﻿New species of Urodeta Stainton, 1869 (Lepidoptera, Elachistidae, Elachistinae) from Ghana and Democratic Republic of the Congo, with identification keys to the Afrotropical species of the genus

﻿Abstract Two new species, Urodetafalcatasp. nov. from Ghana and U.bisignasp. nov. from Democratic Republic of the Congo are described. The habitus and genitalia are diagnosed and illustrated in detail. Identification keys to the Afrotropical species of the genus Urodeta, based on male and female genitalia, are provided.


Introduction
The genus Urodeta was established by Stainton (1869) with U. cisticolella Stainton, 1869 as the type species. Originally, Stainton (1869) indicated its closeness to Elachista Treitschke, but subsequent classifications have associated it with several different families and subfamilies (De Prins and Sruoga 2012).
Moths of the genus Urodeta are very small to small with a wingspan of 4-8 mm. The labial palpus is porrect and shorter than the diameter of the head. The forewing pattern is mostly inconspicuous, being unicolourous or with indistinct markings. The most distinctive feature in the male genitalia is the anteriorly directed spines of the gnathos, and females are easily recognized by the apophyses anteriores, which, when present, extend from the middle of segment 8 and spread apart laterad. A more detailed list of the morphological characters diagnosing this genus have been summarized and verified by Kaila (2004Kaila ( , 2011 and De Prins (2011, 2013). The known larvae are leaf-miners in dicotyledonous plants in the families Cistaceae (Stainton 1869;Lhomme 1946Lhomme -1963Zerkowitz 1946) and Combretaceae (Kaila 2011).
Until 2009, Urodeta was thought to be monotypic and its distribution restricted to the Mediterranean region. Taxonomic interest in this genus increased following the description of a considerable number of new species from tropical Africa (Mey 2007;De Prins 2009, 2011;De Prins and Sruoga 2012), Australia (Kaila 2011) and Asia (Sruoga and De Prins 2013;Sruoga and Rocienė 2018;Sruoga et al. 2019). The genus Urodeta now comprises 26 accepted and validly named species (Kaila 2019) distributed in Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia, but most of the species are known from tropical Africa (Table 1). Kaila (2011) recognized one additional species, but did not name it.  Kaila (2011) In this study, we describe two new species in the genus Urodeta and provide keys to all the known Afrotropical species.

Materials and methods
Adult specimens were examined externally using MBS-10 and Euromex Stereo Blue stereomicroscopes. The forewing length was measured along the costa from wing base to the apex of the terminal fringe scales. For a wingspan, the forewing length was doubled and thorax width added. The width of the head was measured between the inner edges of the antennal bases. Genitalia were prepared following the standard method described by Robinson (1976) and Traugott-Olsen and Nielsen (1977). The genitalia were studied and some morphological structures were photographed in glycerol before permanent slide-mounting in Euparal. The male genital capsule was stained with fuchsin and the abdominal pelt with chlorazol black (Direct Black 38/Azo Black). The genital morphology was examined using a Novex B microscope. Habitus images were taken using a Canon EOS 80D camera fitted with a MP-E 65 mm Canon macro lens, attached to a macro rail (MJKZZ Qool Rail). The photographs of genitalia were made using a Novex B microscope and a E3ISPM12000KPA digital camera. The descriptive terminology of morphological structures follows Kaila (1999Kaila ( , 2011 and Kristensen (2003).
Type specimens are deposited in the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Belgium (RBINS).

