Aphanostola africanella Bidzilya, Agassiz & Mey, 2016

Bidzilya, Oleksiy V., Mey, Wolfram & Agassiz, David, 2016, Review of the genus Aphanostola Meyrick, 1931 (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae, Anomologinae) with description of 19 new species from the Afrotropical Region, Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift 63 (1), pp. 45-74 : 57-58

Aphanostola africanella Bidzilya, Agassiz & Mey sp. n. Figs 28-30 , 57 , 58 , 78 , 79 , 79a

Aphanostola sp. 2 - Agassiz and Bidzilya 2016 (in press).

Type material.

Holotype ♂, Namibia, Kombat, Omatjete Farm, 27.viii.2012, Turm (Mey) (gen. slide 553/14, O. Bidzilya) ( MfN). Paratypes: 2 ♂, 1 ♀, Namibia, Kunene, Fort Sesfontein, 5.ix.2009, Turm (Mey) (gen. slide 488/14♂; 489/14♀, O. Bidzilya ); 1 ♀, Namibia, E Etosha, Farm Sachsenheim, 29-30.viii.2012 (Mey) (gen. slide 151/15, O. Bidzilya); 1 ♂, Namibia, 50 km N Okahandja, 10.-11.i.2007, LF (Mey & Ebert) (gen. slide 198/12, O. Bidzilya); 1 ♀, Popa-Falls, Okawango River, 13.xii.1993 (Mey & Ebert) (gen. slide 162/15♀, O. Bidzilya); 1 ♂, Namibia, Waterberg, Touristencamp, 18.xii.1993 (Mey & Ebert) (gen. slide 584/14, O. Bidzilya); 1 ♂, Namibia, Mt. Etjo, 30 km E Kalkrand, 14.iii.2005, LF (Mey) (gen. slide 597/14, O. Bidzilya) ; 1 ♂, Namibia, Erongo, Kuduberg Farm, 12.-14.i.2007, LF (Mey, Ebert) (all MfN); 1 ♀, South Africa, Pretoria N., ix.1946 (van Son) (gen. slide 31/15, O. Bidzilya); 1 ♂, Zoutpan, Zp bg., 15-30.xi.1932 (van Son) (gen. slide 30/15, O. Bidzilya) ( TMSA); 1 ♀, Kenya: Rift Valley, Lake Bogoria E, 1000 m, 0°15'N, 36°7'E, l. Acacia mellifera , em. 22.xi.2005 (Agassiz) (gen. slide 1370, O. Bidzilya); 2 ♀, Kenya: Rift Valley, L. Baringo 1000 m, 0°36'N, 36°00'E, l. Acacia tortilis , em. 25.viii.2007 (Agassiz) (gen. slide 1363, O. Bidzilya ); 2 ♀, KENYA: Rift Valley, L. Baringo 1000 m, 0°36'N, 36°05'E, l. Acacia seyal galls, em. 30.viii.2007 (Agassiz) (gen. slide 1504, O. Bidzilya) (all coll. Agassiz).

Diagnosis.

The new species is externally similar to Aphanostola rooiklipella sp. n. and Aphanostola melliferae sp. n. but differs in genitalia. The male genitalia are well defined by the phallus bearing seven to eight large cornuti in combination with a long saccus and other details. The female genitalia remotely resemble those of Aphanostola morogorensis sp. n., but differ in having a distinctly longer antrum and a narrow, rounded signum.

Description.

Adult (Figs 28-30 ). Wingspan 7.1-7.3 mm. Head, thorax and tegulae grey, labial palpus weakly up-curved, light brown with narrow white ring before apex, scape light brown, other segments light brown with narrow whitish basal ring, antenna finely ciliated and very thick in male, moderately thick in female; forewing light grey, rarely covered with brown-tipped scales mainly along margins, costal margin brown from base to ¼, two brown spots in middle, diffuse brown dash in fold, cilia grey, brown-tipped; hindwing grey.

Variation. Black pattern along margins of forewing varies from grey to nearly black.

