Gnathodes whalleyi, Elliott, 2024

Elliott, Imogen R., 2024, Five new species in the Afrotropical genus Gnathodes Whalley (Lepidoptera: Thyrididae, Siculodinae) with the description of the female of Gnathodes fiscinella Whalley, Zootaxa 5555 (2), pp. 253-268 : 264-265

Gnathodes whalleyi sp. nov.

(Figs 9–10, 17, 20, 27)

Holotype, ♂: “ LIBERIA 750m / Nimba County, Nimba Mts., / ENNR, Cellcom Road / 7°33’3.78”N, 8°31’46.49”W / 16- 28.xii.2018 Cold Cathode / UV Light Trap (8W) / Safian, Sz., Simonics, G. Leg. ANHRT: 2018.43 ” // “ANHRTUK / 00219561” / “Gen. slide. No. / IE 92 / prep. by I. Eliott” ( ANHRT).

Paratype, ♀: “ LIBERIA 1000-1100m / Nimba Mts., East Nimba Nature / Reserve , Cellcom Road / 7°32’45.88”N, 8°31’21.04”W / 12-16.iii.2017 Bucket traps 8w / Cold Cathode UV light / Sáfián, Sz., Simonics, G. Leg. ” // “African Natural History / Research Trust / ANHRT: 2018.24 ” // “ANHRTUK / 00284669” / “Gen. slide. No. / IE 085 / prep. by I. Elliott” ( ANHRT) .

Diagnosis. The distinctive characters between G. whalleyi sp. nov. and its congeners are discussed under the diagnoses of G. fiscinella and G. smithi sp. nov.

Description. Male (Fig. 9). Forewing length 8.0 mm. Head; vertex greyish brown, frons dark brown. Antenna pale brown, basal section dark brown, minutely ciliate. Labial palp dark brown, strongly upcurved; first segment short, length of third, second segment twice length of third. Thorax brown, with narrow dark brown patagium; tegula dark brown basally, fading to pale yellowish brown; mesothorax brown. Legs pale greyish brown; foreleg moderately darker brown; index of spurs 0-2-4; midleg outer spur half length of inner; hindleg outer spur two thirds that of inner. Forewing pale brownish grey with darker brown patterning and with dark brown dots and streaks along costa; a short tornal streak and two transverse dark brown bands across ventral two thirds; fringe brown, interspersed with pale brown scales. Hindwing pale pink with pink tinted veins; three small brown streaks along medial section of anal margin; terminal area with pink shade and pale yellow terminal line; fringe brown, abruptly transitioning to pale grey at outer margin; anal margin with long, pale yellow piliform scales. Forewing underside with costal margin very pale salmon pink, speckled with dark brown dots, dashes and flecks and a vibrant orange streak from midpoint to apex; antemedial area with a short longitudinal orange streak, partially covered by short black line flecked with white, underlined by a patch of dark brown scales; medial area with a reddish-brown blotch with two vertical ‘arms’, underscored by a group of brown scales; tornus with a short dark brown streak; veins Rs3 and Rs4 outlined in black, bordered with white scales; subterminal area between Rs3 and Rs4 vibrant red, posteriorly merging with short brown subapical streak. Hindwing underside very pale yellowish grey with a smattering of diffuse brown reticulation; pattern as on upperside, except for three small streaks lining anal margin.

Male Genitalia ( Figs 17 , 27 ). Uncus elongate, tapered to a pointed apex, with a sclerotized ventral margin; distal half densely setose. Tegumen half length of valva, with broad lateral plates; basal area of plates densely scobinate. Gnathos highly modified, dilated and shield-like with a prominent funnel-shaped anteromedial process and crowned with two pairs of posterolateral processes, almost equal in length; central pair of posterolateral processes encompassing a central excavation almost reaching centre point of gnathos. Juxta two spiniform lateral lobules. Saccus conical, as wide as gnathos, ventral margin sloping gently towards a medial point. Valva relatively broad in basal third, strongly tapered medially, dilated and club-like with relatively long setae in apical third; apex evenly rounded. Costa straight and narrow with a prominent arm-like basal process; process almost as long as gnathos, broad basally and somewhat quadrangular, strongly tapered medially, narrow and elongate in terminal third, slightly dilated and evenly rounded at tip. Sacculus half length of valva, broad and hemispherical basally, tapered medially with some long setae subapically, produced into a spiniform process with a hooked tip. Aedeagus tubular and relatively narrow, without coecum penis and carinal sclerotization; vesica without cornuti.

Female (Fig. 10). Forewing length 10.0 mm. External habitus as for male but larger and with moderately darker brown reticulation on both sides of wings.

Female Genitalia ( Fig. 20 ). Papilla analis relatively short, sclerotized and densely setose, with weak scobination and a short, rounded and sclerotized dorsal shield. Posterior apophysis moderately longer and thicker than anterior. A weakly sclerotized lamella antevaginalis with dense coverage of spinules. Ductus bursae and corpus bursae missing.

Etymology. This species is dedicated to Paul E.S. Whalley in recognition of his significant contributions to the knowledge of the Afrotropical Thyrididae . A noun in the genitive case.

Figures

FIGURES 15–17. Male genitalia, a: clasping apparatus (left scale bar), b: aedeagus (right scale bar). 15. Gnathodes ndoki sp. nov., holotype male, Republic of Congo, gen. slide No. 87 (ANHRT). 16. G. smithi sp. nov., holotype male, Liberia, gen. slide No. IE 91 (ANHRT). 17. G. whalleyi sp. nov., holotype male, Liberia, gen. slide No. IE 92 (ANHRT).

FIGURES 23–27. Gnathodes fiscinella species group, details of the gnathos. 23. G. fiscinella (male), Zambia, gen. slide No. IE 90 (ANHRT). 24. G. pallida sp. nov., holotype male, Liberia, gen. slide No. IE 86 (ANHRT). 25. G. ndoki sp. nov., holotype male, Republic of Congo, gen. slide No. IE 87 (ANHRT). 26. G. smithi sp. nov., holotype male, Liberia, gen. slide No. IE 91 (ANHRT). 27. G. whalleyi sp. nov., holotype male, Liberia, gen. slide No. IE 92 (ANHRT).

FIGURES 18–20. Female genitalia. 18. Gnathodes fiscinella (female), Zambia, gen. slide No. IE 80 (ANHRT). 19. G. helvella, paratype female, BM Pyralidae slide No. 10595 (NHMUK). 20. G. whalleyi sp. nov., paratype female, Liberia, gen. slide No. IE 85 (ANHRT).