Cyana rejecta (Walker, 1854)

Volynkin, Anton V. & László, Gyula M., 2020, Review of the Cyana rejecta (Walker, 1854) species-group, with descriptions of three new species from mainland Africa and a new subspecies from Madagascar (Lepidoptera, Erebidae, Arctiinae, Lithosiini), Zootaxa 4890 (3), pp. 330-346 : 331-332

The Cyana rejecta species-group

Diagnosis. Members of the species-group are characterized by the amber or canary yellow coloration of the body and the wings and the reduced forewing pattern represented by two black dots in the cell. In the male genitalia, the species-group differs from other members of the subgenus Cornutivulpecula by the thick, three dimensional vesica bearing numerous spine-like cornuti. The female genitalia of the species-group differ conspicuously from those of other species-groups of the genus by the weakly sclerotized, rugose ductus bursae and the adjacent posterior section of the corpus bursae, as well as the absence of clusters of spinules in the corpus bursae. The male genital capsule of the species of the complex display no noticeable differences and the distinctive features are expressed exclusively by the configuration of the vesica.

Description. External morphology of adults. Forewing length 10–16 mm in males and 11–14 mm in females. Antennae of both sexes weakly ciliate. Sexual dimorphism limited, expressed by the lack of androconial lobe on female forewing. Body and wing coloration varies from amber yellow to canary yellow; hindwing slightly paler than forewing. Forewing pattern represented by two black dots in the cell medially and distally. Male genitalia. Uncus short, triangular with rounded tip, dorso-ventrally flattened, setose, almost fully fused with tuba analis, only its tip separated. Tuba analis narrow, membranous; scaphium reduced; subscaphium reduced or represented by a narrow, weakly setose area. Tegumen narrow, shorter than valva, its posterior fused section broad and elongate. Juxta weakly sclerotized, X-shaped, with longer posterior branches. Anellus weakly serrulate. Vinculum short but robust, U-shaped. Valva elongate, dilated medially, costal margin with a large triangular protrusion as part of the medial sclerotized plate of costa; distal section of valva tapered, apically rounded. Sacculus narrow, moderately sclerotized, its distal process robust, elongate, slightly curved dorsally with thorn-like tip. Aedeagus conspicuously broad, straight. Vesica thick, membranous, with granulated subbasal diverticulum bearing a cluster of spinules; medial section of vesica with two or three short granulated diverticula; distal diverticulum of vesica broad, granulated, with two elongate clusters of various-sized robust spine-like cornuti (joined into one line in C. yao sp. n. and C. cornutissima sp. n.). Vesica with a broadly triangular, weakly sclerotized distal plate with rounded outer margin. Female genitalia. Papillae anales large, rectangular with rounded corners, weakly setose. Apophyses relatively long and thin, apophyses anteriores shorter than apophyses posteriores. Ostium bursae moderately broad, with membranous margins. Ductus bursae short, tubular, its posterior section membranous, anterior section sclerotized, rugose with numerous longitudinal weakly sclerotized folds protruding into the posterior section of corpus bursae. Corpus bursae sack-like, thick-walled, without spinules, in some species with weak scobination of signum bursae medially. Appendix bursae broad, situated laterally, with sclerotized rugose broad main section (fused with a similarly sclerotized rugose posterior area of corpus bursae in C. occidentalis sp. n. and C. cornutissima sp. n.) and small membranous section at base of ductus seminalis.

Distribution. Members of the species-group are widely distributed in Sub-Saharan Africa and in Madagascar. As members of this species-group display no reliable distinctive external characters, the former literature records of C. rejecta (partially as bipunctigera ) ( Druce 1887; Butler 1898; Hampson 1909; Pagenstecher 1903; Strand 1912, 1922; Kiriakoff 1963; Pinhey 1975) need verification.