Afroracotis (Zebracotis) ochsei, 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 : 68-69

Afroracotis (Zebracotis) ochsei sp. n.

( Figs 109–112 , 195–197 , 275–277 , 335 )

Holotype. Male , “ GABON, 10m, Nyonie (Lowland Forest), 0°2’22”S, 9°20’25”E, 23–28.viii.2019, MV Light Trap, Albert, J-L., Aristophanous, M., Bie Mba, J., Dérozier, V., Moretto, P. leg., ANHRT:2019.17”, unique id.: ANHRTUK 00137561, gen. slide No.: LG 5406 ( ANHRT).

Paratypes. Cameroon. 2 males, Mt Cameroon ( SW slope), Planty camp, 4.117500°N, 9.070944°E, 1100m asl, 12–14.iv.2015, leg. V. Maicher, Sz. Sáfián, S. Janecek, R. Tropek, gen. slide Nos.: LG 4413, LG 4734, DNA barcode/BOLD process id.: BC ZSM Lep 96970/GWOTU254-17 ; 1 male, same data, but collected at 9–14.iv.2015, gen. slide No.: LG 4718 ; 1 male, 1 female, Massif du Manengouba, 6 km NO de Nkongsamba , 1400m, 3.iv.1970, C. Herbulot & C. Lemaire leg. ( ZSM) ; 1 male, Mount Cameroon, Bonenza, 9°5.6’E, 4°4.9’N, 21.i.1989, Primary forest 10m above Dr Edwards’ forest plot, gen. slide No.: LG 5866 ( RMCA) . Gabon. 8 males, 5 females, with the same data as in the holotype, but collected at MV, LepiLED and Actinic Light Trap, unique ids: ANHRTUK 00137558–00137560, 00162893, 00172363 (dissected), 00172375 (dissected), 00172381 (dissected), 00172779 (dissected), 00172862 (dissected), 00172947, 00173017 (dissected), 00214198, 00215783, gen. slide Nos: LG 5401, LG 5414, LG 5419, LG 5620 (males), LG 5623, LG 5793 (females), DNA barcode/BOLD process id.: BC ZSM Lep 112987/GWOUH071-21 ; 4 males, 1 female, Mikongo (Rougier), Monts de Cristal ( Secondary Forest ), 430m, 0°29’47”N, 11°10’42”E, 28.vii.–12.viii.2019, MV and LepiLED Light Trap, Albert, J-L., Aristophanous, M., Bie Mba, J., Dérozier, V., Moretto, P. leg., ANHRT : 2019.17, unique ids: ANHRTUK 00129946, 00131023, 00131146, 00131925, 00137695 (all dissected), gen. slide No.: LG 5421 (male) ( ANHRT) .

Diagnosis. Forewing length 20–21.5 mm. Afroracotis ochsei sp. n. and its sympatric congeners A. milesi and A. helicalis sp. n. have confusingly similar and, at the same time, variable external habitus, although the configuration of their vesica shows highly distinctive traits allowing an unambiguous identification. The main chamber of the vesica of A. ochsei is conspicuously long and inflated along its entire length, without a diverticulum, which is present in A. milesi ; all three species have a small group of curved, thick cornuti of variable length and number situated distally at the base of the vesica ejaculatorius. The new species is clearly distinguished from A. helicalis , also due to the vesica configuration as the latter species has a characteristically coiled vesica. The distinctive features of the female genitalia of the three species are discussed under the diagnosis of A. milesi .

Genetic information. In accordance with the diagnostic morphology, A. ochsei sp. n. has been assigned a distinct BIN URI: BOLD:AAL8682 with its nearest neighbour being A. takanoi sp. n. (BIN URI: BOLD:AEE7886) with a pairwise distance of 1.69–2.04%. The species is genetically uniform with 0.00% intraspecific variability based on three sequenced specimens.

Etymology. The new species is dedicated to Michael Ochse, eminent German Lepidopterist, acknowledging his important contribution to this revision through providing specimens from his research collection for DNA barcoding and morphological investigation.

Distribution ( Map 6 ). Afroracotis ochsei seems to be confined to the Congolian lowland rainforest with confirmed records from Cameroon and Gabon only.

