Multiquaestia kingstoni Aarvik & Karisch, new species

(Figs. 10, 25, 26)

Type material. Holotype, 3, MALAWI, Central Region, Lilongwe District, Ntchisi Forest Reserve 1560 m, 20.ii.2004, leg. L. Aarvik, genitalia slide 2743 L. Aarvik (NHMO).

Description. Adult (Fig. 10). Wingspan 14.0 mm. Head: Dirty white, mixed with grey around eye. Antenna brownish grey, scape dirty white. Labial palpus 1.5 times diameter of eye, externally dark grey, internally and on dorsal edge dirty white; due to scaling on second segment broadly triangular in lateral view. Thorax: Dirty white in centre, anteriorly and posteriorly brownish grey; tegulae brown. Legs brownish grey, tarsi with pale rings. Forewing upperside with basal 2/3 blackish brown; terminal 1/3 ochreous; on dorsum two white marks; the inner mark reaching to about 2/5 from dorsum, the distal one reaching slightly above 1/4; a white dot present some distance beyond tip of distal white mark, and one between wing base and inner white mark; fringes with dark bar near apex, at middle of termen and at tornus. Forewing underside with patch of yellowish scales in cell below m-stem. Hind wing upperside dark brownish grey; ochreous hair-pencil from base of hind margin to scale cover on dorsum of abdomen. Abdomen: Grey, abdominal brush greyish ochreous. Male genitalia (Fig. 25) with tegumen distally evenly curved, uncus not differentiated, socii present, but weak; lower edge of sacculus angled, cucullus large, roughly transversely semicircular, rounded on dorsal edge, ventral angle rounded; aedeagus (Fig. 26) angled at 1/5 basally broad, otherwise slender and nearly straight, slightly widening distally; with 9 cornuti of different length, from large spindle-shaped to thin and short; no carinae.

Diagnosis. M. kingstoni most closely resembles M. purana in wing pattern and colouration. However, M. purana is larger, has a longer and more pointed distal white mark in the forewing, and has a distinct white spot posteriorly on the thorax. The roughly semicircular cucullus in the male genitalia is diagnostic for M. kingstoni .

Distribution. Malawi.

Etymology. The species is named after Anthony Kingston, who organized the collecting trip to Malawi in 2004.