Afrasura pallescens Durante, 2009

Volynkin, Anton V., 2019, On the taxonomy of the genus Afrasura Durante, 2009, with description of a new species from Tanzania (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae), Zootaxa 4608 (1), pp. 174-182 : 180-181

Afrasura pallescens Durante, 2009

( Figs 5, 6 , 12, 14 )

Afrasura pallescens Durante, 2009 , Zootaxa 2280: 47, figs 25, 68 (Type locality: “ Republic of Guinea, Sidakoro”).

Material examined. TOGO: 3 ♂, Togo, 415m, Fazao-Malfakassa NP, Point de vue campsite (Sudanian savannah ), 8°48’50’’N, 0°49’3.2’’, 16–23.VIII.2018, LepiLED Light Trap, Aristophanous, M., Geiser, M., Moretto, P., Sanbena, B. leg., ANHRT :2018.31 / ANHRTUK 00047494, 00047495, 00049529, slides AV4944 ♂, AV5092 ♂ Volynkin (Coll. ANHRT) ; CAMEROON : 1 ♂, Cameroon , 900m, NorthRegion , Wack (La Falaise) 07°40’16.5’’N, 13°33’18.4’’E, 2–21.X.2018, LepiLED Light Trap, Sáfián, Sz., Simonics, G. Leg., ANHRT:2018:36 / ANHRTUK 00059484, slide AV5071 ♂ Volynkin (Coll. ANHRT) ; RWANDA : 1 ♂, Rwanda central-south, Karama Bugesera (wooded savanna), 1400 m, 4–14.V.1977, B. Turlin [leg.], slide ZSM Arct. 180/ 2017 ♂ Volynkin (Coll. ZSM) ; 1 ♀, same locality and collector, but 21–23.II.1976, slide ZSM Arct. 182/2017 ♀ Volynkin (Coll. ZSM) ; ZAMBIA : 1 ♂, Zambia , 1030m, Kundabwika Falls, Kalungwishi River, S09°13’00’’ E29°18’17’’, 5– 7.V. [20]13, Light Trap, leg. Smith, Takano & Oram, ANHRT:2017.9. / ANHRTUK 00009089, slide AV2961 ♂ Volynkin (Coll. ANHRT) ; 1 ♂, Zambia , 1187m, Kabwe, Kasanka N.P., S12°32’28’’ E30°12’42’’, 14–17.V. [20]13, Light Trap, leg. Smith, Takano & Oram, ANHRT :2017.9 / ANHRTUK 00009087, slide AV3002 ♂ Volynkin (Coll. ANHRT) ; 2 ♂, Zambia , 1400m, Hillwood, Ikelenge, S11°16’02’’ E24°18’59’’, 30.IV.– 11.V. [20]14, Light Trap, leg. Smith, R., Takano, H., Chmurova, L., Smith, L., ANHRT :2017.11 / ANHRTUK 00009084, 00009085, 00009086, 00009088, slides AV2930 ♀, AV2962 ♂, AV2963 ♀, AV3050 ♂ Volynkin (Coll. ANHRT) ; 1 ♀, same locality, but 25–27.XI. [20]14, Light Trap, leg. Smith, R. & Takano, H., ANHRT :2017.12 / ANHRTUK 00001268, slide AV3368 ♀ Volynkin (Coll. ANHRT) ; 1 ♂, same locality, but 9–16.V. [20]15, Light Trap, leg. Smith, R., Takano, H. & Aristophanous, M., ANHRT : 2017.13 / ANHRTUK 00039467 (Coll. ANHRT) ; 2 ♂, 7 ♀, Zambia , 1147m, Lukwakwa, West Lunga NP, ( Cryptosepalum forest / Dambo) 12°39’40’’S, 24°26’13’’E, 9–15.XI.2018, MV Light Trap , Aristophanous, M., Derozier, V., Laszlo, G., Oram, D. leg., ANHRT : 2018.40 / ANHRTUK00055326, 00055327, 00055328, 00056704, 00056705, 00056706, 00056707, 00056885, 00056886 (Coll. ANHRT) ; 1 ♀, Zambia , 1140m, Kalene Hill (Miombo woodland), 11°11’11’’S, 24°12’5’’E, 6.XI.2018, Actinic Light Trap, Aristophanous, M., Derozier, V., Laszlo, G., Oram, D. leg., ANHRT : 2018.40 / ANHRTUK 00058096 (Coll. ANHRT) ; 1 ♀, Zambia , 1316m, Nkwaji, Mwinilunga, S11°36’22’’, E24°33’17’’, 27.VIII. [20]13, Light Trap, leg. Smith, R. & Takano, H. / ANHRTUK 00009092 (Coll. ANHRT) ; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Zambia , 1205m, Zambezi Rapids (Miombo / Riverine forest mosaic) 11°7’30’’S, 24°11’6’’E, 4–9.XI.2018, MV Light Trap , Aristophanous, M., Derozier, V., Laszlo, G., Oram, D. leg., ANHRT : 2018.40 / ANHRTUK 00058187, 00058188 (Coll. ANHRT) .