Figures

MAP 6. Distribution of the subgenus Zebracotis 2.: A. (Z.) helicalis sp. n., milesi sp. n., ochsei sp. n., smithi sp. n. and takanoi sp. n.

FIGURES 101–120. Adults, dorsal view (all in coll. ANHRT, unless otherwise stated). 101. A. smithi sp. n., HT, ♁, Zambia; 102. Ibidem, PT, ♁, Gabon; 103. Ibidem, PT, ♀, Zambia; 104. Ibidem, PT, ♀, Cameroon (ZSM); 105. A. milesi sp. n., HT, ♁, Gabon; 106. Ibidem, PT, ♁, Cameroon; 107. Ibidem, PT, ♀, Cameroon; 108. Ibidem, PT, ♁, Zambia; 109. A. ochsei sp. n., HT, ♁, Gabon; 110. Ibidem, PT, ♁, Gabon; 111. Ibidem, PT, ♀, Gabon; 112. Ibidem, PT, ♁, Gabon; 113. A. helicalis sp. n., HT, ♁, Gabon; 114. Ibidem, PT, ♁, Gabon; 115. Ibidem, PT, ♀, Gabon; 116. A. takanoi sp. n., HT, ♁, Sierra Leone; 117. Ibidem, PT, ♁, Guinea; 118. Ibidem, PT, ♁, Liberia; 119. Ibidem, PT, ♀, Liberia; 120. A. staudei sp. n., HT, ♁, Kenya (RCHS).

FIGURES 191–210. Adults, ventral view (all in coll. ANHRT, unless otherwise stated). 191. Afroracotis milesi sp. n., HT, ♁, Gabon; 192. Ibidem, PT, ♁, Cameroon; 193. Ibidem, PT, ♁, Zambia; 194. Ibidem, PT, ♀, Gabon; 195. A. ochsei sp. n., HT, ♁, Gabon; 196. Ibidem, PT, ♁, Gabon; 197. Ibidem, PT, ♀, Gabon; 198. A. helicalis sp. n., HT, ♁, Gabon; 199. Ibidem, PT, ♁, Gabon; 200. Ibidem, PT, ♀, Gabon; 201. A. takanoi sp. n., HT, ♁, Sierra Leone; 202. Ibidem, PT, ♁, Guinea; 203. Ibidem, PT, ♀, Ivory Coast; 204. Ibidem, PT, ♀, Liberia; 205. A. staudei sp. n., HT, ♁, Kenya (RCHS); 206. Racotis boarmiaria, LT, ♁, India (NHMUK); 207. Chorocotis ugandaria, HT of Boarmia ugandaria, ♁, Uganda (NHMUK); 208. Ibidem, ♀, Cameroon (NHMUK); 209. Colocleora breijeri, ♁, RSA (RCDS); 210. C. incauta, ♁, RSA (NHMUK).

FIGURES 274–279. Male genitalia, a: clasping apparatus, b: aedeagus. 274. Afroracotis milesi sp. n., PT, Zambia, slide No. LG 4061 (ANHRT); 275. A. ochsei sp. n., HT, Gabon, slide No. LG 5406 (ANHRT); 276. Ibidem, PT, Cameroon, slide No. LG 4413 (ZSM); 277. Ibidem, PT, Gabon, slide No. LG 5414 (ANHRT); 278. A. helicalis sp. n., HT, Gabon, slide No. LG 5621 (ANHRT); 279. Ibidem, PT, Gabon, slide No. LG 5412 (ANHRT).

FIGURES 328–335. Female genitalia. 328. Afroracotis lydiae orientalis ssp. n., PT, Tanzania, slide No.: LG 4173 (ANHRT); 329. Ibidem, PT, Mozambique, slide No.: LG 4955 (ANHRT); 330. A. madagascariensis, Madagascar, slide No.: LG 4750 (ZSM); 331. A. smithi sp. n., PT, Zambia, slide No.: LG 5400 (ANHRT); 332. Ibidem, PT, Cameroon, slide No.: LG 5074 (ZSM); 333. A. milesi sp. n., PT, Gabon, slide No.: LG 5411 (ANHRT); 334. Ibidem, PT, Cameroon, slide No.: LG 5437 (ANHRT); 335. A. ochsei sp. n., PT, Gabon, gen. slide No.: LG 5623 (ANHRT).