Meharia ostrauskasi Ivinskis & Saldaitis, 2013

Yakovlev, Roman, Ivinskis, Povilas, Rimsaite, Jolanta & Saldaitis, Aidas, 2013, Description of two new species of Meharia Chrétien, 1915 (Lepidoptera: Cossidae) from East Africa, Zootaxa 3635 (5), pp. 587-590 : 589-590

Meharia ostrauskasi Ivinskis & Saldaitis sp. nov.

( Fig. 3 )

Holotype: male ( Fig. 3 ), “ Kenya E, W. of Mwingi 30.11.2010, Snižek lgt.” (deposited in MWM/ZSSM), genital preparation number PI 0 0 30.

Diagnosis. Externally the new species is most similar to M. acuta Wiltshire ( Fig. 2 ) and M. murphyi Yakovlev & Saldaitis sp. n. ( Fig. 1 ). It differs from M. acuta by a rounded apex and the absence of white longitudinal spots on the forewing. It differs in the male genitalia by a bird beak-shaped uncus, a longer and even ventral margin of the valva, an absence of a rod crossing the surface of the valva and a dorsally curved saccus. It differs from M. murphyi by size (the wingspan is nearly two times shorter), in forewing submarginal and postdiscal bands being brown and weakly expressed. In the male genitalia, the saccus of M. ostrauskasi ( Fig. 3 B) is well developed, the caecum penis wider, with one ventrally and two dorsally directed cornuti.

Description. Male ( Fig. 3 A): wingspan 30 mm, forewing length 14 mm; head yellow-white, antenna bipectinate, 11 mm length, pecten four times longer than flagellum diameter. Labial palpi two times longer than diameter of head, flagellum covered with yellowish-white, laterally yellow mixed with brown scales. Thorax light brown, abdomen brown. Forewing narrow long with rounded apex, grey yellow mixed with brown scales, forming not clear markings consisting of three oblique parallel bands in the antemedial, postmedial and apical area. Apical band complete and clear, postmedian long and interrupted, antemedian like paths. Hindwings glossy brown, elongated, apex rounded. Fringe on wings light brownish. Underside of wings unicolor grey-brown.

Male genitalia ( Figs. 3 B–C): uncus massive, medium-sized, beak shaped, tapered, branch of gnathos tightened at middle, evolved to medium-sized massive with flat rounded apex gnathos; tegumen medium-sized; valvae relatively short, very wide in base, 1/3 of valva strongly sclerotised, inner and external sides of this sclerotisation fenestrate, sniped; from middle of length valva slightly narrowing, apex rounded, apex of transtilla triangular, juxta small, forked in apex widening, margins sniped; saccus long, semioval, curved dorsally 90°; phallus short, massive in base, curved, in apex in ventral side with one in dorsal with two short strong aciform cornuti.

Female unknown.

Bionomics and distribution. It is known only from the Mwingi area of Eastern Kenya. A single male specimen was attracted to a light at the end of November. The new species was collected in savannah type biotope dominated by various acacias and bushes. It flies with other typical dry savannah moths such as Streblote acaciae (Klug) (Lasiocampidae) and Melittia haematopis Fawcett (Sesiidae) .

Etymology. The species is named after the well-known entomologist Dr Henrikas Ostrauskas.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Meharia murphyi Yakovlev & Saldaitis sp. nov.: (A) imago, holotype; (B) male genitalia, phallus removed, prep. RY 1268.

FIGURE 2. Meharia acuta Wiltshire: (A) imago, paratype (British Museum, London); (B) imago from Oman (MWM); (C) paratype male genitalia, below – abdomen skin; (D) male genitalia, prep. RY 1260.

FIGURE 3. Meharia ostrauskasi Ivinskis & Saldaitis sp. nov.: (A) imago, holotype; (B) male genitalia, prep. PI 0030; (C) phallus, prep. PI 0 0 30.