Ptilothyris pollex Elliott, 2025

Elliott, Imogen R., 2025, Two new species of the Afrotropical genus Ptilothyris Walsingham (Lepidoptera: Lecithoceridae, Torodorinae) from the Ivory Coast, Zootaxa 5632 (3), pp. 557-564 : 558-561

Ptilothyris pollex Elliott , sp. nov.

(Figs 1 & 3)

Type material. Holotype, ♂: “ IVORY COAST 60m / Parc National d’Azagny , entrée / Sonaye (Secondary forest) / 05°14’32”N, 04°48’05”W / 25-28.xi.2021 Act. Light Trap / Moretto, P., Mulvaney, L., / Takano, H. Leg. / ANHRT:2021.8” // “ANHRTUK / 00269447 ” // “Gen. slide No. / IE 428 / prep by I. Elliott” ( ANHRT).

Paratypes (2 ♂♂). 1 ♂: “ IVORY COAST 40m / Banco National Park / 05°23’3.8”N, 04°03’11.2”W / 29.xi-5.xii.2019 LepiLED Light /Trap.Aristophanous, M., / Dérozier, V., Moretto, P., / Ouattara, S. Leg./ANHRT:2019.23” // “ANHRTUK / 00220544 ” // “Gen. slide No. / IE 424 / prep by I. Elliott ” ( ANHRT) . 1 ♂: “ IVORY COAST 174m / Taï NP, Taï Research Station / (SRET), 05°50’00”N, 07°20’32.0”W / 27.III-16.IV.2017 Actinic LightTrap / Aristophanous,A., Aristophanous,M., / Geiser, M., Moretto, P., leg. / ANHRT:2017.25” // “ANHRTUK / 00052532 ” // “Gen. slide No. / IE 430 / prep by I. Elliott” ( ANHRT) .

Diagnosis. Ptilothyris pollex sp. nov. is externally very similar to P. serangota , with slight differences in the colouration of the hyaline patch on the hindwing, which is more yellowish than white in P. pollex sp. nov. (Fig. 1). There are several notable differences in the male genitalia ( Fig. 3A–E ): the uncus ( Fig. 3C ) is bifurcate and not fan-shaped as in P. serangota ; the basal plate of the gnathos in not distinctly trifurcate ( Fig. 3C ), the caudal processes of the ventral lobe of the juxta are almost symmetrical ( Fig. 3A ); the phallus has a small conical cornutus and a dense cluster of spines ( Fig. 3D ), that are absent in the latter species. The main distinguishing character of P. pollex sp. nov. is the narrow distal costal process ( Fig. 3A ), that is not present in any other species of Ptilothyris .

Description. Male (Figs 1 & 3E). Forewing length 12.0– 12.5 mm.

Head: Dark purple dorsally, erect light-orange scales originating from upper margin of compound eye, clypeus light-orange basally. Antenna strongly bipectinate, basal 3/5 dark purple, following 2/5 light yellowish-orange, with gradually shortening flagellomeral branches towards apex. Labial palpus laterally compressed, saber-shaped; second segment thickened, light orange; third segment slender, light orange, as long as second, scattered with black scales ventrally, blackish apically.

Thorax: Notum and tegula dark purple. Foreleg pale orange, blackish along ventral surface, pale orange scales covering medial tibial spur; midleg pale orange, tibia blackish along outer surface with distal pair of spurs, inner spur twice as long as outer; hindleg pale orange, tibia blackish along outer surface in basal 2/5 with medial and terminal pairs of spurs, medial pair longer, inner spurs over twice the length of outer, first tarsus black on outer surface, terminal tarsomeres light orange. Forewing elongate, iridescent dark purple; costa slightly convex in basal 1/3, concave medially, and convex in apical 1/3; apex obtuse; tornus evenly rounded; dorsum medially concaved. Hindwing marginally broader than forewing; ground colour dark purple, yellowish hyaline patching extending from base almost to apex, fringe dark purple with some pale orange hair-pencils at base of anal margin; underside as for upperside, except fringe with row of yellow-orange scales in antemedial section.

Abdomen: Ventral surface pale orange from 1st to 4th segment, blackish beyond, dorsal surface blackish, pair of pale orange hair-pencils along anterior margin of the 8th segment, tergites with dense patches of spinules ( Fig. 3E ).

Male genitalia ( Figs 3A–D ): Uncus bifurcate ( Fig. 3C ), Y-shaped, caudal lobes rounded apically. Gnathos with broad basal plate ( Fig. 3C ), circa twice the width of uncus, caudal edge emarginated mesially with very short, pointed medial process; medial process of gnathos hook-like, downcurved subapically. Valva elongate, slightly shorter than phallus ( Fig. 3A ), somewhat dilated in basal 2/3 with costa gradually concave; cucullus slightly upturned, densely setose along ventral margin; distal costal process thin, slightly shorter and narrower than medial process of gnathos, laterally produced. Juxta ( Fig. 3A ): ventral plate slightly wider than basal plate of gnathos basally, narrowed medially, widened apically with two pointed caudal processes, right process slightly longer than left, caudal edge emarginated mesially; dorsal plate with two lateral lobes, together somewhat horseshoe-shaped, slightly shorter than ventral plate and lobes. Vinculum narrow, sclerotised band. Phallus tubular ( Fig. 3B ), gradually tapered, slightly longer than valva; cornutus thorn-like, very small ( Fig. 3D ), shorter than costal valval process, vesica with dense distal cluster of spines.

Female. Unknown.

Etymology. This species epithet is derived from the latin noun, pollex (= thumb), referring to the somewhat digitiform distal costal process of the valva.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Male genitalia. Ptilothyris pollex sp. nov. (holotype, gen. slide No. IE 428) A. Clasping apparatus; B. Phallus; C. Uncus and gnathos; D. Phallus, close-up of everted vesica and cornutus details; E. Abdomen.