Cauchas storozhenkoi Tarasova & Ponomarenko, 2025

Cauchas storozhenkoi Tarasova & Ponomarenko , sp. nov.

( Figs 1 View FIGURES 1–10 , 11–13 View FIGURES 11–17 , 18–21 View FIGURES 18–27 )

Type material. Holotype: ♂, Russia, Primorskii Krai , Vladivostok, 1 km NNW of “Sputnik” railway station, 43°14’57” N, 132°02’00” E, 19.vii 2021 (leg. M. Ponomarenko), GS 345 MP, FSCB. GoogleMaps

Diagnosis. The new species is similar to C. florella , C. rufifrontella , and C. terskella Kuprijanov by unpatterned forewing. It is also similar to C. terskella and C. fibulella by the male genitalia with relatively large socii, length of which exceeds half of the uncus width, W-shaped plate of transtilla and large anterior part of juxta. The new species differs by the monochrome wings without metallic shine, by the valva smoothly tapering towards apex, and juxta with rectangular shade-shaped anterior part in the male genitalia.

Description. Adult, male. Head covered with raised yellow and brown elongated hair-like scales ( Fig. 11 View FIGURES 11–17 ). Antennal scape dark brown, flagellum dark brown basally and lighter distally, with ventral ciliation ( Fig. 12 View FIGURES 11–17 ); antennal sockets well separated. Eyes small, frontoclypeus broad, interocular index (vd/md) 0.47 ( Fig. 13 View FIGURES 11–17 ). Maxillar palpi rudimentary. Labial palpus dark brown with elongated hair-like scales on ventral margin; weakly curved upwards, first segment 3/5 of second segment length, third segment 1.6 times longer than second one.

Thorax dark brown. Wingspan 10.5 mm, forewing length 4.5 mm. Tegula and forewing brownish gold, the latter without pattern and metallic shine; fringe concolorous with them basally and lighter distally ( Fig. 1 View FIGURES 1–10 ). Hindwing greyish brown, fringe slightly darker. In hindwing veins M 1 and M 2 separated basally. Fore- and midlegs greyish brown; hindlegs with femur dark brown dorsally and greyish brown ventrally, tibia and tarsus light greyish brown; hind tibia with long hair-like scales.

Genitalia ( Figs 18–21 View FIGURES 18–27 ). Tegumen short, fused with rudimentary uncus. Socius bean-shaped and relatively long, exceeds half of uncus width. Vinculum wide, in ventral part two times longer than valva, with rounded anterior part, joined with tegumen dorso-laterally. Valva broad basally, smoothly tapering towards rounded apex. Transtilla consists of two curved band-like sclerites arising from dorso-basal valval angles and fused into W-shaped plate with rounded sublateral lobes and medial process elongated caudally and pointed at apex ( Fig. 19 View FIGURES 18–27 ). Aedeagus 2.5 times longer than valva, tubular, narrowed at basal 1/4 and at near 3/5 of its length, with ventral more or less trapezoid plate at the base; its apical part with two asymmetric lobes, both with more or less long spines: left lobes slightly shorter and more sclerotised, its base forms latero-ventral side of aedeagus apical part; right lobe longer, semisclerotised, its base forms dorso-lateral side of aedeagus apical part ( Fig. 21 View FIGURES 18–27 ). Anellus with large spines in distal part and granulated in proximal part; juxta with rectangular shade-shaped anterior part bearing single left thorn ( Fig. 20 View FIGURES 18–27 ).

Female. Unknown.

Host plant. Unknown.

Distribution. Russia (south of the Far East: Primorskii Krai).

Etymology. The species is named after Dr. Sergei Yuryevich Storozhenko, a famous entomologist who made a great contribution to the study of orthopteroid insects. A noun in the genitive case.