Thiotricha xizangensis 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 xizangensis

description: Thiotricha xizangensis sp. nov.   
(Figs 17F, 26P, 41D, 58A)  
 Type material. Holotype ♂, CHINA, Xizang Autonomous Region, Linzhi County, Pailong Town (30.01°N, 95.00°E), 2031 m, 17.viii.2018, leg. Mujie Qi, genitalia slide no. LGE19098. Paratypes. CHINA: Xizang Autonomous Region: 1 ♀, Chengjiao (29.32°N, 95.32°E), 1097 m, Motuo County, 3.viii.2018, leg. Mujie Qi, genitalia slide no. LGE19101; 1 ♂, Tongmai Town (30.10°N, 95.08°E), 2029 m, Bomi County, 15.viii.2018, leg. Mujie Qi.   
 Diagnosis. This species can be recognized by the small size and dark coloration. The superficial appearance of T. xizangensis is very similar to T. globularis and the differences between two species are stated under the latter species. The male genitalia of T. xizangensis are characterized by the apically rounded valva, the obovate anellus lobe with a hooked apical bristle and the distally sinuous aedeagus. The female genitalia can be differentiated from its allies by having long ductus bursae and small round corpus bursae.   
 Description. Adult (Fig. 17F). Wingspan 8.5−9.0 mm. Head dark brown to dark fuscous, slightly mixed with cream anteriorly. Labial palpus dark fuscous except dorsal surface ochreous white, darker and stouter in male; male segment II with hair pencil not exceeding apex of segment III; segment III slightly longer than II. Antenna dark brown to dark fuscous, male cilia very short. Thorax and tegula dark brown to dark fuscous. Forewing ground color dark brown to dark fuscous, with two black costal strigulae alternating with pink scales before apical spot; apical spot round, sometimes tinged inwardly with whitish pink, apex falcate; other markings pink or whitish pink: a slender costal streak from middle of wing, obliquely extending to distal 1/3 of subcosta; beyond this, another costal streak from distal 1/4, outwardly oblique, shortly running toward tornus, bordered outwardly by black scales; tornal streak short, running toward costal streak but not reaching it, bordered outwardly by black scales; outer margin of discal cell tinged with pink scales; fringe on apical area whitish pink with a black terminal band, on termen metallic dark fuscous, on dorsum dark fuscous. Hindwing and fringe dark fuscous. Legs as in T. globularis.   
 Male sternum VIII (Fig. 26P). Approximately 1/6 length of abdomen, lateral margins broadly concave in anterior 1/2, then gradually narrowed to near apex; posterior 1/8 bifid, between tines V-shaped, bluntly pointed apically.   
 Male genitalia (Fig. 41D). Uncus tongue-shaped. Gnathos hook simple, long. Tegumen approximately twice as long as uncus. Valva with costa slightly concave after base, nearly same width from base to 3/4, then slightly broadened distally, apex rounded. Anellus lobe obovate, slightly shorter than 1/3 length of valva, with a row of setae along costa; apical bristle 1/2 length of anellus lobe, hooked. Juxta with basal 1/2 slightly convex. Vinculum simple, narrow. Saccus subtriangular, slightly exceeding tegumen pedunculus.Aedeagus with basal 1/3 dilated, then gradually narrowed to apex, sinuous after middle, hooked apically.   
 Female genitalia (Fig. 58A). Papillae anales moderately sclerotized. Apophyses anteriores 2/3 length of apophyses posteriores. Sternum VIII longer than tergum VIII, with anterior margin strongly produced medially. Ostium bursae large and rounded, opening near anterior margin of sternum VIII. Ductus bursae slender, with ductus seminalis arising approximately from posterior 1/10. Corpus bursae round, slightly shorter than 1/2 length of ductus bursae; signum situated at middle of corpus bursae, round, bulged inward, with minute denticles.   
 Distribution. China (Xizang).   
 Etymology. The species name is derived from the type locality, Xizang Autonomous Region.
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 117-118, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5449.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/11233121