Archithosia henricus Durante, Potenza & Pellegrino, 2024

Durante, Antonio, Potenza, Luigi & Pellegrino, Gabriele, 2024, A new species of Archithosia Birket-Smith, 1965 in the subgenus Eurythosia Krüger, 2015 from Uganda (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae: Lithosiini), Zootaxa 5492 (3), pp. 356-368 : 362-366

Archithosia henricus Durante, Potenza & Pellegrino n. sp. ( Figs. 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 )

https://zoobank.org/NomenclaturalActs/ 740DB914-0CDB-468B-8423-1E70A9D86C45

Holotype: ♂, UGANDA, Kibale forest, m 1500, 0°33’40” N 30°21’24” E, 19/ 24-10-2014, Durante leg., g. sl. n. 1159 MAD; in coll. MSNS.

Paratypes: 1 ♂, UGANDA, same data as the holotype, g. sl. n. 1175 MAD ; 1 ♀, UGANDA, same data as the holotype, g. sl. n. 1176 MAD ; in coll. MSNS.

Diagnosis. The species of the subgenus Eurythosia are all very similar in terms of their external features, so definite discrimination is impossible without examination of the genitalia (see Discussion).

The male genitalia of Archithosia henricus n. sp. are closely related to those of Archithosia makomensis , from which they differ in (i) the length of the ala valvae distal transverse process, which is about 1/4 of the entire length of the ala valvae in henricus n. sp. and about 1/ 3 in makomensis ; (ii) the width of the supravalva, which in henricus n. sp. is about half what it is in makomensis ; (iii) the dorsal sclerotisation at the base of the supravalva (i.e. proximal half of costa), which is more accentuated in henricus n. sp. than in makomensis ; the valvellae, which are sturdier in henricus n. sp. than makomensis and are directed outwards in the former and are mesad or directed inwards in the latter. The sturdy process of the supravalva in angulifascia and that of the ala valvae in kinuthiae easily distinguish these species from both henricus n. sp. and derelicta due to absence of the distal process of the ala valvae in the latter. In the female genitalia, the oblong shape of the corpus bursae in angulifascia and kinuthiae is distinctive (roundish in henricus n. sp.). In makomensis the V-shaped (convex) lamella antevaginalis and the star-shaped signum are diagnostic (arched, concave lamella antevaginalis and round, cup-shaped signum in henricus n. sp.).

Description. ( Figs. 5 , 6 ). Wingspan ♂ 36–37 mm; ♀ 35. 5 mm. Head with vertex beige and frontoclypeus from dark beige to almost black with margins darker; antennae ciliated (cilia denser in male), dorsally same colour as vertex, ventrally unpigmented; labial palpi porrect, not extending beyond frons, same colour as frontoclypeus, with distal segment always blackish.

Patagia, tegulae and thorax same colour as forewings, sometimes slightly darker; patagia and tegulae somewhat darker in the middle. Legs same colour as thorax but forelegs darker, mid- and hindlegs internally lighter; spurs formula 0-2-4. Forewing upperside ground colour brown-dusted beige with angled brown band from middle of costa towards space between M1 and M3, afterwards turning to inner margin almost in middle. Forewing underside unmarked, lighter beige than upperside. Hindwing upperside unmarked, ground colour light beige; underside same colour as upperside.

Abdomen slightly lighter than thorax. A2 sternum apodemes ( Fig. 8B ) long (plesiomorphic character according to Bendib & Minet (1999: 243), but see also Holloway (2001: 281)).

Female seventh abdominal sternite about 1/3 shorter than sixth; seventh tergite slightly longer than sixth. Eighth abdominal sternite swollen, about 1/2 as long as sixth sternite; eighth tergite about 1/5 as long as seventh tergite, and completely fused to it (no trace of intersegmental membrane).

Genitalia. ♂ ( Fig. 7 ). Uncus (UC) falcate, larger at base, ending in sharp hook ( Fig. 7B ); tegumen (TE) triangular in dorsal view; tuba analis (TA) short, membranous with very thin rod-like scaphium (SC) along its basal 4/5 ( Fig. 7B ); vinculum (VI) weak, large-u-shaped (ventro-caudal view), not forming evident saccus; juxta (JU) arched ( Fig. 7C ); valvellae (VA) sturdy, thorn-like, directed outwards, firmly connected to bases of ala valvae; manica penis (MP) membranous, with membranous thin tape-like dorsal transtilla (TR) connecting two plicae centripetalis ( Fig. 7D ).

