Topiris ochrotincta Sterling & Price & Lees 2025, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Sterling, Mark J.
name: Price, Ben W.
name: Lees, David C.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2025
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Xyloryctidae
Topiris
Topiris ochrotincta

description: Topiris ochrotincta Sterling & Lees sp. nov.
Figs 8, 35 A, B, 78
DNA barcode.
BIN, BOLD: ADZ 9719 (Process ID METAT 209-19).
Type material.
Brunei: Holotype • ♂, Brunei, Bukit Pagon, LP 308, upper montane forest, 1800 m, 15–20.ii.1982, G. S. Robinson leg., fwl 9 mm, specimen no. NHMUK 010923169, slide no. NHMUK 010316401, Process ID METAT 209-19.
Diagnosis.
This is the only described member of the candidella group which is not snow white in colour although Topiris ‘ RMNH 20000 ’ is a similar colour. It is also slightly larger than other species within the group. In the male genitalia the postmedial part of the valva is broader than T. candidella or T. cinderella but is of similar width to T. schneeweissella. The saccular process of T. ochrotincta is shorter and the apical hook of the saccular process is shorter and broader than that of T. schneeweissella.
Description.
Male (Fig. 8). Forewing length 9 mm. Head: frons with dark cream appressed scales; vertex with tuft of long pale ochreous scales pointing upwards and away from base of antennae, further long pale ochreous scales pointing posteriorly from sides of occiput, long greyish ochreous scales pointing posteriorly from posterior margin of occiput, overlaying a collar of broad lamellate greyish ochreous scales pointing posteriorly from anterior margin of prothorax; pilifers small with moderate tufts of bristles. Labial palps long (~ 2.5 × diameter of eye), strongly recurved; small tuft of dirty cream scales on basal segment; second segment strongly curved, thinly covered with appressed dirty cream scales; third segment shorter than second, slightly curved with a thin covering of dirty cream scales. Haustellum with cream scales on basal portion. Antenna ¾ length of forewing, bipectinate; scape dark cream, flagellum with short broad pectinations covered with short white sensillae for ~ ¾ of length, apical portion filiform, dark cream scaling of the anterior margin of the dorsal surface of flagellum for most of length, otherwise dark brown. Thorax: covered in pale greyish ochreous appressed scales; tegulae short, same colour as thorax; foreleg with some white scaling on femur, tibia and tarsus pale brown, moderately long tibial epiphysis, mid legs and hind legs white, hind legs with long tuft of pale cream scales. Forewing broad, costa slightly curved at base, thereafter straight, apex slightly pointed, termen angled slightly inwards, tornus obtusely rounded, pale ochreous, unmarked except for a faint line of dark brown scales from costa to ~ 1 / 5, cilia silvery white with some pale ochreous reflections. Hindwing as broad as forewing, rounded with a slight projection at apex, silvery white unmarked. Ventrally, surface of forewing with costa ochreous, area between costa and Sc with dark brown scaling and brown scaling along veins, hindwing pale grey.
Female. Unknown.
Pre-genital abdomen. Very pale ochreous. Tergal spines on posterior parts of T 2 – T 7, T 8 weakly sclerotised anteriorly; sternites weakly sclerotised.
Male genitalia (Fig. 35 A, B). Uncus broad, anterior margin of dorsal surface weakly emarginate, narrowing medially, apically slightly spatulate. Gnathos fused medially, lateral arms thin and lightly sclerotised, medial plate small and lightly sclerotised, weakly projecting posteriorly from lateral arms. Tegumen band broad and moderately arched; lateral extensions of tegumen longer than width of tegumen band. Vinculum short, robust, strongly sclerotised, diverging strongly distad of saccus, U shaped basally, base slightly projecting anteriorly from base of valvae. Saccus short. Juxta with a heavily sclerotised broad basal plate, anellus lobes broad. Valva long, broad at base, tapering gradually to moderately narrow rounded apex, costal ventral membrane confined to inner half of valva, rugose, sclerotised and with long setae, from base of which arises a long, sclerotised process which is setose throughout (Fig. 78), apex of valva with tuft of bristles which are long towards costal margin, saccular margin of valva slightly curved, strong ventral sclerite postmedially with projection joining to base of saccular process. Sacculus very large with strong mesad shoulder, slightly longer than broad. Saccular process developing from distal part of sacculus, commencing near costa of valva, broad and straight at base, narrowing towards apex, apical portion a relatively short, broad, curved hook with a narrow apical point, short fine setae present. Aedeagus short, thin, slightly curved, small, recurved, filament-like, distal projection. Bulbus ejaculatorius long, two coils, broad elongated head.
Biology and early stages.
Early stages unknown. Adult found in upper montane forest in Brunei in February.
Distribution.
Brunei.
Etymology.
ochrotincta — from ochros (gr.), ochreous yellow; tinctus (lat.), dyed; from the pale ochreous tinge to the whitish forewings of this species. The epithet is an adjective in the nominative singular.
Remarks.
This species is 2.14 % pairwise divergent from T. cinderella. Both species have been found in Brunei. However, the forewings of T. ochrotincta are a different colour from T. cinderella and the specimen was found in upper montane forest whereas T. cinderella has been found in dipterocarp forest at lower levels. Also, in the male genitalia of T. ochrotincta, the postmedial section of the valva is broad compared to T. cinderella and the apical part of the saccular process is shorter and more acutely hooked than that of T. cinderella.
description: Published as part of Sterling, Mark J., Price, Ben W. & Lees, David C., 2025, A revision of the hitherto neglected genus Topiris Walker, 1863 (Lepidoptera, Xyloryctidae) with taxonomic notes on the genus Athrypsiastis Meyrick, 1910, pp. 297-368 in ZooKeys 1229 on pages 297-368, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1229.119155