Aurotalis dionisa Błeszyński, 1970

Graziano Bassi, 2016, Studies on Afrotropical Crambinae (Lepidoptera, Pyraloidea, Crambidae): Notes on the genus Aurotalis Błeszyński, 1970, Revue suisse de Zoologie 123 (1), pp. 11-20 : 19

Aurotalis dionisa Błeszyński, 1970

Figs 5 , 13, 18 , 22, 23

Aurotalis dionisa Błeszyński, 1970: 20 .

Type locality: Angola.

Diagnosis: This species is similar in size and wing markings to A. nigrisquamalis (Hampson) ( Fig. 4 ) and A. similis Bassi ( Fig. 6 ) but the forewing ground colour is paler with pale yellow medial and subterminal fasciae, and the hindwings are white. Males also differ by the bipectinate antennae as opposed to only serrate antennae in A. similis . In male genitalia the gnathos stout and upcurved, the tapered cucullus of valva and the phallus with bulged phallobase and strongly downcurved distally will readily separate this species from other members of the genus. In the female genitalia, the relatively long ductus bursae, with a semicircular sclerotization, is diagnostic.

Additions to original description ( Fig. 5 ): Wingspan 20-28 mm, males distinctly smaller. Forewing ground colour thickly dotted with black scales; longitudinal streaks white and blackish brown, expanding between veins after cell; subterminal fascia large, silvery white bordered yellow; fringes golden yellow with short scales tipped black. Hindwing white with veins suffused pale yellow with fringes white. Sclerotizations of male abdominal segment VIII as in Fig. 18 .

Male genitalia. Figure 13, from a Namibian specimen, shows the presence of feathery coremata on ventral edge of vinculum, not documented in the original description. Female genitalia. Namibian specimen as in Fig. 22 .

Distribution: Angola, Namibia.

Remarks: The adult has not been illustrated before.

Figures

Figs 1 - 6. Adults of Aurotalis spp. (1) A. cristata sp. n., male paratype, Zimbabwe, wingspan 20 mm. (2) A. delicatalis (Hampson), female, RSA, wingspan 26 mm. (3) A. dicksoni sp. n., holotype, wingspan 28 mm. (4) A. nigrisquamalis (Hampson), male, RSA, wingspan 28 mm. (5) A. dionisa Błeszyński, female, Namibia, wingspan 28 mm. (6) A. similis Bassi, male, Zimbabwe, wingspan 28 mm.

Figs 13 - 20. Aurotalis spp., genitalia and male abdominal segment VIII. (13) A. dionisa Błeszyński, male genitalia, Namibia. (14) The same, phallus. (15) A. delicatalis (Hampson), RSA, phallus extracted on the right. (16) A. delicatalis, sclerotizations of abdominal segment VIII. (17) A. cristata sp. n., Zimbabwe, sclerotizations of abdominal segment VIII. (18) A. dionisa Błeszyński, Namibia, sclerotizations of abdominal segment VIII. (19) A. nigrisquamalis (Hampson), Swaziland, sclerotizations of abdominal segment VIII. (20) The same, female genitalia, RSA.

Figs 21 - 25. Aurotalis spp., female genitalia and tympanal organs. (21) A. delicatalis (Hampson), female, RSA. (22) A. dionisa Błeszyński, female, Namibia. (23) A. dionisa Błeszyński, male, Namibia. (24) A. cristata sp. n., female paratype, RSA. (25) A. dicksoni sp. n., male paratype.