Pleurota rondaensis Tabell & Nupponen, 2025

Pleurota rondaensis Tabell & Nupponen , sp. nov. ( Figures 17 View Figures 17-21 , 35, 46, 51) Barcode Index Number: BOLD:ADA1289

Type material: Holotype ♂ (DNA sample 24689 Lepid Phyl [barcoding failed]): SPAIN, Málaga, 20 km NE Ronda , 10-IV-2002, T. & K. Nupponen leg. (coll. NUP) .

Paratypes: 25 ♂ (GP 5581 J. Tabell, DNA sample 24688 Lepid Phyl), 3 ♀, same collecting data as holotype; 5 ♂, same collecting data, but 2-IV-1998, T. Nupponen leg.; 18 ♂, 2 ♀ (GP 5990 J. Tabell; DNA sample 24690 Lepid Phyl), same collecting data, but 9-IV-2002, T. & K. Nupponen leg. (colls. NUP and TAB, 2 exx. coll. MNCN); 1 ♂, Spain, Málaga, Ronda , 24-V-1989, H. Holmberg leg. (coll. NUP) .

Diagnosis: Pleurota rondaensis is characterized by unicolorous brown forewing. It can be distinguished from similarly coloured P. hebetella , P. amaurodoxa and P. pyrenaella sp. n. by larger size. In the male genitalia, distinguishing features are the uncus (longer in P. hebetella and P. pyrenaella ), the gnathos (longer in P. hebetella ), the posterior lobe of juxta (shorter in P. amaurodoxa , longer in P. hebetella and P. pyrenaella ), and the valval lobe (narrower in other related species). In the female genitalia, the narrow ductus bursae and the shape of posterior signa are characteristic.

Molecular data: Two specimens of P. rondaensis were sequenced successfully, resulting in 599 and 614 bp barcode fragments. The nearest neighbours to P. rondaensis are P. pyrenaella , P. hebetella and P. amaurodoxa , with 3.49 %, 4.15 % and 4.57 % divergences, respectively. The barcodes of P. rondaensis exhibit no intraspecific variation.

Description: Adult. Wingspan 18-20.5 mm. Labial palpus pale yellowish brown, mixed brown, ventrally darker, 7x as long as diameter of the eye (1 st and 2 nd segments), 3 rd segment 0.35x length of 1 st and 2 nd segments. Antenna brown, hairy, 0.55x length of forewing. Head, tegula and thorax mixed yellowish brown and brown. Forewing covered with long brown, yellow-tipped scales; costal line pale yellow, from near base to 4 / 5, slightly bulged medially; subcostal line slightly darker than rest of forewing. Cilia brownish grey. Hindwing dark grey, cilia paler, with a distinct fringe line. Abdomen slightly lustrous, blackish grey, each segment with a transverse row of ochre scales.

Male genitalia: Uncus jingle bell-shaped from ventral view, lined with several bristles of different length, distal margin concave. Gnathos 1.45x as long as uncus, funnel-shaped from ventral view, evenly tapered towards apex, largely and densely surfaced by transverse ridges and small nodules, with a medial longitudinal crest. Valva upwards oblique, thimble-shaped, ventral margin concave; sacculus covered with long bristles. Anterior extension of juxta straight, robust; median part a roundish plate; posterior lobe not exceeding the apex of uncus, apex with a small tooth; valval lobe large, parallel-sided, upwards oblique, apex evenly rounded, broadly covered with long bristles. Phallus arched, slightly tapered towards apex, cornutus indistinct, apical 1 / 5 covered with small spines and nodules.

Female genitalia: Papilla analis ovoid, narrow, apical half covered with bristles. Posterior apophysis 5.6x as long as papilla analis and 2.3x as long as anterior apophysis, which is as long as segment 8. Segment 8 longitudinally elongated, membranous, quadrate, dorsolaterally reinforced by sclerotized band; branch of anterior apophysis apically fused, deeply U-shaped, weekly sclerotized; ventral longitudinal sclerotization narrow, shorter than segment 8. Antrum tubular, narrow, anterior half sclerotized, colliculum short. Ductus bursae very narrow, expanded towards corpus bursae. Corpus bursae ovoid; anterior signum arched, broad, both apices broad, protuberances thornlike; two leaf-shaped posterior signa, spike needle-shaped, base strongly elongated.

Biology: Unknown. The type locality in Ronda was a roadside meadow, subsequently the roadworks has destroyed the habitat. Most specimens were netted from Ononis sp.

Distribution: Known only in southern Spain.

Derivation of name: The specific name refers to the collecting locality of the holotype.