Nemophora pendleburyi Kozlov, 2025

Kozlov, Mikhail V., 2025, A taxonomic revision of the tristrigella species group of the genus Nemophora Hoffmannsegg (Lepidoptera, Adelidae) from the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia, Zootaxa 5665 (1), pp. 99-110 : 101-103

Nemophora pendleburyi Kozlov , sp. nov.

( Figs. 2 , 10 , 14 )

LSID urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:F3F67963-25CA-467B-B4E4-50F4CCA49840

Holotype ♂: Malaysia, Selangor, Bukit Kutu (3° 32′ 34″ N, 101° 43′ 13″ E); labelled: 8 mm circle with red border, print ‘ Holo- │ type’; 13 × 19 mm, print + black ink ‘MALAY PENIN: │ Selangor, Bukit Kutu │ 3.300 ft. │ 29-9- 1932. │ H. M. Pendlebury. ’, reverse side: ‘ Ex Coll: │ F. M. S. │ Museum’; 9 × 16 mm, print ‘B. M. │ Genitalia slide │ No. 29971’; 6 × 18 mm, print ‘ HOLOTYPE ♂ │ Nemophora │ pendleburyi Kozlov’ ( NHM) [examined] .

Diagnosis. Nemophora pendleburyi differs from other species of the tristrigella group by the relatively short (up to 0.17 × FWL) extension of glossy golden colour in the basal field of forewing. In both external features and male genitalia traits, N. pendleburyi is most similar to N. vitalii ( Fig. 3 ), from which it differs by the small size, absence of distinct lobe on internal surface of valva, large medial process of transtilla, and short (less than half of juxta) arrow head.

Description. Male ( Fig. 2 ). FWL 5.4 mm, WLR 0.37. Vertex glossy golden; frons glossy silver to light glossy golden. PLB 0.7 × vertical eye diameter (0.85 × length of scape), with light grey appressed scales; base ventrally with few raised dark brown piliform scales. Proboscis light brown, base coppery brown. Eyes slightly enlarged; interocular index 0.7. Length of antenna unknown (tips broken). Scape and base of flagellum dark coppery brown. Tegulae glossy golden; thorax marginally bronze (medial part of dorsum in the single available specimen is abraded). Forewing ( Fig. 10 ) bronze, with slight coppery iridescence; basal part (about 0.17 × FWL) glossy golden; costal spot at forewing base extends to 0.25 × FWL. Fascia dark brown, straight, narrow (0.10 × FWL at costa, 0.05 × FWL at dorsum); its inner margin reaches costa at 0.44 × FWL; costal part of fascia (up to 0.4 × forewing width) with pale yellow medial band. Distal part of forewing with five yellow spots bordered and slightly suffused with dark brown scales. Anterior spot long, shallowly C-shaped, starting from costa at 0.6 × FWL and approaching wing apex between veins RS3 and RS4; four smaller spots positioned between veins RS4 and M3. Fringe dark bronze near apex to bronze along termen. Hindwing brown; costal area grey; fringe grey. Legs glossy bronze; bases of all tarsomeres yellow. Epiphysis at 0.6, almost reaching apex of tibia. Abdomen light brown dorsally, light bronze ventrally.

Female unknown.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 14 ). Tegumen dome-shaped, with distinct medial ridge. Socii 1.1‒1.2 × diameter of phallus. Vinculum 2.4 × length of valva, with straight lateral margins and nearly straight distal margin. Tips of valvae at about same level as tip of tegumen. Both ventral and dorsal margins of valva nearly straight; tip of valva narrowly rounded. Valvae fused basally up to 0.35 × total length; their internal margins distinct; base of fused valvae medially with minor indentation (0.01‒0.02 × length of valva). Anellus 0.3 × length of valva. Transtilla with large (long and wide) medial process, length of which exceeds diameter of phallus more than twice. Juxta 0.5 × length of phallus; arrow head moderately wide (WLR 0.55), with pointed tip and pointed lateral arms. Phallus of same length as vinculum, in lateral view shallowly S-shaped; distal quarter split into two lateral lobes of similar length and shape; base of phallus narrowly funnel-shaped.

Distribution. Malaysia (Selangor).

Etymology. Named in honour of Henry Maurice Pendlebury (1893–1945), a British entomologist, astute observer and keen naturalist, who assembled extensive insect collections during his expeditions in Malaysia and obtained, among other specimens, the holotype.

Figures

FIGURES 2–9. Adults of Nemophora spp. 2, N. pendleburyi Kozlov, sp. nov., male, holotype, from Selangor, Malaysia; 3, N. vitalii Kozlov, sp. nov., male, holotype, from Brunei; 4, N. chalcotechna (Meyrick, 1937), male, holotype, from Mindanao, the Philippines; 5, ditto, male, from Basilan Island, the Philippines; 6, ditto, female, from the same locality; 7, N. tristrigella (Walker, 1866), male, holotype, from Java, Indonesia; 8, ditto, male, from Balikpapan, Indonesia; 9, ditto, female, from Indonesia. Scale bar: 2 mm.

FIGURES 10–13. Forewing pattern of Nemophora spp. 10, N. pendleburyi Kozlov, sp. nov.; 11, N. vitalii Kozlov, sp. nov.; 12, N. chalcotechna (Meyrick, 1937); 13, N. tristrigella (Walker, 1866). Scale bar: 2 mm.

FIGURES 14–17. Male genitalia of Nemophora spp. 14, N. pendleburyi Kozlov, sp. nov.; 15, N. vitalii Kozlov, sp. nov.; 16, N. chalcotechna (Meyrick, 1937); 17, N. tristrigella (Walker, 1866); a: genital complex, ventral view (right valva not shown); b: genital complex, lateral view; c: juxta; d: phallus, ventral view; e: phallus, lateral view. Scale bar: 0.2 mm.