curved, slightly narrowed in middle, apex weakly inflated, reaching top of uncus; sacculus about 1/3 length of valva, triangular, tapered towards pointed tip, separated from valva by deep, broad gap; vincular processes digitate, as long as sacculus but broader, apex rounded, separated from sacculus by deep, narrow gap; vinculum broad, posterior margin with deep, narrow, V-shaped medial incision; saccus broad at base, tapered towards broadened apex, projecting far beyond apex of pedunculus; phallus slightly longer than tegumen, caecum moderately inflated, less than 1/3–1/2 length and 1/2 width of phallus, apex pointed with downwards curved hook.
Female genitalia (Fig. 158). Papillae anales elongate, ovate; apophyses posteriores exceeding length from bottom of corpus bursae to posterior edge of segment VIII; segment VIII slightly longer than wide, subgenital plates 1/3 width of segment VIII, with digitate foam-sculptured patches along inner margin, both inner and outer margins straight, outer edge with gradual transition to apophyses anteriores, anteromedial incision slender, subtriangular; apophyses anteriores twice as long as segment VIII, broad at base; ductus bursae long, gradually broadened towards comparatively small, egg-shaped corpus bursae, antrum short, rounded, distinctly inflated, colliculum comparatively long; signum of even width in basal part, curved at an obtuse angle after 1/2 length, basal plate small, situated on right side near middle of corpus bursae.
Biology. The larvae produce stem galls on Solanum coccineum Jacq. and S. rigescens Jacq. (Solanaceae). Adults were recorded in late February-early March, May, August and November.
Distribution. South Africa.
Etymology. The species name is derived from the Greek “ ochre ”—ocher, and “ xanthos ”—yellow, and refers to the yellowish-brown forewings.
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 13-14, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5070.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/5712529