Trachypteryx electrica, Tsvetkov, 2021

Tsvetkov, E. V., 2021, Four new species of the subfamily Phycitinae (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) from Kazakhstan, Zoosystematica Rossica (China) 30 (1), pp. 116-130 : 127-129

Trachypteryx electrica sp. nov.

( Figs 7, 8, 12, 16, 24, 28–30, 40)

Holotype. Male ; Kazakhstan, Mangistau Prov. , 11 km E of Sarga Vill., terrace of Ustyurt Plateau, 3.V.2016, E. V. Tsvetkov leg. ( ZIN).

Paratypes. Kazakhstan, Mangistau Prov. : 3 females, S environs of spring Akmysh , 44°13′02″N, 51°58′26″E, 10. V .2016; 1 male, 1 female, 10 km NE of Taushchik Vill. , 44°22′49″N, 51°28′52″E, 2. V .2019; 3 males, 9 km SW of Sai Otes Vill. , canyon , 7.V .2018 . Atyrau Prov., 3 females, Akkergeshen Plateau, 47°19′14″N, 54°24′14″E, 22. V .2016 (all E.V. Tsvetkov leg.; ZIN).

Description. Length of forewing 7–9 mm. Forewing triangular; costal margin straight, outer margin evenly convex, hind margin convex basally ( Fig. 24).

Antennae nearly 0.6 times the forewing length; cilia about two-thirds of flagellomere diameter in males and much shorter in females. Scape relatively small, nearly twice as long as wide, narrowed at both ends. In males, flagellomeres without chitinous projections, sinus not expressed. Labial palpi 1.5 diameters of eye in length, pointed ahead, third segment slightly drooping ( Figs 12 and 16); second segment 1.8–1.9 times as long as first segment and thinner; third segment small, nearly half as wide as first segment; first segment 2.8–3 times as wide as third. Maxillary palpi tiny, with ovoid segments, nearly 1.5 times as long as third segment of labial palpi; second segment larger than first segment and larger than third one; brush-like scale tufts absent. Frons convex.

Head and body variegated, covered with mixture of white and black (or dark grey) scales. Forewing ground colour grey or whitish grey (with white, dark grey, black and sometimes brownish scales) ( Figs 7 and 8); discal spots tiny or indistinct; whitish antemedial line inconspicuous, angulate, contrasted from outer side by oblique black streak at costa, and from inner side, by dark (dark grey or brownish grey) spot adjacent to hind margin; antemedial white line not contrasting, zigzag, angled outwards at veins A and M 2, angled inwards between veins A and Cu 2 and abruptly angled inwards between veins M 1 and M 2; postmedial line marked from inner side by contrasting black zigzag, interrupted between veins Cu 2 and A; zigzag line and antemedial black oblique spot at costal margin connected by black longitudinal streak between veins Cu 2 and A; vein A crossed by a heavily stretched O-shaped black line between antemedial and postmedial lines; submarginal area brownish or whitish brown, marginal black line usually inconspicuous; fringe whitish or whitish brown with two brownish, often unclear, stripes. Forewing underside brown, sometimes with lighter submarginal area and white costal streak. Hindwing upperside and underside coloration varying from light brown to whitish; marginal and subcostal areas usually darker brown; fringe whitish or whitish brown.

Male genitalia ( Figs 28 and 29). Uncus trapezoidal with rounded angles or, in some cases, with widely rounded apex; distal part sclerotised more heavily; dorsal surface densely covered with bristles. Gnathos relatively large, wide (width of gnathos variable), broadest medially (in some specimens broadest in distal half or third), tapering proximally and distally; apex pointed and slightly curved up. Branches of gnathos very broad, abruptly broadening towards their ends. Tegumen bent (in lateral view) and angulate on sides. Transtilla components in shape of elongate nearly triangular plates. Juxta with a pair of short digitiform lateral lobes and a pair of long processes from centre. Each long process distally with a cluster of strong thorn-like bristles. Base of juxta as well-sclerotised plate with parallel lateral margins and cranial margin curved down. Valva relatively small, elongate; costal sclerite horn-shaped, well-sclerotised, reaching half or slightly less than half of costal edge of valva. Cucullus weakly sclerotised, more strongly sclerotised basally, evenly rounded at apex. Sacculus well-sclerotised, occupying nearly half of ventral edge of valva and nearly 0.35 of valva width. Medial part of valva with a strong dentate protrusion formed partly by sacculus and partly by base of cucullus. Vinculum trapezoidal with concave lateral margins and medial area weakly sclerotised. Aedeagus cylindrical, with proximal end slightly curved down, dorsal wall membranous, distal end obliquely cut, proximal third of aedeagus sclerotised only from ventral side; ductus ejaculatorius arising dorsally at proximal end of aedeagus. Eighth sternum short, almost rectangular; its anterior edge formed by heavily sclerotised, arched narrow plate broadened at ends; culcita absent ( Fig. 30).

Female genitalia ( Fig. 40). Papillae anales elongate, densely covered with bristles. Posterior apophyses nearly 0.7 mm; anterior apophyses nearly 0.8–0.9 mm, broader than posterior apophyses. Bases of anterior apophyses with small angulate broadenings. Eighth tergum rather short, trapezoidal with concave posterior margin and convex anterior margin. Antrum partly sclerotised, surface of walls covered with longitudinal wrinkles; lateral walls sclerotised more heavily than dorsal wall; ventral wall membranous. A pair of ostial sclerites in shape of angulate plates, located ventrally. Ductus bursae reduced. Corpus bursae nearly pear-shaped, membranous, densely covered with numerous wrinkles. Seminal duct arising posteriorly from cone on right side of corpus bursae.

Comparison. Trachypteryx electrica sp. nov. is distinctive among the known species of the genus. It is easily distinguished from the other species of Trachypteryx by the wing pattern and the genitalia. The juxta is characteristic in the male genitalia of the new species. It is very specific and rather untypical for the genus: not U-shaped, bearing a pair of digitiform lateral lobes and a pair of long median processes ( Fig. 29). A strongly reduced ductus bursae with a pair of ostial sclerotised plates and the absence of the diverticulum are characteristic in the female genitalia. In all other known species of Trachypteryx , the ductus bursae is relatively long and the diverticulum of the ductus is developed.

Externally, T. electrica sp. nov. resembles a few species of the subfamily Phycitinae : Epischnia glyphella Ragonot, 1887 , Pristophorodes ruptifasciella (Ragonot, 1887) and Sengania ruehmekorfi Amsel, 1951 , but differs from the latter in the male genitalia: one cornutus is present in the vesica of P. ruptifasciella and two cornuti, in two other compared species, in contrast to the new species lacking cornuti in the vesica.

At the same time, the head structure and the male genitalia in the new species are typical of Trachypteryx ( Figs 12, 16, 28, 29). It should be mentioned that the female genitalia in T. electrica sp. nov. resemble those of the genus Repetekiodes Amsel, 1961 . However, unlike T. electrica sp.nov., the labial palpi in Repetekiodes are pointed up and raised scales are present on the male forewing; the male genitalia in Repetekiodes are characterised by one strong cornutus in the vesica and the U-shaped juxta.

Etymology. The species epithet is a Latin adjective electricus. The name emphasises the forewing pattern with the postmedial line resembling a lightening sign.

Distribution. The species is widely distributed in West Kazakhstan.

Bionomics. In West Kazakhstan, the species occurs in various types of steppes and semideserts. The flight period lasts from late April to late May .