Male genitalia (Figs 57 , 58 ). Uncus twice as broad as long, posterior margin with short medial emargination; gnathos curved at base, then straight, gradually narrowing towards pointed apex; tegumen gradually narrowing distally, anterior margin with deep rounded emargination; basal half of valva moderately broad, distal half strongly constricted at base, then weakly inflated, apex rounded; sacculus short triangular, merged with the thorn on the inner margin of valva; vinculum moderately broad, posterior margin with short, broad, triangular medial projections, medial emargination deep and narrow; saccus broad at base, distal portion narrow, tapered apically, far exceeding beyond apex of pedunculus; phallus prolonged, tapered apically, with seven to eight big cornuti, which differ in length, basal projection absent.

Female genitalia (Figs 78 , 79 , 79a ). Segment VIII distinctly longer than broad, evenly sclerotized; apophyses anteriores twice as long as segment VIII and half of apophyses posteriors; antrum long, tubular, strongly edged; sub-ostial sclerite rounded; ductus bursae long, narrow, papillated before antrum; ductus bursae sub-ovate; signum a prolonged sclerite densely covered with teeth.

Etymology.

The name refers to the obviously wide distribution of the species in Africa.

Distribution.

Namibia, Kenya.

Biology.

The larva feeds on Acacia mellifera (M. Vahl) Benth. ( Fabaceae) in Kenya ( Agassiz and Bidzilya 2016). The adults were observed in late August-early September, then in November-January and in March.

Figures

Figures 22 - 39. Adults of Aphanostola spp. (scale bar 1.0 mm) 22. Aphanostola joannoui sp. n., HT, RSA, Hongonyi Lodge; 23. Aphanostola joannoui sp. n., RSA, Hongonyi Lodge (209 / 12); 24. Aphanostola namibiensis sp. n., HT, Namibia, Brandberg; 25. Aphanostola namibiensis sp. n., Namibia, Auas Mts.; 26. Aphanostola brandbergensis sp. n., Namibia, Brandberg (gen. slide 74 / 05); 27. Aphanostola aarviki sp. n., HT, Tanzania, Morogoro Town; 28. Aphanostola africanella sp. n., Namibia, Mt. Etjo (gen. slide 597 / 14); 29. Aphanostola africanella sp. n., Namibia, E. Etosha (gen. slide 151 / 15); 30. Aphanostola africanella sp. n., Kenya, Baringo; 31. Aphanostola emarginata sp. n., HT, RSA, Mkuzi; 32. Aphanostola melliferae sp. n., Kenya, L. Bogoria (gen. slide 143 / 15); 33. Aphanostola melliferae sp. n., HT, Kenya, L. Bogoria; 34. Aphanostola maxima sp. n., Ethiopia, Tana-See; 35. Aphanostola maxima sp. n., HT, Ethiopia, Tana-See; 36. Aphanostola longicornuta sp. n., Kenya, L. Bogoria (gen. slide 577 / 14); 37. Aphanostola longicornuta sp. n., Kenya, Kakamega Forest (gen. slide 590 / 14); 38. Aphanostola longicornuta sp. n., Kenya, Kakamega Forest; 39. Aphanostola atripalpis, PT, India, Pusa (gen. slide 411 / 14).

Figures 53 - 58. Male genitalia of Aphanostola spp. 53. Aphanostola joannoui sp. n., HT, RSA, Hongonyi Lodge (gen. slide 208 / 12); 54. Aphanostola namibiensis sp. n., Namibia, Brandberg (gen. slide 107 / 05); 55. Aphanostola brandbergensis sp. n., Namibia, Brandberg (gen. slide 103 / 05); 56. Aphanostola aarviki sp. n., HT, Tanzania, Morogoro Town (gen. slide 2380); 57. Aphanostola africanella sp. n., HT, Namibia, Omatjete Farm (gen. slide 553 / 14); 58. Aphanostola africanella sp. n., Namibia, Okahanja (gen. slide 198 / 12).

Figures 77 - 79. Female genitalia of Aphanostola spp. 77. Aphanostola brandbergensis sp. n., HT, Namibia, Brandberg (gen. slide 74 / 05); 78. Aphanostola africanella sp. n., Namibia, Fort Sesfontein (gen. slide 489 / 14); 79. Aphanostola africanella sp. n., Kenya, L. Baringo (gen. slide 1363); 79 a. Signum (enlarge) (gen. slide 1370).