Nemophora vitalii 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 : 103-104

publication ID	https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5665.1.6
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:FF7B3282-8FCA-4A9F-8EE2-0D6660D51161
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/039887D7-FF84-4768-FF36-FB45FB51EAB3
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Nemophora vitalii Kozlov
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Nemophora vitalii Kozlov , sp. nov.

( Figs. 3 View FIGURES 2–9 , 11 View FIGURES 10–13 , 15 View FIGURES 14–17 , 18 View FIGURES 18–20 )

LSID urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:728026F7-B3AC-4E2B-B940-6F97D8066743

Holotype ♂: Brunei , Rampayon River (4º 19′ S, 114º 28′ E); labelled: 8 mm circle with red border, print GoogleMaps ‘ Holo- │ type’; 7 × 12 mm, print ‘Brunei, 300′ │ Rampayon R., LP 195, │ GR 960785. Lowland │ dipterocarp forest. │ 21.IX-24.IX.1992 ’; 4 × 10 mm, print ‘G. S. Robinson │ Brunei/Malaysia │ Brit. Mus. 1993-2’; 9 × 16 mm, print ‘B. M. | Genitalia slide │ No. 29464’; 6 × 18 mm, print ‘ HOLOTYPE ♂ │ Nemophora │ vitalii Kozlov’ ( NHM) [examined] . Paratypes. 1 ♂, labelled: 8 mm circle with yellow border, print ‘ Para- │ type’; 11 × 17 mm, print ‘ BRUNEI: 200′ │ Labi , │ Lowland forest │ 28.11.1982 │ Alan Cassidy’; 4 × 15 mm, print ‘ G. S. Robinson │ BM 1982-156’; 11 × 14 mm, print ‘Collected │ by day’; 6 × 18 mm, print ‘ PARATYPE ♂ │ Nemophora │ vitalii Kozlov’ ( NHM) [examined] . 1 ♂, labelled: 8 mm circle with yellow border, print ‘ Para- │ type’; 9 × 16 mm, print + black ink ‘ SARAWAK │ Semengoh For. Res. │ 15 mi. So. Kuching │ 12.IX.1966 ’; 3.5 × 17 mm, print ‘ J. F. B. Clarke │ Thelma M. Clarke’; 6 × 18 mm, print : ‘ PARATYPE ♂ │ Nemophora │ vitalii Kozlov’ ( USNM) [examined] . 38 ♂, labelled: 10 × 17 mm, print + black ink ‘ E. Borneo 125 m │ Tabang [date from 31.VIII. to 29.IX.] 1956 │ Bengen River │ A.M.R. Wegner’; 6 × 14 mm, print : ‘ PARATYPE ♂ │ Nemophora │ vitalii Kozlov’ ( RMNH) [examined] .

Diagnosis. Nemophora vitalii differs from N. tristrigella ( Figs. 7‒9 View FIGURES 2–9 ) and N. chalcotechna ( Figs. 4‒6 View FIGURES 2–9 ) by the non-enlarged compound eyes in males, the presence of four yellow spots in the apical part of forewing margin, and by longer male antenna (4.5‒4.8 × FWL). It can be distinguished from N. pendleburyi by its larger size and twice wider (reaching 0.35 × FWL) glossy golden basal field of the forewing, small medial process of transtilla and the presence of a distinct lobe on the internal surface of the valva.

Description. Male ( Fig. 3 View FIGURES 2–9 ). FWL 7.9‒9.2 mm, WLR 0.37‒0.39. Vertex medially glossy golden, its margins with dark brown piliform scales; frons glossy golden, with row of pale yellow piliform scales below antennal sockets. PLB 0.70‒0.90 × vertical eye diameter (0.75‒0.85 × length of scape), covered by pale yellow appressed scales; base with few protracted pale yellow piliform scales. Proboscis light brown, base laterally with dark brown scales. Eyes not enlarged; interocular index 0.55‒0.65. Antenna 4.5‒4.8 × FWL. Scape coppery bronze; flagellum proximally dark brown, distally light brown. Tegulae and thorax golden. Forewing base (up to 0.4 × FWL) glossy golden; costal spot at forewing base extends to 0.35 × FWL ( Fig. 11 View FIGURES 10–13 ). Fascia dark brown, straight, narrow (0.07 × FWL at costa, 0.03 × FWL at dorsum), slightly oblique; its inner margin reaches costa at 0.45‒0.46 × FWL; costal half of fascia with yellow medial band. Distal part of forewing dark bronze with coppery tint, with pattern consisting of four yellow spots bordered by dark brown scales. Anterior spot long, shallowly C-shaped, starts from costa at 0.59‒0.64 × FWL and approaches wing margin between veins RS3 and RS4. Three other spots much smaller, situated near outer wing margin between veins RS4 and M3. Fringe bronze. Hindwing brown, with slight coppery iridescence; costal area brownish grey; fringe light brown. Legs golden proximally to dark coppery brown distally; bases of all tarsomeres pale yellow. Epiphysis at 0.5, almost reaching apex of tibia. Abdomen light brown.

Female unknown.

Male genitalia ( Figs. 15 View FIGURES 14–17 , 18 View FIGURES 18–20 ). Tegumen dome-shaped, with distinct medial ridge. Socii 1.1 × diameter of phallus. Vinculum 2.4 × length of valva, with nearly straight lateral margins and shallowly concave distal margin. Tips of valvae slightly extend beyond tip of tegumen. Ventral valvar margin slightly concave; dorsal margin nearly straight; tip of valva rounded. Internal surface of valva bears small, broadly rounded lobe near its midpoint; viewed dorsoventrally, this lobe does not extend beyond ventral margin of valva. Valvae fused basally up to 0.35 × total length; base of fused valvae medially with minor indentation (0.01‒0.02 × length of valva). Anellus 0.45 × length of valva. Transtilla with small pointed medial process, length of which exceeds diameter of phallus less than twice. Juxta 0.35 × phallus; arrow head moderately wide (WLR 0.55), with pointed tip and pointed lateral arms. Phallus 1.1 × length of vinculum, in lateral view shallowly S-shaped; its tip consists of three lobes: left lobe spinosae, medial lobe of same length as left lobe, and right lobe slightly longer than medial and left lobes; base of phallus narrow, with almost parallel margins.

Distribution. Indonesia (East Kalimantan), Malaysia ( Sarawak), Brunei.

Biology. Day-flying species. In Brunei, two specimens were collected in primary lowland dipterocarp forest .

Etymology. The species is named after my friend and colleague Vitali Zverev, who assisted me in the study of fairy moths and, in particular, recognized this species among the N. tristrigella accession materials.