Meleonoma valviafflata, 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 : 141-142

Meleonoma valviafflata sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:A4B11B86-A4C8-48B9-9317-7236D6B4BBE1

Figs 1F , 2F , 3F

Diagnosis

The new species is similar to M. taeniophylla Wang & Zhu, 2020 in both the forewing pattern and male genitalia. The new species can be distinguished from M. taeniophylla in the male genitalia by the following characters: i) the costal part of the valva with a small denticle above the ventral angle, ii) the sacculus produced to a small digitiform process dorso-apically, and iii) the strong saccus shorter than the slender uncus. In M. taeniophylla , the costal part of the valva lacks a denticle above the ventral angle, the sacculus lacks a small dorso-apical process and the saccus is as long as the uncus ( Wang & Zhu 2020: 277, fig. 42).

Etymology

The specific epithet is derived from the Latin ‘ valv -’ and ‘ afflatus ’, meaning ‘dilated band’ in English, which refers to the costal part of the valva roundly dilated in the distal half. The specific epithet is an adjective in the feminine gender.

Type material

Holotype CHINA – Yunnan Province • ♂; Laiyang River, Pu’er ; 26 Aug. 2009; X.C. Du leg.; slide No. ZXJ19424 ; NKU.

Paratype CHINA – Yunnan Province • 1 ♂; Taiyang River ; 1450 m a.s.l.; 2 Sep. 2014; Z.G. Zhang leg.; slide No. YAH16002 ; NKU .

Description

Male

ADULT ( Fig. 1F ). Forewing length 5.0 mm. Head with frons and vertex dark grey mixed with yellowishwhite scales, yellow along dorsal margin of eyes and occiput except occiput black medially. Labial palpus yellow, with dense black scales on first and second palpomeres; second palpomere forming black ring at apex; third palpomere ⅔ × as long as second palpomere, with dense dark brown scales medially. Antenna with scape yellow, with sparse black scales; flagellum black, annulated with yellow on ventral surface. Mesonotum brown dorsally, yellow laterally; tegula predominantly black, yellow apically. Forewing narrow lanceolate; costal margin slightly arched, apex pointed; ground colour black, with diffused small yellow spot at base below costal margin; costal margin with inner yellow spot placed before middle, crossing anterior margin of the cell, outer yellow spot larger, at distal ⅓, with small black dot anteriorly; fold with diffused yellow scales along basal 3 /5, with yellow spot at end; tornal spot small, yellow, connected with outer yellow spot; termen yellow, interrupted by black scales; fringe dark grey, with yellow basal line. Hindwing and fringe grey. Legs yellow, except on ventral surface: coxa of foreleg with sparse dark grey scales, femora of fore- and midlegs with dense dark grey scales, tibiae of fore- and midlegs black except yellow at middle and at apex respectively, tibia of hindleg with scattered dark grey scales, tarsus of foreleg black except yellow at base of basal tarsomere and at apices of basal two tarsomeres, tarsus of midleg with basal four tarsomeres black except yellow at apices and at base of basal tarsomere, tarsus of hindleg with basal two tarsomeres dark grey except yellow at apices.

MALE GENITALIA ( Figs 2F , 3F ). Uncus evenly long and slender, pointed at apex. Gnathos circular, triangularly produced postero-laterally, sclerotized laterally, anteriorly weakly sclerotized, exceeding anterior margin of tegumen. Tegumen wide medially, sclerotized and almost straight on anterior margin, with shallow anterior emargination, laterally narrowed to anterior tip. Valva with costal part evenly wide in basal half, roundly dilated in distal half, setose distally, with small denticle above ventral angle; ventral margin concave basally; costa shallowly concave medially; transtilla bilobed: dorsal lobe long, clavate, ventral lobe shorter. Sacculus wide at base, slightly narrowed to obtusely oblique apex, with short digitiform dorso-apical process. Saccus strong, narrowed from base to basal 2 /5, distal 3 /5 evenly wide except narrower rounded apex, shorter than uncus. Juxta broadly U-shaped. Aedeagus 2× as long as costal part of valva, distal ⅔ membranous, with slender band, its apex sheet-like, dilated, encircled by sclerotized band.

Female

Unknown.

Distribution

China (Yunnan).

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.