Coleophora afrobrunnea, sp. nov.

(Figs. 4, 31–33)

Holotype ♂ (GP Bldz 15077) “ RSA, Cape Town | Orange Kloof | 14.10.2009, Turm | leg. W. Mey, LF”, [S 34°00.622’ E 18°23.278’, 70 m], in coll. MfN.

Diagnosis. Very small species with a greyish-brown appearance. The male genitalia are different from all known Afrotropical species. The main characteristic features are the transtilla forked at the apex, the very short and squat cucullus, the outer edge of the sacculus with a short protuberance at the dorsal angle, the conical and elongate phallotheca sclerotized only in the ventral part.

Description. Wingspan 7 mm. Head greyish brown, white above the eye. Antenna: scape greyish brown without erect scales; flagellum ringed brown and grey. Labial palpus white on inner side, white in basal half and brown in distal half on outer side; second segment about 1.5 times longer than third. Proboscis very short, normal shaped. Thorax and tegula greyish brown. Forewing of uniform greyish brown colour, with few scattered brown scales; costal cilia brown, dorsal cilia grey. Hindwing greyish brown; cilia grey. Abdomen greyish brown.

Abdominal structures (Fig. 33): Anterior lateral struts about 5 times as long as posteriors. Transverse strut thin and linear on proximal edge, well sclerotized only in middle, thicker on curved distal edge. Tergal disks (3 rd tergite) length about 3 times their width, covered with about 40 spines.

Male genitalia (Figs. 31–32): Gnathos knob globular. Tegumen stout, constricted in middle, pedunculus dilated. Transtilla slightly curved, forked at apex into two sharp points. Valvula small, triangular and more sclerotized on ventral part. Cucullus short, large, dorsal edge straight. Sacculus large, well sclerotized and jagged on lateral edge, ventral angle curved, dorsal angle with short and thin curved horn-shaped protuberance extended beyond apex of cucullus. Phallotheca conical, long, not sclerotized dorsally. No cornuti.

Female genitalia: Unknown.

Bionomy. The early stages and the foodplant are unknown.

Distribution. RSA (prov. Western Cape).

Etymology. The name derives from the brownish colour of the species.