Mirocossus pittawayi, Yakovlev, 2019

Yakovlev, Roman V., 2019, Two new species of Cossinae (Lepidoptera, Cossidae) from Arabian Peninsula, Ecologica Montenegrina 21, pp. 42-45 : 43-45

Mirocossus pittawayi sp. nov. ( Figure 1 : C−D)

Material. Holotype: male, [Saudi] Arabia , [Province] Asir, 80 km N of Abha, 15.vii.1983, A. R. Pittaway (Natural History Museum, slide NHMUK: 010315459).

Name. The new species is named after its collector, the well-known entomologist, specialist in Sphingidae, Tony Pittaway.

Diagnosis. The new species externally resembles M. badiala (Fletcher, 1968) described from Uganda and widely spread throughout all East Africa, but differs by the following external and morphological characters: - the smaller size,

- the light color of the wings,

- the absence of prongs on the costal edge of the valve,

- the curved short phallus.

Description. Fore wing length 13 mm, wing wide, apically wide and rounded. Antenna bipectinate, crest processes tree times longer than antenna rod diameter. Tegulae and patagia grey. Abdomen covered with pale brown scales Fore wing grey with thin undulated transverse brown lines, more wide brown band in discal area, a series of thin black strokes along costal edge, fringe grey, unicolorous. Hind wing very light, grey, almost white, with very thin, hardly noticeable transverse undulated strokes.

Male genitalia. Uncus triangle, relatively short, apically tapered; gnathos arms of medium length, thin; gnathos robust, densely covered with short spikes; valve apically semicircular, apex membranous, place of transition of sclerotized part into membranous one poorly expressed, on costal edge of valve near apex there is a crest with strongly sclerotized rib on inner valve surface (reaching valve middle); transtilla process basally thick, gradually narrowing to apex, long, uncinate, strongly curved in medium third; juxta small, heart-shaped, apex directed abdominally, two lanceolate lateral processes; saccus semicircular, very robust; phallus slightly shorter than valve, a little curved in medium third, apex obliquely cut, vesica aperture in dorso-apical position, equal to half of phallus length, vesica without cornuti.

Female unknown.

Distribution. Known only from Saudi Arabia (Province Asir).

Figures

Figure 1. A. Brachylia fibigeri sp. n., holotype, B. Male genitalia of B. fibigeri, sp. n., holotype, Genital slide Heterocera: 32.733, C. Mirocossus pittawayi sp. n., holotype, D. Male genitalia of M. pittawayi sp. n., Genital slide NHMUK: 010315459.