Camellocossus sindbad Yakovlev & Saldaitis

Yakovlev, Roman V., Saldaitis, Aidas, Rimsaite, Jolanta & Ivinskis, Povilas, 2015, A new species of Camellocossus Yakovlev, 2011 (Lepidoptera: Cossidae) from Southern Oman, Zootaxa 4013 (1), pp. 147-150 : 147-150

Camellocossus sindbad Yakovlev & Saldaitis , sp. nov.

( Figs 1, 5 , 6 a, 6b)

Type material. Holotype: ♂ ( Fig. 1 ), S. Oman, W. from Salalah, 20 km W. from Al Mughsayl, slopes to Arabian Sea (Camels), 8−24.vii.2007, leg. Krüger & Saldaitis, in (MWM/ ZSM).

Paratypes: 1 ♂, S. Oman, Dhofar, 20 km SW. from Al Maghsayl, 640 m, 23–29.ix.2006, leg. Krüger & Saldaitis; 7 males, S. Oman, W. from Salalah, h– 70 m, Al Mughsayl riv. valley, 8–24.vii.2007, leg. Krüger & Saldaitis; 2 males, Oman, Dhofar prov., Jebel Samhan Mts., 900–1100 m, Tawi Attair region, 3–9.ix.2007, leg. S. Jakl, in (MWM/ ZSM).

Diagnosis.The new species is related to other known Camellocossus but can be separated from them by several characters. Camellocossus can be divided into two groups based on wing shape: C. abyssinica ( Fig. 3 ) and C. henleyi ( Fig. 4 ) are broad-winged while C. osmanya ( Fig. 2 ) and C. sindbad sp. n. ( Fig. 1 ) are narrow-winged. C. sindbad is the only known Camellocossus species with gray wings. Lines forming the wing pattern of C. abyssinica are very narrow and the wing pattern is indistinct. The forewing patterns of C. osmanya , C. henleyi and C. sindbad are similar. C. sindbad has somewhat more elongated grayish, apically pointed forewings and grayish conspicuously black hindwings as compared with C. henleyi . The genitalia of C. henleyi are unknown. The uncus of C. abysinica ( Fig. 8 ) and C. osmanya ( Fig. 7 ) is rounded, and the process of transtilla is comparatively short and strongly curved. The process of transtilla of C. abyssinica is shorter than half the length of the valva, while in C. osmanya it is visibly longer than half the valva.The pointed uncus is characteristic fo C. sindbad ( Fig. 6 a). The process of transtilla is 4/5 the length of the valva, the slightly curved distally constricted phallus ( Fig. 6 b) and sequentially narrowed in last third with a bottle-like constriction in apical third looks like fifth.

The C. henleyi type locality is Nakheila, ( Sudan), while C. sindbad is presently known only from Dhofar (South Oman). The known distribution of these allopatric species may aid in identification, with reservation due to the fragmentary knowledge on the species distribution.

Description. Holotypus ( Fig. 1 ) forewing length 14 mm. Wingspan 31 mm. Antennae 1/4 of forewing length, bipectinate; processes of pecten moderately long, gradually growing to ventral direction towards apex of antenna; forewing narrow, pale grey, with row of thin black strokes on costal edge, thin ripple pattern in postdiscal and submarginal areas, weakly visible milk-ochreous field in cubital region, basal area grey, without pattern, fringe chequered: black near veins and palegrey between them; black lines in apical and in middle of inner margin part of forewing compose clear visible triangles; hindwing pale grey, nearly white in basal area, with pattern consisting of dark weakly visible strokes in postdiscal and submarginal areas; fringe latescence; thorax and abdomen densely covered with pale grey scales which are even paler on thorax dorsally.

Male genitalia ( Figs 6 a, 6b). Uncus moderately thick with pointed apex; tegumen medium-sized (as is in different species of the Genus); gnathos moderately sized (similar in C. osmanya ) with long thin branches consisting of two distally fused, thickened tips that are densely covered with small spurs; valva broad, with almost parallel sides and broad, rounded lobe on costa; internally folded thin plate, situated in medial third of valva on inner surface close to costal edge; processes of transtilla 4/5 length of valva, with broad base, distally thin, smoothly curved, with lanceolate tips; juxta medium-sized, conical with abdominally-directed constriction, with two large lateral processes directed dorsally near base at a right angle, then converged at 160º forming oar-like tips; saccus semicircular, medium-sized; phallus moderately thick, almost straight, sequentially narrowed in last third, with bottle-like constriction in apical fifth, length 2/3 of valva, pore of vesica has dorso-apical position; vesica without cornuti. Female unknown.

Biology and distribution. The Dhofar region, the southernmost province of Oman, is separated geographically by a rock desert from northern Oman. The Dhofar region is the only place in the Arabian Peninsula with constant annual precipitation. From mid-June to mid-September, southwestern monsoon winds bring moisture that usually turns into dense fog. At that time, the Dhofar region becomes a green oasis surrounded by a desert with a great variety of endemic flora and fauna.

Two types of habitats dominate the Dhofar region—dry river valleys in lowlands rich in grasses and a variety of Acacia species (for instance A. tortilis , A. ehrenbergiana , A. senegal , Acridocarpus orientalis and many others) and narrow deep mountain valleys with an abundance of different bush and tree species ( Maytenus dhofariensis , Croton confertus , Blepharispermum , Euphorbia larica , Physoleucas arabica , Ficus salicifolia and many others). The specimens of C. sindbad were collected in dry rivers valleys ( Fig. 5 ). All eleven known males were collected at ultraviolet light. C. sindbad was collected at the end of September, 2006 and again at July and September, 2007 at altitudes ranging from 70 to 1100 meters. Nothing is known about its host plants and pre-imaginal instars.

Etymology. The new species is named after Sinbad, a character of Arabian tales.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 5. Camellocossus ssp. adults and biotope. 1. C. sindbad sp. nov., male, holotype, S. Oman, W. from Salalah (MWM / ZSM); 2. C. osmanya, male, holotype, Somalia, Caanole (ZSM); 3. C. abyssinica male, holotype, Abyssinia (Ethiopia), Degen (BMNH); 4. C. henleyi male, syntype, Nakheila, (Sudan) (BMNH); 5. Slopes to Arabian Sea—the biotope of C. sindbad sp. nov..

FIGURES 6 – 8. Camellocossus ssp. male genitalia. 6. C. sindbad sp. nov., holotype, a. capsula; b. phallus; 7. C. osmanya, male, holotype; 8. C. abyssinica male, holotype, prep. Cossid. No. 245.