Michaelophorus maria Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich, sp. n.

https://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 1ED37B7D-1231-45D7-BC18-BE2B8BC8E69E

Figs 1-3

Type material: Holotype, ♂ (ZISP, gen.pr. Nr. 1991), PARAGUAY, Dep. Alto Parana, Limoy, 24°45’ S, 54°27’ W, 11–15. i. 2017, U. Drechsel leg.; Paratypes, 3♂, 11♀, (ZISP, CUK) same data as holotype.

DESCRIPTION. External characters. Head, thorax and tegulae with dark-brown scales. Labial palpi thin, straight, 1.5 times longer than eye diameter in length. Antennae thin, cross-striped, with alternating brown and white segments. Wingspan 13-15 mm (holotype 13 mm). Fore wings dark-brown with portions of yellowish-brown spots. Narrow transverse yellowish-brown band on first lobe distally. Brown spot of scales in front of cleft, similar spot in medium portion of wing. Anal angle of second lobe with distinct bundle of dark-brown hairs, second lobe apically acute. Fringe inside cleft mottled, with alternating light-grey and dark-brown hairs. Hind wings unicolorous, dark-brown. Fringe of third lobe along outer margin with dark-brown spots of hairs, third lobe apically with distinct triangular bundle of brown hairs.

Male genitalia. Valves symmetric, noticeably narrowing distally. Beyond valve middle in front of its narrowing, thin smoothly curved hook-like spike. Tegumen simple, with notch on apex. Uncus triangular. Aedeagus arched, twice shorter than valve in length.

Female genitalia. Papillae anales narrow, elongated, apically acute. Posterior apophyses straight. Anterior apophyses three times shorter than posterior apophyses. Lamina postvaginalis with two long longitudinal processes in center of sternum 8. Antrum short, tubulate. Lamina antevaginalis bag-like. Ductus bursae short, thin, membranous. Bursa copulatrix small, oval, poorly sclerotized, without signa.

Diagnosis. In the external characters of the adult and in the male genital structure, the new species is similar to Michaelophorus dentiger (Meyrick, 1916), from which it differs in the distally narrowing valves and in the notch on the apex of the tegumen. In the female genitalia, in the narrow antrum and the longitudinal process on the lamina postvaginalis, it is similar to Michaelophorus indentatus (Meyrick, 1930), but clearly differs in the absence of signa in the bursa copulatrix, the shorter ductus and the bag-like lamina antevaginalis.

Flight period: January.

Distribution: Paraguay.

Etymology: The species is named after Maria Boreyko (Shipitsyna) (Novosibirsk, Russia), a classmate of the first author.