Taxonomy
Key to the Afrotropical species of Urodeta species based on male genitalia  (Mey, 2007), known from Namibia. However, U. falcata can be distinguished most easily by the presence of two claw-shaped cornuti, pointed apex of phallus and long ventral shield of juxta.
Description. Male (Figs 5,6). Forewing length 2.2 mm; wingspan 5.0 mm (N = 1). Head: frons, vertex and neck tuft pale grey, weakly mottled with dark brown tipped scales; labial palpus vestigial, visible only as very short greyish extension; scape greyish white below, brownish grey above, pecten pale grey; flagellum pale brown, weakly annulated with darker rings basally and slightly serrated apically. Thorax and tegula strongly mottled with scales basally pale grey and distally brownish grey. Forewing: strongly mottled with scales basally pale grey and distally brownish grey; wing darker beyond middle; fringe brownish grey. Hindwing and its fringe brownish grey.
Biology. Unknown. Flight period. Based on the specimen available, adults fly in May. Distribution. So far, this species is known only from southern Ghana (Figs 1, 2). Etymology. The species name is derived from the Latin falcata (sickle-shaped) in reference to the shape of cornuti in male genitalia.
Remarks. The head of the holotype is somewhat abraded, therefore the description is approximate. Diagnosis. Urodeta bisigna is a small, lightly-coloured species, with indistinct wing markings. In female genitalia, the new species is comparable to Afrotropical species with vestigial apophyses and a comb-shaped signum consisting of few stout spines, i.e., U. maculata (Mey, 2007) known from Namibia, U. bucera De Prins, 2011 andU. talea Sruoga &De Prins, 2011, known from Democratic Republic of the Congo. However, U. bisigna is distinguished most easily by its additional irregularly shaped signum.

Urodeta bisigna
Description. Female (Figs 15,16). Forewing length 2.2 mm; wingspan 5.0 mm (N = 1). Head: frons, vertex and neck tuft creamy white, neck tuft weakly mottled with brown tipped scales; labial palpus vestigial, visible only as very short greyish extension; scape creamy white, mottled with brown tipped scales above, pecten creamy white; flagellum greyish brown, annulated with paler rings basally and slightly serrated apically. Thorax and tegula creamy white, mottled by brown tipped scales. Forewing: creamy white powdered with brownish creamy tipped scales. Denser grey brown scales forming two irregular patches: one in basal part of wing; other extending obliquely at 2/5 of costa towards tornus of wing. Blackish brown scales forming two small irregular spots: one at 2/5 of costa and other opposite at dorsum; fringe greyish white. Hindwing and its fringe pale brownish grey.
Male. Unknown. Female genitalia (Figs 17, 18). Papilla analis very short, ventral surface setose. Apophysis posterioris vestigial, visible only as tiny extension basolaterally, apophysis anterioris absent. Ostium bursae situated in membrane between sterna 7 and 8. Antrum and colliculum not distinct. Ductus bursae very long, spirally coiled in proximal 1/2. Corpus bursae with minute internal spines and two signa, one comb shaped, consisting of 5 stout teeth, slightly varying in size and few smaller spines; another signum irregularly shaped, with one short spine.
Biology. Unknown. Flight period. Based on the specimen available, adults fly in March. Distribution. So far, this species is known only from western Democratic Republic of the Congo (Figs 3, 4). Etymology. The species name is derived from the Latin prefix bi (two), and signum in reference to presence of two signa in female genitalia.
Remarks. The forewing in the holotype is somewhat abraded, therefore the description is approximate.

Discussion
In these times of biodiversity loss (De Prins 2022) in Central Africa and elsewhere we recognize the importance of adding two new species for science. The description of two new species brings the total number of known species of Afrotropical Urodeta to 20. They comprise nearly 77% of the world fauna of the genus. The largest species richness of Urodeta in tropical Africa is reported from Cameroon (6 spp), Democratic Republic of the Congo (4 spp), and Kenya (4 spp). With the description of Urodeta falcata sp. nov., the genus Urodeta and the subfamily Elachistinae are recorded from Ghana for the first time.
The recent discoveries of Urodeta species from Africa, Asia and Australia (Mey 2007;Sruoga and De Prins 2009, 2011, 2013Kaila 2011;De Prins and Sruoga 2012;Sruoga and Rocienė 2018;Sruoga et al. 2019) show that species richness and geographical distributions are much greater than were previously assumed. The main reason for our limited understanding of this group of moths in the Afrotropical region is a lack of adequate field work. All Afrotropical species of Urodeta are known only from their type localities. Although a trend towards endemism of micromoths is evident (De Prins andDe Prins 2011-2021), distributions of smaller, more obscure moths might change with targeted collecting efforts outside of the type localities ).