Rhinobombyx maputoensis, Takano & László, 2024

Takano, Hitoshi & László, Gyula M., 2024, The Lasiocampidae (Lepidoptera: Lasiocampoidea) of Maputo Special Reserve, Mozambique: a provisional checklist with descriptions of three new species and taxonomic notes, Zootaxa 5492 (2), pp. 231-259 : 244-245

Rhinobombyx maputoensis sp. n.

( Figs 79–81 , 92 )

Holotype ♂ ( ANHRT):

“ MOZAMBIQUE 22m / Maputo Special Reserve, / West Gate ( Sand Forest ) / 26°30’14.2”S, 32°42’59.6”E / 13-15.ii.2018 Actinic LightTrap / Laszlo, G., Mulvaney, J., / Smith, L., leg. / ANHRT:2018.2 // ANHRTUK / 00037176 // Gen. slide No. / LG 6261 ♂ / prep. by Gy.M. Laszlo [partially handwritten]”

Paratypes (13♂♂ in ANHRT and MHN): [1C] — 1♂; [4G]— 2♂♂; [4H]— 5♂♂; [4I]— 1♂; [4J]— 4♂♂.

Diagnosis. Rhinobombyx maputoensis sp. n. is phenotypically reminiscent of Leipoxais peraffinis (syntype examined in NHMUK), but in the latter, the medial fascia of the forewing upperside is irregularly but strongly crenulate, a diffuse brown postmedial fascia is present and the terminal area is heavily irrorated with silvery-grey scales. In the male genitalia, L. peraffinis ( Fig. 94 ) has ca. three times longer valval lobes where the proximal lobe is very narrow digitiform and the distal one is strongly curved caudad, and a markedly longer, sub-quadrangular cubile with a medially slightly depressed anterior margin without well-developed anterolateral processes. Additionally, L. peraffinis possesses a characteristically bilobate vesica as well as a very wide, dentate carinal plate of the phallus.

Description. Forewing length: holotype: 17 mm; paratypes: 15–18 mm.

Male. Upperside. Ground colour of head, thorax, wings and abdomen varying from russet to pale brown; body and base of wings irrorated with pale greyish-silver scales. Labial palp, long, porrect, three times diameter of eye. Antenna bipectinate, brown. Forewing elongate triangular, rounded at apex, outer margin gently arcuate with weak interneural crenulation. Anal margin with dark scales medially. Antemedial fascia dark brown, unevenly arcuate. Discal spot white, crescent- or reniform-shaped, ringed in black. Medial fascia dark brown, gently and unevenly arcuate, with paler scaling on its outer edge. Submarginal fascia dark brown, indistinct in some specimens, irregularly sinuate, indented distad in space CuA1, strongly defined on its outer edge leaving a weaker ‘shadow’ proximally. Terminal area irrorated with dark scales. Termen with pale greyish-silver scales. Fringe greyish-brown. Hindwing ovoid, costal margin with emargination, outer margin arcuate and crenulate; paler basally and anally. Costal margin with darker brown irroration. Medial fascia dark brown, faint, gently arcuate, with a paler diffuse band on its outer edge. Submarginal fascia dark brown, indistinct, irregularly sinuate. Termen with pale greyish-silver scales. Fringe greyish-brown.

Underside. Ground colour as on upperside but forewings paler; both wings irrorated with pale straw or greyish-silver scales, and generally paler distally and basally. Medial fascia as on upperside but petering out towards anal margin. Postmedial fascia dark brown, very faint, straight. Submarginal fascia as on upperside but weakly-expressed. Terminal fascia dark brown, very narrow. Hindwing medial fascia as on upperside but well-defined. Postmedial fascia dark brown, very faint, sinuate. Submarginal fascia as on upperside, but diffuse, broader and better defined.

Male genitalia. Uncus fully reduced. Socius reduced, represented by small membranous bulge bearing very long setae. Tegumen moderately long (ca. twice length of valve) with very narrow lateral plates. Juxta quadrangular, heavily sclerotized, fused with phallus with short densely setose brush-like processes basolaterally. Valve very short (ca. half length of phallus), bilobate, densely setose, proximal lobe rounded in basal two-thirds produced into a short but stout, apically rounded process; distal lobe considerably narrower basally and ca. 10% longer than proximal lobe, apex produced into a short, pointed tip. Vinculum short and broad (as long as valve base), cubile elongatequadrangular with thick, apically rounded craniolateral processes of same length as basal part of cubile and gently sinuous caudal margin. Phallus moderately thick, posteriorly dilated; carina short (a third of length of phallus), robust triangular, situated dorsally; ventral side of phallus with scobinate plate ventrally. Vesica as long as carina, inflated, without cornuti.

Female unknown.

DNA divergences. The new species is recovered in two BINs BOLD:AFG8787 and BOLD:AFG8788 with intraspecific PWDs of 0.0–2.0% (n=7). It differs from R. cuneata with PWDs of 5.6–6.8% (n=4).

Derivatio nominis. The new species derives its name from the type locality. An adjective in the nominative singular.

Distribution. The new species is known only from its type locality and is almost certainly endemic to the MPA hotspot.

Figures

FIGURES 79–86. Adults (all in coll.ANHRT and collected in MSR unless otherwise stated). 79. Rhinobombyx maputoensis sp. n., holotype ♂ (gen. slide No. LG 6261). 80. Id., paratype ♂. 81. Id., paratype ♂. 82. Leipoxais cf. acharis, ♂. 83. Id., ♀. 84. Id., ♂. 85. L. peraffinis, Republic of Congo, Nouabalé-Ndoki NP, ♂ (gen. slide No. LG 6276). 86. Rhinobombyx cuneata, Zambia, Kasanka NP, ♂ (gen. slide No. LG 6350).

FIGURES 92–94. Male genitalia (a: clasping apparatus, b: phallus) and eighth sternite (c) (all in coll.ANHRT).92. Rhinobombyx maputoensis sp. n., holotype, LG 6261 (cubile attached to abdomen). 93. R. cuneata, LG 6350. 94. Leipoxais peraffinis, LG 6276 (cubile attached to abdomen).