Meleonoma dentitaeniana, Zhu & Wang, 2025

Zhu, Xiaoju & Wang, Shuxia, 2025, Five new species of the genus Meleonoma Meyrick, 1914 (Lepidoptera: Autostichidae) from China, European Journal of Taxonomy 997, pp. 131-143 : 138-139

Meleonoma dentitaeniana sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:9F10C032-F50F-4D15-8615-3ED5E4F6B669

Figs 1D , 2D , 3D

Diagnosis

The new species can be recognized in male genitalia by the ring-shaped gnathos, the ventral margin of the costal part of the valva with an arched band gradually narrowing towards the apex and serrated on its ventral margin distally. Meleonoma dentitaeniana sp. nov. is similar to M. crassispina sp. nov., and can be distinguished from it by the trapezoidal sacculus longer than wide, the saccus slightly longer than the uncus, and the aedeagus ca 3.0 × as long as the costal part of the valva. In M. crassispina , the sub-quadrangular sacculus is shorter than wide, the saccus is shorter than the uncus and the aedeagus is as long as the costal part of the valva.

Etymology

The specific epithet is derived from the Latin ‘ dent ’- and ‘ taenianus ’, meaning ‘dentated band’ in English, which refers to the ventral margin of the costal part of the valva dentate along the distal ⅔. The specific epithet is an adjective of the feminine gender.

Type material

Holotype CHINA – Guizhou Province • ♂; Banzhai Village, Maolan ; 25°13′ N, 108°1′ E; 530 m a.s.l.; 11 Aug. 2018; M.L. Zheng et al. leg.; slide No. ZXJ19406 ; NKU.

Paratype CHINA – Guizhou Province • 1 ♂; same data as for holotype; NKU .

Description

Male

ADULT ( Fig. 1D ). Forewing length 4.0– 4.5 mm. Head dark grey, tipped with black, yellow along dorsal margin of eyes and occiput. Labial palpus yellow; first and second palpomeres with dense black scales, second palpomere forming black ring at apex; third palpomere black medially. Antenna with scape black mixed with yellow; flagellum black on dorsal surface, yellow on ventral surface. Mesonotum black dorsally, mixed with yellow; tegula predominantly black, yellow distally. Forewing elongated narrow, apex pointed; ground colour yellow; costal margin with black spot at base, at basal ⅓ and at distal ¼; costal spot black, sub-triangular, extending to anterior angle of cell; apical patch black, large, ¼ × as long as forewing; tornal spot black; plical spot black, beyond middle of fold; cell with black spot at base, at middle and before apex as well as at anterior and posterior angles respectively, spot at anterior angle fused with costal spot and spot at posterior angle fused with apical patch; fringe dark brown, with yellow basal line. Hindwing and fringe greyish brown. Legs yellow, except on ventral surface: coxa of foreleg black mixed with yellow scales, tibia black except yellow apically, tarsus black except yellow at base of basal tarsomere and at apices of basal two and apical one tarsomeres, tibia of midleg black, with scattered yellow scales in basal half and yellow apically, tarsus black except yellow at base of basal tarsomere and at apices of basal tarsomere and apical one tarsomere, tibia of hindleg with scattered black scales, tarsus with basal four tarsomeres black except yellow at apices, all femora black mixed with yellow scales.

MALE GENITALIA ( Figs 2D , 3D ). Uncus slender, clavate, with two tiny apical teeth. Gnathos banded, ring-shaped, sclerotized laterally, weakly sclerotized anteriorly, not exceeding anterior margin of tegumen. Tegumen widened medially, with semicircular anterior emargination, laterally narrowed. Valva with costal part sickle-shaped, slightly narrowed to rounded apex, setose distally; ventral margin with arched, heavily sclerotized band, distally narrowed to apex, dentate along distal ⅔ of its ventral margin; costal band slightly concave medially; transtilla sclerotized on dorsal margin, produced ventrally, rounded at apex. Sacculus trapezoidal, longer than wide, reticulate in distal half, obtuse apically. Saccus wide at base, gradually narrowing to middle; distal half uniformly narrow except slightly narrower apex, slightly longer than uncus. Juxta slender. Aedeagus ca 3.0× length of costal part of valva, slender, curved distally, with spine at distal 1 /5.

Female

Unknown.

Distribution

China (Guizhou).

Figures

Fig. 1. Adults of Meleonoma spp. A. M. acuminata sp. nov., ♂, holotype (slide No. ZXJ19398). B. M. brevicula, ♂ (slide No. YAH15565). C. M. crassispinasp. nov., ♂, paratype (slide No. ZXJ19225). D. M. dentitaeniana sp. nov., ♂, holotype (slide No. ZXJ19406). E. M. oxygona sp. nov., ♂, holotype (slide No. ZXJ19489). F. M. valviafflata sp. nov., ♂, holotype (slide No. ZXJ19424). Scale bars = 2.0 mm.

Fig. 2. Male genitalia of Meleonoma spp. A. M. acuminata sp. nov., holotype (slide No. ZXJ19398). B. M. brevicula, slide No. YAH15565. C. M. crassispina sp. nov., ♂, holotype (slide No. ZXJ19226). D. M. dentitaeniana sp. nov., ♂, holotype (slide No. ZXJ19406). E. M. oxygona sp. nov., ♂, holotype (slide No. ZXJ19489). F. M. valviafflata sp. nov., ♂, holotype (slide No. ZXJ19424). Scale bars = 0.2 mm.

Fig. 3. Enlarged gnathos ofMeleonoma spp.A. M. acuminata sp. nov., ♂, holotype (slide No. ZXJ19398). B. M. brevicula, ♂ (slide No. YAH15565). C. M. crassispina sp. nov., ♂, holotype (slide No. ZXJ19226). D. M. dentitaeniana sp. nov., ♂, holotype (slide No. ZXJ19406). E. M. oxygona sp. nov., ♂, holotype (slide No. ZXJ19489). F. M. valviafflata sp. nov., ♂, holotype (slide No. ZXJ19424). Scale bars = 0.1 mm.