Dracontogena kingstoni Aarvik & Karisch, new species

(Figs. 14–17, 30, 47, 48, 68, 69)

Type material. Holotype, 3, KENYA: Central Province: Thika District: 8 km. SW Thika Karamaini Estate 0 1o02’746’’S 36o59’472E, 1550 m., 28.vi.2010, A.J. Kingston, genitalia slide NHMO 2020 (NHMO). Paratypes: 233, 3Ƥ, same locality and collector as holotype, 13 21.vii. 2010 (AJK), 13 21.vii. 2010 (LA), 1Ƥ 16.viii.2010, genitalia slide NHMO 2021 (NHMO), 1Ƥ 30.vii.2010 (LA), 1Ƥ 14.x.2010 (AJK); 13 Kikuyu: Ibea, Escarpment 7500–8500 ft., ix–x.1900, Doherty, genitalia slide BMNH 31330 (BMNH); 233 Mount Kenya, Chorogia 0 0o14’S 37o35’E, 1600 m., 13–14.iv.2001, J. & W. De Prins, genitalia slides L. Aarvik 2007.013, 2007.014 (RMCA); 13 Gatamaiyu Forest, 0 0o58’S 0 36o41’E, 2280 m., 4.iv.2003, J. & W. De Prins, genitalia slide L. Aarvik 2010.004 (RMCA).

Additional material not included in the type series. TANZANIA: 233, Arusha N. P.: Momela Road, 3°16.17'S 36°50.57' E, 5300 ft., 09.v.2001, D. J. L. Agassiz, genitalia slides T. Karisch 2243, 2739 (BMNH, DA).

Description. Adult. Male (Figs. 14–16). Head: Light brown. Antenna grey, scape beige. Labial palpus 1,5 times diameter of eye, blackish brown. Thorax: Dorsum and tegulae dark grey in front, light brown in middle, white band before middle and white posterior scale tuft. Fore and mid-legs dark grey, hind leg beige; fore and midtarsi with paler rings; fore and mid-tibiae with basal, medial and distal light dots; hind tibia with beige scale tuft, hind tarsi with grey rings. Wingspan 19.0–22.0 mm. Forewing black, suffused with brown; costal strigulae diffuse, brown; dorsal maculae connected, outer macula with dark dots; cilia brown, two small white patches below apex and one at tornus. Hindwing grey, with single cilia line.

Female (Fig. 17). Head: As in male. Thorax: Wingspan 27.0 mm. Labial palpus 2 times diameter of eye.

Variation. The description is based on the holotype. The series from Thika (333, 3Ƥ) is rather uniform and conform well with the single males from Gatamaiyu Forest and Kikuyu. One of the males (Fig. 14) from Thika differs slightly by having more a reddish brown colour of the forewing and thorax. The two males from Chorogia represent extreme forms - one (Fig. 16) with extensive bluish black suffusion on the forewing and the other (Fig. 15) with a pale thorax and distal third of the forewing.

Male genitalia (Figs. 47, 48). Cucullus evenly rounded, sacculus shallowly sinuous, phallus (Fig. 48) of medium length, 698–756 μm., tapered from beyond middle, with 40–50 small cornuti. Tergite 8 (Fig. 30) deeply incised laterally.

Female genitalia (Figs. 68, 69). Sternite 7 with broad U-shaped excavation; sterigma large, circular, heavily sclerotised on sides; ductus bursae with internal sclerite near ostium; the paired oval sclerites posterior of sterigma well sclerotised, touching each other and touching posterior edge of sterigma.

Diagnosis. Dracontogena kingstoni is distinct from D. gilligani n. sp. in the male genitalia by its broader valva and more strongly tapered phallus, which is smooth ventrally. The female genitalia of D. kingstoni have a broad sterigma. D. kingstoni differs from D. sundi n. sp. by its much narrower 8th tergite, and from D. deltozyga (Meyrick) by its more slender cucullus and lack of a dorsal process on the phallus.

Distribution. Kenya and Tanzania.

Biology. The series from Thika was collected inside a large coffee plantation. The natural habitat of the area is Acacia savanna.

Etymology. The species is named after Anthony Kingston, who collected the largest portion of the specimens including the holotype.

Remarks. The two specimens from Tanzania are not included in the type series. Each possesses a longer phallus, 795 μm. and 849 μm. In the Kenyan specimens the length is 698–756 μm.