Coleophora parvula, sp. nov.

(Figs. 2, 22–27)

Holotype ♂ (GP Bldz 17147) “RSA, West Cape | Cederberg Mts, Algeria, 18.-22.VII.2007, leg. W. Mey ”; “Jamaka 3 | Automat. Falle”, [S 32°20.242’ E 19°01.473, 510 m], in coll. MfN.

Paratypes: 2 ♀♀ (GP Bldz 14997, 17140) “RSA, West Cape | Cederberg Mts, Algeria, 18.-22.VII.2007, leg. W. Mey ”, “Jamaka 2 | Automat. Falle”, [S 32°20.242’ E 19°01.473, 510 m]; 1 ♂ (GP Bldz 17141), 3 ♀♀ (GP Bldz 15009, 17142, 17143) “RSA, West Cape | Cederberg Mts, Algeria, 22.-24.XI.2008, LF, leg Ebert, Mey & Kühne”, [S 32°20.242’ E 19°01.473’, 510 m], 1♀ (GP Bldz 13555) “ RSA, Cederberge | Uitkykreviever, Pass | 20-21.X.2001, TF | leg. W. Mey ”, S 32°24.99’ E 19°05.02’, 800 m], in coll. MfN and in coll. Baldizzone.

Diagnosis. Small species with a characteristic glossy hazelnut colour. The male genitalia differs from that of all known Afrotropical species, but the phallotheca is shaped like those of the C. bantuella species-group. The female genitalia are similar to those of C. vansoni Baldizzone & van der Wolf, 2015 with obvious differences: in C. vansoni the colliculum is narrower and sclerotized on the edges, both in the distal part where they reach the border of the sterigma, and in the proximal part, where the colliculum is narrower, longer, more sclerotized on external edges; the ductus bursae is shorter than that of C. parvula, without spines in the median part, and the signum is much smaller.

Description. Wingspan 8–9 mm. Head glossy hazelnut, frons ochre. Antenna: scape light ochre, without erect scales; flagellum white and brown ringed. Labial palpus dirty white, second article with longitudinal brown streak darker on outer side; third article half as long as second. Proboscis normal shaped. Thorax and tegula glossy hazelnut. Forewing uniform glossy hazelnut colour; cilia similarly coloured but lighter. Hindwing glossy light grey; cilia as in forewing. Abdomen glossy light grey.

Abdominal structures (Fig. 24): No posterior laterals struts, transverse strut thick, slightly curved, more sclerotized in middle on proximal edge, distal edge sclerotized only at base of tergal discs. Tergal disks (3 rd tergite) about 7 times longer than wide, covered with about 25 conical spines.

Male genitalia (Figs. 22–23): Gnathos knob globular. Tegumen short and stocky, narrow in middle, short pedunculus. Transtilla linear, ribbon shaped, wider in middle where joined. Valvula large, very sclerotized, elongate, ventral part trapezoidal. Cucullus short, broad at base. Sacculus small, rounded on outer edge, dorsal angle wider, sclerotized and curved. Phallotheca short and broad, dome-shaped, more sclerotized at base and on outer edges.

Female genitalia (Figs. 25–27): Papillae anales elongate oval. Apophyses posteriores about twice as long as anteriores. Sterigma trapezoidal, deeply hollowed by sinus vaginalis. Ostium bursae broad, oval. Colliculum cupshaped, well sclerotized, broad distally, short and thin on proximal part. Ductus bursae transparent, very short in distal part, slightly shorter than colliculum; proximal section covered with triangular spines approximately in middle, coiled up to corpus bursae; corpus bursae an elongate sack, signum leaf-like with small and asymmetrical laminar part and robust and curved pedunculate part.

Bionomy. The early stages and the foodplant are unknown.

Distribution. RSA (prov. Western Cape).

Etymology. From the Latin parvulus [-a, -um] = little.