Diagnosis. A. pallescens ( Figs 6–8 ) resembles externally to A. rivulosa ( Figs 4, 5 ), but can be distinguished by its darker coloration, wider and larger wing pattern elements, and much broader, almost straight medial line. The male genitalia of A. pallescens ( Figs 15, 16 ) differ from those of other congeners by its much larger distal costal process, larger distal membranous lobe of valva, and bilobate distal saccular process. It is worth to mention that bilobate distal saccular process is present also in A. hieroglyphica ( Bethune-Baker, 1911) ( Fig. 17 ), but its lobes are much larger.

Re-description. Adult ( Figs 6–8 ). Forewing length 9.5–10 mm in males and 10–10.5 mm in females. Antennae of both sexes ciliate, with longer ciliae in males. Head brownish orange with a black dot on frons; thorax brownish orange with two black dots medially and two black dots on tegulae; abdomen brownish orange with admixture of ochreous scales. Forewing ground color brownish orange, pattern blackish brown, encircled by red scales. Discal spot dot-like. Subbasal line represented by a large dot. Antemedial line double, wavy, its outer line interrupted. Medial line very broad, irregularly dentate, slightly oblique. Postmedial line shortly dentate at veins, loop-like curved opposite the cell. Subterminal line interrupted, represented as a dentate row of dots on veins. Cilia brownish orange. Hindwing pale orange ochreous, without pattern. Male genitalia ( Figs 15, 16 ). Uncus narrow, long, medially curved, apically pointed. Tuba analis broad, membranous; scaphium thin, weakly sclerotized; subscaphium absent. Tegumen short and narrow. Juxta narrow, shield-like, with trigonal inner groove. Vinculum heavily sclerotized, V-shaped, with rounded tip. Valva elongate and relatively narrow. Costa curved medially, with long, sclerotized, claw-like distal process. Sacculus moderately broad, weakly setose, its distal saccular process short, heavily sclerotized, with an additional trigonal dorsal process subapically. Distal membranous lobe of valva relatively short, broadly rounded, longer than distal saccular process. Aedeagus elongate, straight, slightly tapering distally. Vesica relatively thick, with two short membranous diverticula laterally, a trilobate granulated diverticulum latero-dorsally, and a large, basally curved blade-like cornutus apically. Female genitalia ( Figs 20, 21 ). Papillae anales rectangular with rounded corners. Apophyses long and thin, apophyses anteriores slightly longer than apophyses posteriores. Antrum broad, almost rectangular, slightly convex posteriorly. Ductus bursae very short, slightly narrower than antrum, membranous. Corpus bursae broad, globular, strongly granulated, with a broad and elongate sclerotised area dorsally, a broad V-shaped posterior plate covered with short, but robust spines, and two very large, heavily sclerotized lateral signa covered with robust spines. Appendix bursae large, sack-like, situated latero-posteriorly, membranous, with a small granulated field distally.

Distribution. The species is widespread in West and Central Africa (recorded from Guinea ( Durante 2009), Togo, Cameroon, Zambia and Rwanda).

Figures

FIGURES 1–11. Afrasura (1–8) and Siccia (9–11) spp.: adults. 1, A. tanzaniae, holotype ♂, E Tanzania (ZSM); 2, A. tanzaniae, paratype ♂, E Tanzania (MWM/ZSM); 3, A. tanzaniae, paratype ♀, N Tanzania (ANHRT); 5, A. rivulosa, ♂, Zambia (MWM/ZSM); 6, A. rivulosa, holotype ♀, S Africa (©NHMUK); 7, A. pallescens, ♂, Togo (ANHRT); 8, A. pallescens, ♂, Zambia (ANHRT); 9, A. pallescens, ♀, Zambia (ANHRT); 9, S. terlineata, holotype ♀, Ethiopia (after Durante 2009); 10, S. conformis, ♀, Tanzania, Lake Victoria (©NHMUK); 11, S. conformis, holotype ♂, N Nigeria (©NHMUK).

FIGURES 12–14. Afrasura spp.: male genitalia. 12, A. tanzaniae, holotype, NE Tanzania, slide ZSM Arct. 177/2017 Volynkin; 13, A. tanzaniae, paratype, E Tanzania, slide MWM 33732 Volynkin; 14, A. rivulosa, C Zambia, slide MWM 33731 Volynkin.

FIGURES 15–17. Afrasura spp.: male genitalia. 15, A. pallescens, Togo, slide AV5092 Volynkin; 16, A. pallescens, Zambia, slide AV5096 Volynkin; 17, A. hieroglyphica, Sierra Leone, slide AV4504 Volynkin.

FIGURES 18–23. Afrasura (18–21) and Siccia (22, 23) spp.: female genitalia. 18, A. tanzaniae, paratype, N Tanzania, slide AV2997 Volynkin; 19, A. rivulosa, holotype, S Africa, slide BMNH(E) Arct.-5645 (©NHMUK); 20, A. pallescens, holotype, Guinea, slide 427 MAD Durante (after Durante 2009); 21, A. pallescens, Zambia, slide AV2930♀ Volynkin; 22, S. terlineata, holotype, Ethiopia, slide 421 MAD Durante (after Durante 2009); 23, S. conformis, Tanzania, Victoria Lake, slide NHMUK010314605 Volynkin (©NHMUK).