Mercedula storozhenkoi Ponomarenko & M. Omelko, 2025

Mercedula storozhenkoi Ponomarenko & M. Omelko View in CoL , sp. nov.

( Figs 6–9, 11 View FIGURES 1–11 , 22–24 View FIGURES 12–24 )

Type material. Holotype: ♀, Borneo, East Malaysia, state of Sabah, 24 km north of Tawau , 22.viii 2019 (leg. M. Omelko), GS 357 MP, FSCB.

Diagnosis. New species differs from M. fuscomarginata sp. nov. by the relatively larger size of moth, head without tuft of elongated scales on each side of frons and forewing with costal stripe exceeding the level of cell end ( Fig. 11 View FIGURES 1–11 ). It can be also distinguished by female genitalia with small ostium about ¼ of 8 th segment width, smaller cup-shaped antrum, postvaginal plate with honeycomb-like sculpture on surface and relatively large thorn-shaped signa in corpus bursae.

Description. Adult, female ( Figs 6–9 View FIGURES 1–11 ). Head without tufts of elongated scales. Flagellum in proximal part with one wide ring formed by three blackish segments before middle, in distal part with four black rings, first of which wider, than in M. fuscomarginata sp. nov. ( Figs 8, 9 View FIGURES 1–11 ). Forewing length 3.3 mm. Forewing light beige, interspersed with brownish scales located more densely on distal ¼ of wing before apex; with yellowish-brown stripe along costal margin from base to almost 4/5 of wing length, which exceeds level of cell end ( Fig. 11 View FIGURES 1–11 ); small black spot of raised scales at cell end and greyish brown spot posteriad the latter; fringe light beige on costal and outer edges and dark grey on posterior margin. Hindwings and fringe dark grey.

Female genitalia ( Figs 22, 23 View FIGURES 12–24 ). Papillae anales oblong and scletotised. Ovipositor short, membrane between 9 th and 8 th segments slightly shorter than papillae anales.Apophyses posteriores and apophyses anteriores equal in length. 8th segment with wide ventral membranous area and narrower dorsal one. Ostium small, about 1/5 of 8 th segment width. Postvaginal plate more or less trapezoidal, with flat posterior edge and deep rounded notch on anterior half, in which ostium and posterior edge of antrum placed. Antrum cup-shaped, sclerotised and relatively short, about 1/4 of 8 th segment length. Ductus bursae membranous, narrow and tubular, slightly shorter than corpus bursae. Corpus bursae oval with two thorn-shaped signa in posterior half, each signum with oval underlying sclerotisation.

Male unknown.

Distribution. East Malaysia ( Sabah).

Etymology. The species is named after Prof. Sergey Yu. Storozhenko, a famous expert with the orthopteroid insects and who made a great contribution to the study of morphology, fauna, taxonomy, and evolution of these insects. A noun in the genitive case.

Remarks. This species is described within genus Mercedula gen. nov. based on the similarity in appearance and some morphostructures of the female genitalia with those in the type species M. fuscomarginata sp. nov. However, M. storozhenkoi sp. nov. has significant differences in the ostial area, namely trapezoidal postvaginal plate with honey-like structure on surface and smaller cup-shaped antrum. Therefore, this species is tentatively placed in this genus until the male morphology will be studied to clarify its taxonomic position.