Hampsonola, László, Gyula M., Ronkay, Gábor & Ronkay, László, 2015

László, Gyula M., Ronkay, Gábor & Ronkay, László, 2015, Contribution to the knowledge on the Palaearctic and Oriental taxa of the Meganola s. l. (Lepidoptera, Noctuoidea, Nolidae, Nolinae) generic complex with descriptions of 4 new genera and 11 new species, Zootaxa 4052 (2), pp. 251-296 : 270-271

Hampsonola gen. n.

(Plate 2, Figs 1–4 , 7, 8 , Plate 3, Figs 1–8 , Plate 4, Figs 1, 2 ; gen. figs 8–10, 13–24)

Type species: Selca indistincta Hampson, 1894 , Fauna of British India, Moths 2: 147. Type-locality: [ India] [Nagaland] Naga Hills. Holotype: male, in coll. BMNH.

Diagnosis. The externally very diverse species of this new genus has been treated so far as Meganola , in spite of their conspicuously different, apomorphic genitalia structures of both sexes. In the hindwing venation, the veins M1+R1–5 stalked, and the M3+CuA1 are entirely fused.

The diagnostic features of the male genitalia are the characteristically bilobate valva, the much slenderer (or in some cases reduced) uncus, the more uniform, arched and apically acute harpe and the simple, short or mediumlong aedeagus with the vesica lacking cornuti; those of the female genitalia are the poorly sclerotized, usually simple, V-shaped ostium bursae and the much narrower, membraneous ductus bursae (the female genitalia of Meganola have usually much broader, more strongly sclerotized ostium bursae and conspicuously thicker and more sclerotized ductus bursae).

The genus Hampsonola displays closer relationship with the South African genus, Vandamia van Son, 1933, due to the similar configuration of their (otherwise dissimilarly bilobate) valvae, but Hampsonola has much slenderer and generally longer uncus (with the exception of those taxa where the uncus is reduced) while the uncus of Vandamia is more robust, thicker and shorter. An additional difference between the two genera that the dorsal valval lobe of Hampsonola lacks hair tuft, while Vandamia has a rather dense hair tuft in the narrowest part of the dorsal lobe of valva.

Description. Due to the high diversity of the external morphological features observable within the genus (including the body size, wing shape, colouration and wing pattern etc.), a general characterization of the external features of the genus is hardly presented, thus the description is focused on the genitalia characters.

Male genitalia. Uncus variable in length, it may be fully reduced ( basinigra species-group) or long to very long and slim ( indistincta species-group); tegumen with variably developed medial process; valva bilobate, medial incision between dorsal and ventral lobes generally deep, dorsal lobe generally longer than ventral one and apically may be dilated; ventral lobe rounded or triangular, may bear androconial hair scales at its distal margin ( sijthoffi and rufa species-groups); dorsal valval lobe with sclerotized costal margin projecting partly to apex; ventral valval lobe membraneous. Harpe well developed, strongly sclerotized, elongate, most often slightly curved, claw- or beak-like; sacculus very short, without processi; vinculum relatively short, apically rounded. Aedeagus generally straight, sometimes S-shaped curved (e.g. in H. rufa , H. longshengensis , H. angustifasciata ), relatively short and thin, without apical carinal process, coecum penis rather variable, apically bilobate; vesica without cornuti.

Female genitalia. Ovipositor short, relatively broad, conical, apophyses relatively long, thin; ostium bursae relatively broad, simple, V- or U-shaped; ductus bursae narrow in its full length, membraneous, only its short distal section may be somewhat stronger sclerotized; corpus bursae generally large, ovoid, with a pair of remote, generally triangular signa.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 3. Male genitalia of Meganola species.

FIGURES 4 – 6. Genitalia of Meganola species.

FIGURES 7 – 9. Genitalia of Meganola and Hampsonola species.