Ala valvae (AV) rectangularish, fairly sclerotised, with distal conical process (CP) covered in small spines ( Fig. 7A ) and ending in sturdy thorn; supravalva (SV) only slightly sclerotised, digitiform, exceeding ala valvae by about ¼ of its total length, bearing a swollen process (SP in Fig. 7A ) arising from dorsal part of basis valvae and extending along costa up to middle of total length.

Aedeagus ( Figs. 7E, 7F ) almost as long as ala valvae, tubular, fairly sclerotised, with dorsal entrance of ductus ejaculatorius (DE) and short coecum penis (CE, about 1/6 of total length of aedeagus); vesica with distal main lobe (ML), bearing sturdy thorn-like cornutus (CO), second small lobe (SL) with right side covered in small granicula, third dorsal medium lobe (DL), membranous and dome-shaped, and fourth small lobe (LL) on left, also covered in granicula ( Fig. 7F ).

♀ ( Fig.8 ). Seventh sternite very short,quite swollen, slightly sclerotised in its central portion;lamella antevaginalis (LA) made up of strongly sclerotised arch, prolonged laterally into two rectangularish flat sclerotisations (LS) partly entering, funnel-like, ostium bursae. Dorsal portion of ostium completely membranous. Eighth sternite swollen, sclerotised, bent over sterigma and seventh sternum, covering ostium; central caudal portion (CP) membranous and scobinate with tiny spines. Papillae anales (PA) smoothly squarish (in pictures appearing to taper caudally due to rolling of external caudal corners); anterior apophyses slightly shorter than papillae anales; posterior apophyses almost twice as long as anterior apophyses; dorsal pheromone glands (PG; Fig. 8C ) unpaired, with one caudal opening at intersegmental membrane between A8 and A9, anteriorly deeply bifurcated into two triangularish lobes as long as papillae anales.

Ductus bursae (DB) half as long as corpus bursae, quite large, swollen leftward, with dorso-caudal small dome-shaped appendix (DA; Fig. 8D ), from which ductus seminalis (DS) arises (clearly visible in dorsal view). Corpus bursae (CB) spheroid, membranous, internally covered in tiny spines; signum (SI) roundish, deeply concave, strongly sclerotised, scobinate with small spines.

Etymology. The authors wish to dedicate the new species to the young researcher of the MSNS, Enrico Panzera, who recently passed away suddenly at the age of 30. Noun in apposition (ICZN 11.9.1.2).

Figures

FIGURE 5. Archithosia henricus n. sp., holotype, male, gen sl. n. 1159 MAD.

FIGURE 6. Archithosia henricus n. sp., paratype, female, gen. sl. n. 1176 MAD.

FIGURE 7. Archithosia henricus n. sp., male genitalia. A. Genitalia, ventral view. B. Uncus, lateral view. C. Juxta, ventral view. D. Transtilla, dorsal view. E. Aedeagus, right side. F. Aedeagus, left side. AV ala valvae; CE coecum penis; CO cornutus; CP conical process of ala valvae; DE ductus ejaculatorius entrance; DL dorsal medium lobe of vesica; JU juxta; LL small left lateral lobe of vesica; ML main lobe of vesica; MP manica penis; SC scaphium; SL small right lateral lobe of vesica; SP swollen process of supravalva; SV supravalva; TA tuba analis; TE tegumen; TR transtilla; UC uncus; VA valvella; VI vinculum.

FIGURE 8. Archithosia henricus n. sp., female genitalia. A. Genitalia, ventral view. B. Apodemes. C. papillae anales and dorsal pheromone glands, dorsal view. D. Appendix and ductus bursae, dorsal view.AP apodemes of second sternite; CB corpus bursae; CP membranous caudal portion of ostium bursae; DA dome-shaped appendix; DB ductus bursae; DS ductus seminalis; LA lamella antevaginalis; LS lateral extensions of lamella antevaginalis; PA papillae anales; PG dorsal pheromone glands; SI signum; VII st seventh sternite; VIII st eighth sternite.