Snout Moths are one of the larger groups of Lepidopterans (Butterflies and Moths), with over 6000 described species known from across the globe. Most of these are small and inconspicuous, and generally ignored by humans, though the larval forms of some species are considered to be pests, since they consume dried food products.
In a paper published in the journal ZooKeys on 7 August 2012, Yongling Sun of the Department of Biology at Dezhou University and Houhun Li of the College of Life Sciences at Nankai University describe five new species of Snout Moths in the widespread and species-numerous genus Endotricha, and in addition describe the females of three species previously known only from male specimens.
The first new species described is named Endotricha dentiprocessa, where dentiprocessa means 'toothed process', in reference to the genital structure of the Moth. The species is described from two male and two female specimens, all collected in 2008 from Qinmu Village in Yongfu County in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Endotricha dentiprocessa is a small black, white and brown moth with a wingspan of 17.0−18.5 mm.
Endotricha dentiprocessa. Female specimen. Sun & Li (2012).
The second new species is named Endotricha unicolor, where unicolor means single-coloured, a reference to the unpatterned rear wing. The species is named from one male and female specimens collected in Millen and Linzhi Counties in the Xizang (Tibet) Autonomous Region, at altitudes of between 2980 and 3065 m. Endotricha unicolor is a yellowish-brown Moth with a 20 mm wingspan.
Endotricha unicolor. (Top) Male. (Bottom) Female. Sun & Li (2012).
The third new species described is named Endotricha shafferi, in honour of the late Michael Shaffer, an entomologist at the British Museum of Natural History. The species is named from One male and two female specimens from the Yinsha Protection Station in Jinxiu County in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Endotricha shafferi is a black and yellow Moth with a 21 mm wingspan.
Endotricha shafferi. Female specimen. Sun & Li (2012).
The fourth new species is named Endotricha convexa, refering to the shape of the forewing. The species is described on the basis of three male and one female specimens from Yinggeling and Mount Wuzhi in Hainan Province. Endotricha convexa is a brown and yellow moth with purple markings on its wings and a wingspan of 20-22 mm.
Endotricha convexa. (Top) Male. (Bottom) Female. Sun & Li (2012).
The fifth new species described is named Endotricha whalleyi, in honour of the late Paul Whalley, a noted entomologist. The species is described from two male specimens from Hanmi in Mêdog County in the Xizang (Tibet) Autonomous Region. Endotricha whalleyi is a brown moth with a 16 mm wingspan.
Endotricha whalleyi. Male specimen. Sun & Li (2012).
The first of the three species to have its female described for the first time is Endotricha hoenei, the male of which was described in 1963 by Paul Whalley, from Guangdong Province. Sun and Li detail five new male and 19 female specimens from Fujian and Guangxi Provinces. The female is a yellow and brown Moth with a 19-21 mm wingspan.
Endotricha hoenei. Female specimen. Sun & Li (2012).
The second species to have its female described for the first time is Endotricha luteogrisalis, originally described in 1896 from a male specimen from Bhutan. Sun and Li describe five new male and twelve female specimens from Fujian and Hainan Provinces. The female of Endotricha luteogrisalis is a brown and yellow Moth with a 16.5-20 mm wingspan.
Endotricha luteogrisalis. Female specimen. Sun & Li (2012).
The final species to have its female described for the first time is Endotricha simipunicea, originally described in 2005 from a male specimen from Zhejiang Province. Sun and Li describe eight new male specimens and three female specimens from Fujian and Guizhou Provinces. The female of Endotricha simipunicea is a red and yellow Moth with a 13.5-15 mm wingspan.
Endotricha simipunicea. Female specimen. Sun & Li (2012).
See also New Tiger Moths discovered in east Asia, New species of Leaf-Mining Moth from northern Chile and New species of moth from Yunnan Province.
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