Afroracotis (Herbuloracotis) longicornuta congolana, 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 : 43-44

Afroracotis (Herbuloracotis) longicornuta congolana ssp. n.

( Figs 63–66 , 164–165 , 243–245 , 312 )

Holotype. Male , “ Kamerun, Zentral-Provinz , Obout Bezirk , 5km nord̂stlich Nkolmetet (bei Mbalmayo), 693m, Lichtfang, 3°29’22.6”N, 11°47’05.2”O, 18. November 2008, leg. M. Ochse ”, gen. slide No.: LG 5088, DNA barcode/BOLD process id.: BC ZSM Lep 43906/GWOSM630-11 ( RCMO).

Paratypes. Cameroon. 1 male, Elang , 40 km SSE Yaounde, 20–23.iii.1974, Ant. Ntomb, gen. slide No.: LG 5043 ( ZSM G 20993 ) , 1 female, Massif du Manengouba, Piste Bakwat-Mwakoumel , 1240m, 11–12.iv.1972, C. Herbulot leg., gen. slide No.: LG 5044 ( ZSM G 20994 ) ; 1 male, Massif du Manengouba , 6 km NO de Nkongeamba, 1400m, 3.iv.1970, C. Herbulot & C. Lemaire leg. ; 1 male, Village Kala , 18 km W de Yaounde, 730m, 9–15.x.1977, Alexis Evoe leg. ( ZSM) ; 1 male, South West Province, Mount Kupé, Nature Trail , Cave , 2 km E of Nyasoso, 990m, Light trap, 4°49’24.4”N, 9°41’15.4”E, 25.xi.2008, leg. M. Ochse, gen. slide No.: LG 5092, DNA barcode/BOLD process id.: BC ZSM Lep 38713/GWOSH377-10 ; 2 males, South West Province, Mount Kupé , 1 km SE Nyasoso, water tank, 901m, light trap, 4°49’34.8”N, 9°41’15.3”E, 4.xii.2008, leg. M. Ochse, gen. slide No.: LG 5083, DNA barcode/BOLD process id.: BC ZSM Lep 36519/GWOSD083-10 ; 1 male, Central Province, 22 km NE Soa, 8 km NE Fegmimbang, Embuni District , 1 km NW Ondoundu , 629m, Light trap, 4°6’29.8”N, 11°43’33.6”E, 23.xi.2008, leg. M. Ochse, gen. slide No.: LG 5093, DNA barcode/BOLD process id.: BC ZSM Lep 38714/GWOSH378- 10 ; 2 males, South West Province, Mount Kupé , 2 km E Nyasoso, 1283m, 4°49’28.8”N, 9°42’6.6”E, 21.v.2009, Light Trap, leg. M. Ochse ; 1 male, South West Province, Mount Kupé , 3 km E Nyasoso, 1128m, 4°49’59.4”N, 9°42’29.6”E, 28.v.2009, Light Trap, leg. M. Ochse ( RCMO) ; 1 male, Eloumden , 28/ 29.x.1992, leg. Th. Bouyer ; 1 male, Mount Cameroon, Mapanja, 9°8.4’E, 4°5.4’N, 03.ii.1989, 1150m, S.E. side Mt. Cameroon , 3.5 km N.W. of Mapanja ; 1 male, same site, 01.ii.1989; 1 male, Mount Cameroon, Bonenza , 9°5.3’E, 4°3.6’N 13.i.1989, 180m, Primary lowland rain forest ( RMCA) . DRC. 1 male, “ Congo, 46.24. Eastern Upper Ituri Valley, 30 mls south of Irumu, Congo Belge , 3000 ft., July 1924, Tropical forest , T.A. Barns ”, with handwritten: “ Cleora insipiens ♁ Prout type” Red ring Holotype label, “Manuscript name”, QR code label with unique id.: NHMUK 010598481 , gen. slide No. : NHMUK 010315179 (prepared by László) ; 1 male, Congo, Bena Dibele, Sankuru Kasai, Congo Belge , April 1959, R.H. Carcasson, QR code label with unique id.: NHMUK 010598484 , gen. slide No. : NHMUK 010315181 (prepared by László) ; 1 male, D.R. Congo, Sankuru: Lusambo , 12.viii.1950, Dr. Fontaine, QR code label with unique id.: NHMUK 010598712 , gen. slide No. : NHMUK 010314259 (prepared by László) ( NHMUK) . Republic of Central Africa . 2 males, Préfecture de la Lobaye, Mbata , 1–17.viii.1969, J. Plante leg., Collection Jacques Plante, gen. slide No.: HERB 5559 ( ZSM) . Republic of the Congo. 1 male, 20 km WSW Ouesso , 15.i.1983, Cl. Herbulot leg. ( ZSM) ; 1 male, Sangha Prov., Nouabale-Ndoki National Park, Mbeli camp, ( Gilbertiodendron forest ), 372m, 02°14’23.8”N, 16°23’52.1”E, 1–10.x.2022, MV Light Trap, Dérozier, V., Fouka, B., Kirk-Spriggs, A., Takano, H. leg., ANHRT :2022.14, unique id. ANHRTUK 00284333, gen. slide No.: LG 5998; 1 male, Sangha Prov., Nouabale-Ndoki National Park, Bomassa forest , ( Secondary forest ), 358m, 02°11’58.1”N, 16°11’16.9”E, 17–23.ix.2022, LepiLED L.T., Dérozier, V., Fouka, B., Kirk-Spriggs, A., Takano, H. leg., ANHRT :2022.14, unique id. ANHRTUK 00284359 ( ANHRT).

