Coleophora crossanthes Meyrick, 1938

(Fig. 2)

Literature: Meyrick, 1938: 22 (description); Baldizzone et al., 2006 (World Catalogue).

Original description: Head, thorax pale fulvous-ochreous. Palpi fulvous, terminal joint minute. Antennae ochreouswhitish, scape pale fulvous-ochreous. Forewings ochreous-brown, costa narrowly fulvous, scales of extreme costal edge whitish from before middle to apex; cilia yellowish. Hindwings grey; cilia pale greysh.

This species was described from a single specimen collected by D. de Witte in the Congo. In the original description, Meyrick indicated that it was a female, however, the dissection of the genitalia revealed that it is a male. The specimen, housed in the RMCA, is in modest condition, lacking only the flagellum of the antennae and the right forewing.

Holotype ♂: “ ♂ ”; “P 222” [handwritten]; “ HOLOTYPE | C. crossanthes M.” [yellow, printed and handwrit- ten]; “TYPE” [pink, printed]; “MUSÉE DU CONGO | Rutshuru (1825) | 141 | 27/XII. - 6/| I—1934 | G. F. de Witte | PARC NAT. ALBERT” [printed and handwritten]; “ Congo belge: Kivu | Rutshuru | 1825 m. | 27.xii.1933 / 6.i.1934 | G.F: de Witte: 141” [printed]; “R. DÉT. 4080 | cc” [printed and handwritten]; “ E. Meyrick det., 1937: Coleophora crossanthes Meyr. ” [printed and handwritten by Meyrick]; “Bldz PG n° 9972 ♂” [yellow, printed]; “Coll. Mus. Tervuren | Coleophora crossanthes Meyr. ” [printed]; “ MRAC / KMMA 00028 ”, coll. RMCA.

Diagnosis: Small-sized (8 mm) with of overall ochre-fulvous appearance. The male genitalia do not resemble that of any Afrotropical species owing to the characteristic shape of sacculus and cornutus.

Description: Meyrick’s description is accurate and corresponds well to the only known specimen.

Male genitalia (Figs. 15–16): Gnathos knob globular. Tegumen broad, medially constricted, pedunculus dilated on the outer side. Long and thin transtilla, united in the center. Valvula small, narrow and elongated sclerotized on the outer edge. Club-shaped cucullus, narrower at the base. Sacculus with very sclerotized and concave outer edge; triangular protuberance rounded at the apex in the ventral corner, much larger, stocky and blunt protuberance at the apex in the dorsal corner. Phallotheca conical, elongated, more sclerotized in the ventral part. Only one cornutus, large and slightly more sclerotized and rounded at the apex.

Female genitalia: Unknown.

Abdominal structures (Fig. 17): No posterior lateral struts, transverse strut with thick and curved distal edge in the center. Tergal disk about eight times longer than wide, covered with about 20 conical spines.

Bionomy: The early stages and the foodplant are unknown.

Distribution: The species is known only from Congo.