Scrobipalpa munita Bidzilya 2021, sp. nov.

Scrobipalpa munita sp. nov.

Figs 64, 133, 134, 181

Type material. Holotype ♂, KENYA: Rift Valley, Gilgil 2100 m, 0°37S 36°22’E, 23.xi.2008, D. Agassiz, L. Aarvik & A.J. Kingston (gen. slide DJLA No. 1475) (DA). Paratypes: KENYA: 1 ♀, same data as holotype, but 22.xi.2008 (gen. slide 399/14, O. Bidzilya) (DA). MALAWI: 1 ♂, Nyika Plateau, S of Vitintiza Hill, Sambara River, 1700 m, Brachystegia forest, LF, 15.x.1996 (Mey & Nuss) (gen. slide 46/08, O. Bidzilya) (MFN-00028) (MfN).

Diagnosis. Scrobipalpa munita is easily distinguished by its light grey forewing with two prominent narrow longitudinal black stripes. Scrobipalpa munita sp. nov. superficially resembles S. nigristriana sp. nov., but it is easily distinguished by its light grey rather than light brown head, thorax, and ground colour of the forewing; the absence of black markings along the veins; and by its more distinct black stripes. The male genitalia are recognized by the fusion of the culcitula and gnathos with the ventral plate, the comparatively broad subtriangular sacculus, and a very narrow vincular processes. Scrobipalpa nigristriana sp. nov. differs in its broader, medially constricted uncus; unmodified gnathos; basally narrower sacculus; and narrower vincular processes. The new species is related to S. phagnalella (Constant, 1895), from southern Europe and northern Africa, having a somewhat similar wing pattern. The male genitalia of S. munita sp. nov. somewhat resemble those of the latter, having a modified gnathos, but differ in the shorter uncus, elongated rather than rounded gnathos, nearly parallel-sided rather than subtriangular sacculus, and broader vincular projections (see for comparison Huemer & Karsholt 2010: 383, fig. 42). The female genitalia of S. munita sp. nov. are easily recognizable by the papillae anales covered with microtrichia and the presence of paired sclerotized medial patches, a broad segment VIII, and a straight and strongly sclerotized anterior margin of sternum VIII, in combination with a broad ductus bursae.

Description. Adult (Fig. 64). Wingspan 13.2–14.1 mm. Head and thorax covered with white scales with light brown subapical annulations, palpomere 2 with dense brown irroration on outer margin, upperside with distinct brush of brown-tipped scales, palpomere 3 acute with broad black apical ring; scape black, densely mottled with grey, flagellum black with indistinct grey rings; tegulae covered with white-tipped, brown scales, distinctly darker than head and thorax; forewing light grey, mottled with black-tipped scales along costal margin and in fold, longitudinal black stripe edged with light brown in fold from base to about 1/3 length of wing, second black stripe medial, mottled with light brown from 1/3 length to apex, cilia grey black-tipped; hindwing and cilia grey.

Male genitalia (Fig. 133, 134). Uncus twice as long as wide, weakly tapered apically, apex rounded; distal sclerite of gnathos triangular with short pointed tip, culcitula fused ventrally with gnathos forming ovate plate; tegumen broad basally, evenly narrowed posteriorly, anterior margin with moderately broad, rounded medial emargination to about 1/3 length; valva slender, of uniform width, except for inflated apex, slightly extending beyond apex of uncus; sacculus at base twice as broad as and about four times shorter than valva, inner margin straight, outer margin gradually narrowed towards pointed inward-curved tip; vinculum broad, posteromedial emargination narrow at base and strongly broadened in posterior 1/2, vincular process very short and narrow with pointed outward-curved tip, gap to sacculus large; saccus stout, broad at base, narrowed towards weakly pointed apex, strongly edged, extending beyond top of pedunculus; phallus with moderately swollen caecum, distal portion straight, apex tapered with distinct hook.

Female genitalia (Fig. 181). Papillae anales ovate, covered with short setae, with medial sclerotized patch extending from base to about top; papillae anales moderately thick, about 1/2 length of ductus and corpus bursae; segment VIII three times as broad as long, posterior margin with broad, shallow emargination; postvaginal plate about 1/3 width of segment VIII, subquadrangular, edged laterally, with narrow patches of foam-sculpturing extending from base of apophyses anteriores to 2/3 length; anterior margin of sternum VIII straight, strongly sclerotized with small medial opening; lobes of ventromedial depression broad, entirely covered with foam-sculpturing, anteromedial emargination broad, shallow; apophyses anteriores twice as long as segment VIII and 1/2 as long as apophyses posteriores, moderately thick; ductus bursae broad, with indistinct transition to elongated corpus bursae, colliculum narrow, ring-shaped; signum small, distal hook curved at right angle at base, situated on right side near entrance of corpus bursae.

Biology. Host plant unknown. Adults fly in October–November up to 2100 m altitude in Kenya.

Distribution. Kenya, Malawi.

Etymology. The species name is from the Latin “ munitus ”—fortified, and refers to the presence of sclerotized patches on papillae anales.