Diagnosis. Forewing length 20–22 mm. There have only been subtle morphological differences observed between the nominotypical subspecies of A. longicornuta and ssp. congolana . Externally, the nominate subspecies is somewhat smaller, having paler, rather greyish-brown fasciae and spots of the speckled forewing, whereas the wing pattern is darker, with a reddish tinge in ssp. congolana . In the male genitalia, the distal quarter of the valva is considerably narrower and gently falcate in the nominate taxon, while the dorsal margin of the valva is almost straight with the valva apex produced into a short, rounded process in ssp. congolana .

As the female of A. longicornuta longicornuta is unknown, the morphology of the female genitalia could not be compared with A. longicornuta congolana . Comparing the female genitalia of ssp. congolana to ssp. ugandana , the former taxon has a considerably more elongate corpus bursae with a shorter membranous medio-lateral protuberation.

Genetic information. This taxon has been assigned the BIN URI: BOLD:AAP1642. The subspecies shows a very low divergence of 0.00–0.15%, The nearest neighbour of ssp. congolana is A. longicornuta ugandana ssp. n. at a pairwise distance of 1.58–1.74%.

Etymology. The central African subspecies of A. longicornuta is named after the Congo basin, the core of the distribution area of the taxon.

Distribution ( Map 4 ). The taxon is confined to rain forests of the Congolian Basin.

Figures

MAP 4. Distribution of the Afroracotis (Herbuloracotis) argillacea species-group.

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 151–170. Adults, ventral view. 151. Afroracotis apodosima, ♁, Zambia (ANHRT); 152. Ibidem, ♀, Mozambique (ANHRT); 153. A. dargei sp. n., PT, ♁, Cameroon (ZSM); 154. Ibidem, ♀, Cameroon (ZSM); 155. A. deportata, ♁, Madagascar (RCHS); 156. Ibidem, ♀, Comoros (NHMUK); 157. A. argillacea argillacea, ♁, Cameroon (ZSM); 158. Ibidem, ♁, Cameroon (ZSM); 159. A. argillacea cedrici, HT of Racotis cedrici, ♀, Bioko (ZSM); 160. A. argillacea morettoi ssp. n., HT, ♁, Ivory Coast (ANHRT); 161. Ibidem, PT, ♀, Ivory Coast (ANHRT); 162. A. longicornuta sp. n., HT, ♁, Liberia (ANHRT); 163. Ibidem, PT, ♁, Guinea (ZSM); 164. A. l. congolana ssp. n., PT, ♁, Cameroon (ZSM); 165. Ibidem, PT, ♀, Cameroon (ZSM); 166. A. l. ugandana ssp. n., PT, ♀, Uganda (RCHS); 167. A. aristophanousi sp. n., HT, ♁, Liberia (ANHRT); 168. Ibidem, PT, ♀, Cameroon (ZSM); 169. A. muscivirens sp. n., HT, ♁, Liberia (ZSM); 170. Ibidem, PT, ♀, Liberia (ANHRT).

FIGURES 239–244. Male genitalia, a: clasping apparatus, b: aedeagus. 239. Afroracotis argillacea argillacea, Cameroon, slide No. LG 4405 (ZSM); 240. A. a. morettoi ssp. n., HT, Ivory Coast, slide No. LG 5416 (ANHRT); 241. A. longicornuta longicornuta sp. n., HT, Liberia, slide No. LG 5064 (ANHRT); 242. Ibidem, Guinea, slide No. LG 4424 (ZSM); 243. A. l. congolana ssp. n., HT Cameroon, slide No. LG 4088 (RCMO); 244. Ibidem, PT, Cameroon, slide No. LG 5043 (ZSM).

FIGURES 245–250. Male genitalia, a: clasping apparatus, b: aedeagus. 245. Afroracotis longicornuta congolana ssp. n., PT, DRC, slide No. NHMUK 010315179 (NHMUK); 246. A. l. ugandana ssp. n., HT, Uganda, slide No. LG 5529 (RCHS). 247. Ibidem, PT, Uganda, slide No. LG 5530 (RCHS); 248. A. aristophanousi sp. n., HT, Liberia, slide No. LG 5418 (ANHRT); 249. Ibidem, PT, Uganda, slide No. NHMUK 010315182 (NHMUK); 250. A. muscivirens sp. n., HT, Liberia, slide No. LG 4758 (ZSM).

FIGURES 306–313. Female genitalia. 306. Afroracotis apodosima, Tanzania, slide No.: LG 4767 (ZSM); 307. Ibidem, Mozambique, slide No.: LG 4826 (ANHRT); 308. A. dargei sp. n., PT, Cameroon, slide No.: LG 4771 (ZSM); 309. A. deportata, Madagascar, slide No.: LG 4082 (ANHRT); 310. A. argillacea cedrici, PT, Bioko, slide No.: HERB 7255 (ZSM); 311. A. a. morettoi ssp. n., PT, Ivory Coast, slide No.: LG 5417 (ANHRT); 312. A. longicornuta congolana ssp. n., PT, Cameroon, slide No.: LG 5044 (ZSM); 313. A. l. ugandana ssp. n., PT, Uganda, gen. slide No.: LG 5531 (RCHS).