Afroracotis (Rwandaracotis) turlini, László & Hausmann & Karisch, 2023

László, Gyula M., Hausmann, Axel & Karisch, Timm, 2023, Integrative taxonomic revision of the African taxa of the Racotis Moore, 1887 generic complex (Lepidoptera, Geometridae, Ennominae, Boarmiini), Zootaxa 5308 (1), pp. 1-109 : 49-50

Afroracotis (Rwandaracotis) turlini sp. n.

( Figs 76–78 , 173–174 , 253 , 319 )

Holotype. Male , “ Rwanda, Wincka (2700m), 28.I.1973, B. Turlin ”, with handwritten: “140”, printed on blue label: “Photographed for the project “ Geometridae mundi ””, gen. slide No.: LG 4619, DNA barcode/BOLD process id.: BC ZSM Lep 110640/GWOTZ591-21 ( ZSM).

Paratypes. Rwanda. 1 female, same locality and collector as in the holotype, but 22.v.1976, gen. slide No.: LG 4773 ; 1 male, same locality and collector, but 21–22.VI.1974 ; 1 male, Nyungwe Forest , Route Delvaux km 3, 2200m, 29.xii.1976, B. Turlin leg. ; 1 female, Nyungwe Forest , Bigugu, 2500m, 1.xi.1975, B. Turlin leg. ( ZSM) .

Diagnosis. Forewing length 20.5–22.0 mm. The distinctive characters of Afroracotis turlini sp. n. are discussed under the diagnosis of the monotypic subgenus Rwandaracotis .

Genetic information. The 49-years-old specimen was submitted for DNA barcoding with a special, NGS-based protocol (shotgun sequencing with several miniprimers) and successfully sequenced to a 458 bp long fragment (658 bp, 200 n-sites). Due to the split into two fragments (325-133 bp) within the COI barcode region around a 200 n-gap from position 326 to 525, no BIN URI has been assigned.

The pairwise genetic distances between A. turlini and the other Afroracotis taxa has been found in the wide range of 5.56–10.46%. The smallest pairwise distance is observed in comparison to A. lydiae (5.56–7.04%), and the genetically most diverging Afroracotis species is A. aliena at a pairwise distance of 10.46%.

Etymology. The new species is named after Bernard Turlin, renowned French lepidopterist, collector of the type series.

Distribution ( Map 3 ). Afroracotis turlini is known to date only from the Nyungwe Forest in Rwanda, inhabiting a montane rainforest at a medium-high elevation.

Figures

MAP 3. Distribution of the Afroracotis (Herbuloracotis) apodosima and A. (H.) deportata species-groups and the subgenera Rwandaracotis and Sokokeracotis.

FIGURES 61–80. Adults, dorsal view. 61. Afroracotis longicornuta sp. n., HT, ♁, Liberia (ANHRT); 62. Ibidem, PT, ♁, Guinea (ANHRT); 63. A. l. congolana ssp. n., HT, ♁, Cameroon (RCMO); 64. Ibidem, PT, ♁, Cameroon (ZSM); 65. Ibidem, PT, ♁, DRC (NHMUK); 66. Ibidem, PT, ♀, Cameroon (ZSM); 67. A. l. ugandana ssp. n., HT, ♁, Uganda (RCHS); 68. Ibidem, PT, ♀, Uganda (RCHS); 69. A. aristophanousi sp. n., HT, ♁, Liberia (ANHRT); 70. Ibidem, PT, ♁, Cameroon (ZSM); 71. Ibidem, PT, ♁, Uganda (NHMUK); 72. Ibidem, PT, ♀, Cameroon (ZSM); 73. A. muscivirens sp. n., HT, ♁, Liberia (ZSM); 74. Ibidem, PT, ♁, Ivory Coast (ZSM); 75. Ibidem, PT, ♀, Liberia (ANHRT); 76. A. turlini sp. n., HT, ♁, Rwanda (ZSM); 77. Ibidem, PT, ♁, Rwanda (ZSM); 78. Ibidem, PT, ♀, Rwanda (ZSM); 79. A. atriclava, ST of Cleora atriclava, ♁, Madagascar (NHMUK); 80. Ibidem, ♀, Madagascar (ZSM).

FIGURES 171–190. Adults, ventral view. 171. Afroracotis atriclava, ST of Cleora atriclava, ♁, Madagascar (ZSM); 172. Ibidem, ST, ♀, Madagascar (ZSM); 173. A. turlini sp. n., PT, ♁, Rwanda (ZSM); 174. Ibidem, PT, ♀, Rwanda (ZSM); 175. A. zebrina, LT of Racotis zebrina, ♁, Nigeria (NHMUK); 176. A. zebrina, ♁, Guinea (ANHRT); 177. Ibidem, ♁, Liberia (ANHRT); 178. Ibidem, ♀, Ivory Coast (ANHRT); 179. A. chaineyi sp. n., HT, ♁, Gabon (ANHRT); 180. Ibidem, PT, ♁, Cameroon (ZSM); 181. Ibidem, PT, ♀, Bioko (ZSM); 182. A. lydiae lydiae sp. n., PT, ♁, Liberia (ANHRT); 183. Ibidem, PT, ♀, Guinea (ANHRT); 184. A. lydiae orientalis ssp. n., HT, ♁, Tanzania (ANHRT); 185. Ibidem, PT, ♀, Tanzania (ANHRT); 186. A. madagascariensis, ♁, Madagascar (NHMUK); 187. Ibidem, ♀, Madagascar (ANHRT); 188. A. smithi sp. n., HT, ♁, Zambia (ANHRT); 189. Ibidem, PT, ♀, Zambia (ANHRT); 190. Ibidem, PT, ♀, Cameroon (ZSM).

FIGURES 251–255. Male genitalia, a: clasping apparatus, b: aedeagus. 251. Afroracotis muscivirens sp. n., PT, Ivory Coast, slide No. LG 4617 (ZSM); 252. A. atriclava, ST of Cleora atriclava, Madagascar, slide No. LG 5039 (ZSM); 253. A. turlini sp. n., HT, Rwanda, slide No. LG 4619 (ZSM). 254. Afroracotis zebrina, Ivory Coast, slide No. LG 4176 (ANHRT); 255. Ibidem, Liberia, slide No. LG 4965 (ANHRT).

FIGURES 314–319. Female genitalia. 314. Afroracotis aristophanousi sp. n., PT, Ghana, slide No.: NHMUK 010316165 (NHMUK); 315. Ibidem, PT, Cameroon, slide No.: LG 5045 (ZSM); 316. Ibidem, PT, Cameroon, slide No.: LG 5849 (RMCA); 317. A. atriclava, ST, Madagascar, slide No.: LG 5040 (ZSM); 318. A. muscivirens sp. n., PT, Liberia, slide No.: LG 5430 (ANHRT); 319. A. turlini sp. n., PT, Rwanda, slide No.: LG 4773 (ZSM).