Coleophora centrafricana Baldizzone & Van Der Wolf 2020, sp. nov.

Coleophora centrafricana Baldizzone & van der Wolf, sp. nov.

(Fig. 7)

Holotype ♂ (GP Bldz 15289) “ KENYA: Rift Valley | Kajiado North Dist | Masai Lodge, 1665m | 1°23’4”S 36°49’51”E | 28.xi.2010, D. Agassiz & L. Aarvik ”, coll. NHMUK.

Paratypes: 1 ♂ (GP Wf 5434) “ KENYA Samburu Nat. P. | Serena Lodge 925 m | 15-II-1989 at light | Leg. R. Schouten 64” “nr. River, shrubs, grass, Acacia trees”, ex coll Wf, coll. Bldz; 1 ♂ (GP Wf 8954) “ TANZANIA Aru- meru Distr.: Usa River 1170 m | 28.VII.1991 | leg. L. Aarvik”, ex coll. Wf, coll. Bldz.

Diagnosis. In Coleophora centrafricana the forewing costa is brown and white, with the habitus similar to that of many African species. The male genitalia resemble those of C. textoria Meyrick, 1921 (Baldizzone & van der Wolf, 2015), with obvious differences: in C. centrafricana sp. nov., the seta on the dorsal edge of the valvula is much shorter, the sacculus has a much more evident and less triangular and sharp protuberance than that of C. textoria, and the cornuti are much more numerous and smaller, grouped in a longer and thinner row.

Description. Wingspan 11 mm. Head white. Antenna white, weakly ringed with light-ochre; scape ochre on inner side and white on external side, with a tuft of short scales of same colour. Labial palpus white on inner side, ochre on external side; second segment as long as third. Proboscis short, of normal shape. Thorax white. Tegula whitish ochre. Forewing brown, slightly lighter between anal fold and dorsum; a narrow white costal line that does not reach apex; fringes light brown. Hindwing very light brown with fringes of same colour. Abdomen brown.

Male genitalia (Figs. 27–29): Gnathos knob small, oval. Tegumen elongated, pedunculus long. Transtilla short, thin, slightly curved. Valvula large, oval, with curved dorsal edge, bearing a robust seta. Cucullus long, narrower at base, club-shaped. Sacculus narrow and broad, with curved ventral border and lateral expansion bearing a sharp tooth. Phallotheca elongated, conical, with a thin line more sclerotized and jagged in dorsal part; vesica very long and thin. Cornuti numerous, in shape of small spines clustered in a long row.

Abdominal structures (Fig. 30): No posterior lateral struts. Transverse strut narrow, slightly curved. Tergal disk about 3.5 times as long as wide, covered with about 25 conical spines.

Female genitalia: Unknown.

Bionomy. The early stages and the foodplant are unknown.

Distribution. The species is known from Kenya and Tanzania.

Etymology. The name derives from Central Africa.