Pollanisus kalliesi, Mollet & Tarmann, 2023

Mollet, Bernard & Tarmann, Gerhard M., 2023, Revision of the genus Pollanisus Walker, 1854 (Lepidoptera: Zygaenidae: Procridinae), Zootaxa 5281 (1), pp. 1-72 : 37-40

Pollanisus kalliesi sp. n.

Material examined ( Table 8), all from New South Wales. Holotype: ♁ (836) ( Figs 119, 122 ), W. of Gloucester, Barrington Tops N. P., Forest edge at Polblue Falls , 31°55′30.14′′S, 151°23′13.2′′E, ca 1250 m, 19.I.2009, afternoon, A. Kallies leg. ( BMC).

Paratypes: 4 ♁, same data as holotype; 1 ♀ (1525) ( Fig. 123 ), Butchers swamp, 31°54′59.05′′S, 151°23′45.57′′E, ca 1300 m, 19.I.2009, A. Kallies leg. ( BMC) .

Paratypes, head ratios not examined. 22 ♁ same data as holotype but ( AKC) .

Discussion and differential diagnosis. Pollanisus kalliesi sp. n. has similar head ratio to P. contrastus but differs in the ochreous spots on forewing (when they are visible) and it is localized on the top of Barrington Tops. The head ratios are very different from those of P.trimacula and P. worimi sp. n., which justifies the description of this new species.

Description. Male holotype. Length of body: 5.7 mm; length of forewing: 7.7 mm; breadth: 3 mm; length of hindwing: 5.7 mm; breadth: 2.8 mm; length of antenna: 5.9 mm; distance between compound eyes in frontal view 1.72 x the breadth of compound eye and 1.16 x the height ( Table 8); compound eye black almost circular in lateral view; ocellus slightly ovoid; chaetosemata rounded with long and narrow anterior extension, occupying all the space between compound eye and ocellus.; compound eye black almost circular in lateral view; ocellus slightly ovoid; chaetosemata rounded with narrow anterior extension, occupying all the space between compound eye and ocellus. Antenna. Brown with satin sheen, segments 1 to 27 bipectinate, 28 to 39 biserrate, pectination of maximum length at segment 10, about 4.5x longer than breadth of shaft in dorsal view. Body. Frons brown with greenish blue metallic sheen, vertex brown, edging of blue metallic scales bordering the compound eyes, proboscis yellow, brown porrect labial palps; patagia, proximal part of tegulae and of thorax covered with coppery metallic scales; thorax brown dorsally with strong blue metallic sheen ventrally; abdomen brown on segments 1, from segment 2 to distal part golden coppery metallic sheen dorsally, brown ventrally. Forewing. Brown with satin sheen upperside, light brown underside; three (not well visible) whitish ochreous spots. Hindwing. Brown with slightly translucent area medially, underside with shiny blue scales anteriad of medial stem and at anal angle. Legs and coxae. Brown covered with few metallic green scales.

Distribution map (fig. 127)

Female paratype. Length of body: 5.8 mm; length of forewing: 8 mm; breadth: 3.2 mm; length of hindwing: 6 mm; breadth: 2.9 mm; length of antenna: 5.2 mm; distance between compound eyes in frontal view 2.0 x the breadth of compound eye and 1.23 x the height (due to mold covering the frons and the compound eyes, the ratios measurements are estimated) ( Table 8). Antenna. Brown with satin sheen, segments 1 to 44 biserrate, pointed distally. Body, forewing, hindwing, legs and coxae (see male description above). Presence of an abdominal yellow hairtuft distally in female.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 38 ). Valva large, slightly convex dorsally, distal and ventral margin slightly convex. Phallus nearly 3.5 x longer than broad, slightly upcurved, half proximal part cylindrical, distal half conical, cornutus as long as phallus.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 115 ). Ductus bursae short and translucent, leading into a large praebursa with central sclerotization with one small tooth.

Phenology and bionomics. Adult specimens of Pollanisus kalliesi sp. n. were collected in day time in the subalpine area. “The specimens were found along a track in tall, wet Eucalypt forest feeding on the yellow flowers of Senecio growing in half-shade” (A. Kallies, personal communication). The host-plant is unknown. One possible larval host-plant could be Hibbertia scandens (Dilleniaceae) which is known from the lower parts of the sub-alpine plateau at the altitude ≤ 1380 m ( Zoete 2000).

Etymology. This species is named in honour of our friend, the entomologist Axel Kallies, a specialist in Cossoidea and other Australian Lepidoptera .

Figures

FIGURES 117–123. Pollanisus species, upperside and frontal view. P. trimacula. 117, 120. male, Huskisson. P. worimi sp. n.. 118, 121. Holotype male, Barrington Tops. P. kalliesi sp. n.. 119, 122. Holotype male, Barrington Tops, Polblue; 123, Paratype female, same locality as holotype. (scale bars: 1 mm).

FIGURES 34–40. Male genitalia of holotypes. 34. Pollanisus jumbun sp. n. (993). 35. Pollanisus yugambeh sp. n. (772). 36. Pollanisus horakae sp. n. (1412). 37. Pollanisus worimi sp. n. (978). 38. Pollanisus kalliesi sp. n. (836). 39. Pollanisus jirrbal sp. n. (818). 40. Pollanisus nocturna sp. n. (948). (scale bar: 1 mm)

FIGURES 113–116. Female genitalia. 113. Pollanisus yugambeh sp. n. (1370). 114. Pollanisus horakae sp. n. (1445). 115. Pollanisus kalliesi sp. n. (1525). 116. Pollanisus jirrbal sp. n. (1516). (scale bar: 1 mm).