Parafrasura, Durante, 2012

Durante, Antonio, 2012, New genera and problematic species in African Lithosiinae (Lepidoptera, Arctiidae, Lymantriidae), European Journal of Taxonomy 22, pp. 1-16 : 2-5

Parafrasura gen. nov.

Type species

Asura pectinella Strand, 1922 , by present designation.

Diagnosis

Monospecific genus externally very similar to Afrasura and Tumicla . Differential characters: two basal bands on the forewings upperside (a single basal band in Tumicla ); bipectinate antennae of the male (filiform or serrate in Afrasura and Tumicla ); spur formula 0-4-4 (0-2- 2 in Tumicla ); coremata absent; uncus long and slender, clubbed (shorter, often curved, ending in a point in Afrasura and Tumicla ); tegumen strong; scaphium well sclerotized; distal end of the valva undivided, with a finger-like process (valve clearly divided valva in Afrasura ; a different kind of distal process present in Tumicla ); presence of the processus distalis plicae (absent in Afrasura ); vinculum without saccus; vesica with a cluster of very small and sparse thorns; no strong cornuti.

Etymology

The prefix “para”, from ancient Greek, means “similar to” and indicates the probable relationship with the genus Afrasura . The gender of the new name is feminine.

Description

The descriptions of Bethune-Baker (1911) and Hampson (1914) of Asura pectinata are comprehensive enough with regard to external appearance of its body and wings ( Fig. 1 A-E).

MALE ABDOMEN. With VII and VIII urites smaller than the previous ones. VIII sternum with anterior margin slightly waved; VIII tergum anterior margin with a bar-like reinforcement with two small apodemes at its lateral extremities.

GENITALIA. ( Fig. 1 F-G) With uncus long and slender, claviform. Tegumen large and short, stronger than usually found in Asura -like genera (i.e. Asura , Afrasura , Tumicla ). Posteriorly to the tegumen, two strong arms arise and suddenly meet together, forming a strong sclerotized structure (gnathos), which includes the sclerotized dorsal surface of the tuba analis (scaphium). Vinculum. Slender, semicircular, without saccus, tightly linked to the valvae. Anellus dorsally with a slightly sclerotized W-shaped transtilla, and ventrally with a quite large dome-shaped membranous juxta, not visible in the slide preparation.

VALVA. Slightly widening from the base to the distal margin, linked to the vinculum except for the costa. Two longitudinal swellings extending parallel from base to the distal 4/5: the first one just under the costal margin, the second one along the inferior margin (ala valvae of Birket-Smith 1965). At the apex, the valva possesses a keel-like enlargement; at the middle of the distal margin a finger-like process.

AEDEAGUS. Small, tubular, with a bulbous coecum. Vesica with sparse tiny thorns.

FEMALE GENITALIA. These have not been directly examined, but the described characteristics ( Kühne, 2007: 365) seem to be exclusive, particularly the sclerotizations of the ostium bursae and the bag-shaped invagination proximad of the ostium.

Remarks

Asura pectinella Strand, 1922 was firstly described by Bethune-Baker (1911) in the genus Asura as A. pectinata (nom. praeocc.); the genitalia morphology, however, leads to the conclusion, that it should be included in a genus of its own. Already Kühne (2007) rightly separated this species in a group of itself, however leaving it in the genus Asura .

A new genus is here described after the examination of specimens from Western and Central Africa, whose size and wing pattern are very similar to Afrasura ( Fig. 2A ) and Tumicla ( Fig. 2B ). However the

male bipectinate antennae and genitalic peculiarities are here considered strongly distinctive and have never before been observed in the aforementioned, probably related genera.

The new genus shows a wing venation and pattern very similar to that of Afrasura , so that the venation and the two basal bands are considered synapomorphic characters of the Afrasura - Parafrasura group.

Probable autapomorphies of Parafrasura are: tegumen strong and large; uncus long, slender, slightly claviform; shape of the scaphium-gnathos complex.

Other relevant characters are: male antennae bipectinate; female with short anterior apophyses and sinus vaginalis conformation.

Figures

Fig. 1. Parafrasura pectinella (Strand, 1922). A. Holotype Ƌ, Angola, in BMNH. B. Ƌ, Democratic Republic of the Congo, in BMNH. C. Ƌ, Cameroun, in BMNH. D. Enlarged Fig. B, showing the basal bands of the forewing. E. Ƌ, head of Fig. C enlarged, showing the bipectinate antennae. F. Ƌ genitalia, g.sl. BM ARCT 5741, Chad. G. Aedeagus, g.sl. BM ARCT 5741, Chad.

Fig. 2. — A. Afrasura indecisa, holotype Ƌ, Congo, in BMNH. — B. Tumicla sagenaria, holotype Ƌ, South Africa, in NHRS.