Melouia aspidophoralis, Agassiz, 2022

Agassiz, David, 2022, The tribe Cybalomiini (Lepidoptera: Pyraloidea, Crambidae, Glaphyrinae) of sub-Saharan Africa, Zootaxa 5174 (2), pp. 101-156 : 122-123

Melouia aspidophoralis sp. n

Imago (figs. 27–30): Wingspan 12–16 mm. Head whitish, maxillary palpus in male 2× diameter of eye, gently curved inwards, darker at apex, in female approximately equal to diameter of eye, labial palpus 1.5 × diameter of eye, curved upwards, apex darker; antenna pale brown. Thorax and tegulae whitish. Forewing whitish to pale brown, a curved brown subbasal fascia with a black spot just above dorsum, white costal strigula just before ½ edged brown on each side, connected to double antemedian fascia comprised of two arcs, whitish lunule in disc edged brown, white costal strigula at ⅔ edged dark brown and continued into irregular fascia, a whitish mark on costa before apex outwardly dark brown, termen sinuate with narrow brown line, fringe brownish. Hindwing base whitish, a dark brown subbasal fascia, antemedian and postmedian fascias double, dark brown irregular lines, termen dark brown near dorsum, underside of male with a blackish spot at anal angle. Abdomen pale brownish, darker on segment 3, male with coremeta protruding between segments 6 and 7, segment 8 of male enlarged.

Variation: the ground colour of forewing varies from pale whitish to mid brown, in some specimens the antemedian fascias on both wings are emphasised (fig. 28), in other specimens there is a dark fuscous spot beneath and beyond lunule (fig. 30) and in others there is a strong contrast between the pale base of the wing and dark colours distally (fig. 29)

Male genitalia (fig. 68): Uncus rounded, gnathos slender 4/5 length of uncus, valva comprised of two arms, one slender with two bends, the other a straight process>½ length of longer one, sacculus separate abruptly bent near apex; tegumen surrounded on dorsum by a broad sclerotised ‘shield’; aedeagus slender, only just longer than valva, containing a long sclerotised rod.

Female genitalia (fig. 96): Ovipositor and apophyses together about equal in lengtht to ductus and corpus bursae; ostium ⅓ width of ovipositor, ductus straight and half length of corpus bursae, corpus bursae ovoid with a pair of signa.

Diagnosis: Forewing with straight costa and sinuate termen, male genitalia with aedeagus having linear cornuti.

Life history: not known.

Derivation: Named from the Greek Aspidophoros a shield bearer on account of the shield-like structure of the male genitalia.

Distribution: Madagascar.

Type material: Holotype ♂ Diego Suarez 5.ii.1917 (G. Melou). Ten paratypes, 5♂ 5♀ all with same data as holotype ( NHMUK).

Other material examined: MADAGASCAR: Diego Suarez 3.i.1917 (9), 8.i.1917 (2), 16.i.1917 (3), 19.i.1917 (2), 5.ii.1917 (71), 16.ii.1917 (12), 19.ii.1917 (23), ii–iv.1917 (26), 4.iii.1917 (7), 14.ii.1917 (2), iii.1917 (7), 10.ix.1917, 6.viii.1917 (2), 24–29.vii.1917, vi.1917 (G. Melou) but some early specimens (J. Melou); Sakaramy, N.E. Madagascar 16.iii.1917 (15) (G. Melou); Betroka xi/ xii.1953 E. Diehl, Tananarine 21.ii.1955 E. Diehl; Imerina 1892 R.P. Camboué; Périnet iii.1935 N. & G. Olsoufieff; Ufumb, Unyoro 6.i.1898 Dr Ansorge; Ranomafana 917 m, Centre Valbio 920 m . 21° 15’ S 47° 25’ E G. Martin, D.L.J. Quicke & L.P. Holland 4–21.xi.2005 ( NHMUK) ; 10♂ 26♀ Andasibe 960 m. 18° 57’ S 48° 25’ E 15–19.iv.2018 D. Agassiz & K. Larsen; 9♂ 19♀ Ranomafana , Centre Valbio 920 m . 21° 15’ S 47° 25’ E 8–12.iv.2018 D.J.L. Agassiz ( DJLA) ; 1♂ Anzerobe , 10 km S Soa Camp, Manara Lodge 18° 26’ 54”S 47° 56’ 11’ E 1330 m. 10.iv.2012 leg S. Collins ( ABRI) .