Macrocossus grebennikovi Yakovlev

Yakovlev, Roman V. & Murphy, Raymond J., 2013, The Cossidae (Lepidoptera) of Malawi with descriptions of two new species, Zootaxa 3709 (4), pp. 371-393 : 374

Macrocossus grebennikovi Yakovlev sp. nov.

( Fig. 5–6 , 51–52 )

Material. Holotype, male, S. Malawi, Mangochi distr., 25 km E Mangochi, Manizimu Forest Reserve, Uzuzu Hill, 14°24’46’’S; 35°22’42’’E, h— 1010 m, 17– 18.04.2011, leg. R. Yakovlev ( ZISP). Paratypes: 11 males, same data and locality (MWM; RYB).

Description. Male. Forewing length 25–28 mm. Antenna bipectinate. Forewing with somewhat pointed apex, grey with thin undulated pattern; basal area hazy; discal area lighter, especially near cubital veins; light background contains two light-brown spots with blunt edges and slightly developed brownish suffusion; postdiscal area with thin black discrete transversal band. Hindwing grey, unicoloured.

Male genitalia. Uncus long, slightly triangularly narrowing to pointed apex; tegumen moderately-sized; branches of compact gnathos stout, relatively short, with sclerotization on the top and covered by small spicules; valva broad, rounded, with well-developed sacculus; costal edge of valva wrapped inside, with two deep folds on the inner surface; processions of transtilla long, hook-like, with very broad base; triangular juxta small, strongly sclerotized; saccus tiny, semispherical; aedeagus thick, short (1/4 of valva length); vesica without cornuti and aperture transversal, situated on dorso-apical side on half of aedeagus length,.

Female. Forewing length 28–30 mm. Antenna simple shaft. Forewing with widely rounded apex; brown pattern weakly developed in comparison with males, with four thick black bands in postdiscal and submarginal areas; hindwing grey, without pattern. Ovipositor relatively short; papillae anales acute, anterior apophyses shorter than posterior ones and with oar-like tips; ductus bursae broad, membranous, short; bursa sack-like, without signum; ductus seminalis broad, inflows in basal parts of bursa.

Diagnosis. Previously the genus Macrocossus Aurivillius, 1900 included four species including M. caducus Clench, 1959 , M. coelebs Clench, 1959 , M. sidamo ( Rougeot, 1977) and the type species, Macrocossus toluminus ( Druce, 1887) . M. grebennikovi differs from the aforementioned species by its brown spots on the forewing, short thick aedeagus, and relatively poorly developed sclerotized ribs of the inner surface of valva.

Etymology. The new species is named in honor of animal painter, entomologist and writer V.S. Grebennikov who is a favorite of our kind hosts at Uzuzu Hill, Tara Hakimi and David Clough.

Figures

FIGURES 4 – 15. 4, Macrocossus toluminus (Druce), male, Malawi (RMM). 5, Macrocossus grebennikovi Yakovlev, sp. nov., holotype. 6, Macrocossus grebennikovi Yakovlev, sp. nov., paratype, female. 7, Mirocossus badiala (Fletcher), male, Malawi (RYB). 8, Mirocossus badiala (Fletcher), female, Malawi (RYB). 9, Mirocossus kibwezi Yakovlev. 10, Brachylia nussi Yakovlev. 11, Brachylia rectangulata (Wichgraf). 12, Brachylia rectangulata (Wichgraf). 13, Brachylia reussi (Strand). 14, Phragmataecia fuscifusa Hampson. 15, Phragmataecia okovangae Clench.

FIGURES 51 – 53. 51, Genitalia of male Macrocossus grebennikovi Yakovlev, sp. nov. 52, Genitalia of female Macrocossus grebennikovi Yakovlev, sp. nov. 53, Genitalia of male Strigocossus elephas Yakovlev sp. nov.