Christophia constricta, Tsvetkov, 2021

Tsvetkov, E. V., 2021, Four new species of the subfamily Phycitinae (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) from Kazakhstan, Zoosystematica Rossica (China) 30 (1), pp. 116-130 : 117-121

Christophia constricta sp. nov.

( Figs 1, 2, 9, 13, 17, 21, 25–27, 39)

Holotype. Male ; Kazakhstan, Kyzylorda Prov., 14 km NW of Shieli Vill., 44°16′56″N, 66°34′42″E, 7.VII.2019, E. V. Tsvetkov leg. ( ZIN).

Paratypes. 2 males, 2 females; same locality and date as in holotype, E. V. Tsvetkov leg. ( ZIN) .

Description. Length of forewing 9–10 mm. Forewing triangular; costal margin straight, sometimes with distal third slightly bent; outer margin convex, hind margin almost straight ( Fig. 21).

Antennae nearly two-thirds of forewing in length; flagellum shortly ciliate in males and females; male flagellum strongly sinuate; male flagellomeres without chitinous projections, but flagellomeres 1–7 with modified scales looking as tiny spine-like structures; scape nearly four times as long as wide, slightly flattened, narrowed at both ends. Labial palpi nearly two diameters of eye in length, pointed up and ahead; third segment pointed ahead ( Figs 9 and 13); second segment three times as long as first one; these two segments nearly equal in width; third segment tiny, first segment nearly twice as long and 2–2.5 times as wide as third segment. Maxillary palpi tiny, thin, nearly twice as long as third segment of labial palpi; second segment larger than first, both segments ovoid; third segment digitiform with slightly thicker distal third; brush-like scale tufts absent.

Frons possessing a strong chitinous projection ( Fig. 17): flat vertical comb with three large prongs arising from slightly dentate scale-free area (medial prong the largest); this area surrounded by small chitinous walls from sides and from bottom.

Frons (partly), labial and maxillary palpi, scape, fore and middle legs grey or brownish grey, with admixture of whitish scales. Hind legs whitish with admixture of greyish scales. Flagellum chequered (each segment partly white and partly brownish grey). Thorax grey or brownish grey dorsally and white ventrally. Abdomen brownish yellow dorsally and white ventrally.

Forewing ground colour light brown ( Figs 1 and 2); white costal streak reaching postmedial line, sparsely dusted with black scales; vein A and stalk of vein Cu marked with black and white scales; two black discal spots unequal (lower spot larger), stretched along veins; antemedial line reduced to a short and bolded oblique black spot between Cu and R stalks; postmedial white line almost parallel to outer margin, fading, angled inwards at vein M 1, contrasted from inner side by oblique bolded black streak running from costa to vein M 1; short black streaks marking veins M 2, M 3, Cu 1 and Cu 2 present between cell and postmedial line; postmedial area densely dust- ed with whitish scales; thin black marginal line present; fringe light brown with basal whitish stripe. Forewing underside brown with white costal streak. Hindwing upperside and underside whitish with light brown tinge; marginal area and sector from costal margin to vein M 1 light brown; fringe whitish with light brown stripe basally.

Male genitalia ( Figs 25 and 26). Uncus rather long and narrow, triangular; dorsal surface covered with very short bristles. Gnathos elongate triangular, flattened dorsoventrally, with distal third hooked up. Branches of gnathos very broad at their ends. Transtilla components as relatively large elongate plates. Juxta large, in shape of sclerotised plate with stout basal part and narrower distal part. Valva elongate, with very narrow basal half and much broader cucullus; costal sclerite almost reaching apex of cucullus and evenly narrowing towards it. Editum present at base of costal sclerite as large weakly sclerotised nearly rectangular projection. Sacculus narrow, broadest in basal third, occupying some less than half of ventral edge of valva. A sclerotised fold at base of cucullus with a spine-like process at end. Distal half of aedeagus cylindrical, its distal end split into two walls folded inside; proximal half massive, broadening from the middle to proximal end. Vesica armed with one spine-like cornutus being nearly one-third of aedeagus length. Eighth sternum with culcita; anterior margin with rather long tapering median process; a narrow median process and weakly sclerotised lateral lobes locat- ed posteriorly ( Fig. 27).

Female genitalia ( Fig. 39). Papillae anales elongate, densely covered with bristles. Posterior apophyses 0.8–0.9 mm, anterior apophyses 0.7–0.8 mm. Eighth tergum with straight posterior margin and convex anterior margin. Antrum sclerotised, nearly cup-shaped, flattened dorsoventrally; dorsal wall divided posteriorly into a pair of ostial sclerites. Ductus bursae short and narrow, membranous. Corpus bursae elongate, almost cylindrical, rounded posteriorly and anteriorly. Seminal duct arising from left side of corpus bursae at about 0.4 from conjunction with ductus bursae. Two heavily sclerotised unequal signae located in the middle of corpus bursae on opposite sides. Each signa with rather long spines of different size and direction; spines straight or bent. Left side of corpus bursae posteriorly with a row of tiny different-sized spines.

Comparison. The new species is provisionally placed to Christophia , considering its similarity with several species of this genus. Christophia constricta sp. nov. resembles Ch. granulella (Zerny, 1914) , Ch. paragranulella Liu et Li, 2013 and Ch. valvispinifera Liu et Li, 2013 in the male genitalia, but strongly differs from these species in the female genitalia and also clearly differs from them in the appearance. As distinct from the three compared species, in males of Ch. constricta sp. nov. the cucullus of the valva is relatively shorter and broader, the spine-like process is present on the valva, and the cornutus in the vesica is shorter than half of the aedeagus. In addition, the new species is distinctive in the structure of the eight sternum:the anterior edge of the sternum has an elongate triangular protrusion in the centre. The female genitalia of Ch. constricta sp. nov.

E.V. Tsvetkov. New species of Pyralidae from Kazakhstan are characteristic for the shape of the signae and the structure of the antrum, allowing one to distinguish females of this species from the other Phycitinae .

Etymology. The species epithet is a Latin adjective constrictus (constricted or compressed). It is associated with the forewing pattern of the new species, which looks compressed perpendicular to the veins.

Distribution. The new species is so far known only from the Kyzylorda Province of Kazakhstan.

Bionomics. The specimens were collected in a sandy semidesert with various Amaranthaceae , Calligonum spp. and Artemisia spp. (Addenda: Fig. 41).