Afrasura hieroglyphica ( Bethune-Baker, 1911 )

Volynkin, Anton V. & László, Gyula M., 2018, A review of the genus Afrasura Durante, 2009 from São Tomé Island with descriptions of a new species and a new subspecies (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae), Zootaxa 4508 (2), pp. 237-248 : 245-247

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4508.2.6

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:966C65AA-5BD8-4B14-95B2-64C530476425

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5997331

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03FE87CD-C453-7061-FF4B-0198874CFD80

treatment provided by

Plazi

scientific name

Afrasura hieroglyphica ( Bethune-Baker, 1911 )
status

 

Afrasura hieroglyphica ( Bethune-Baker, 1911) View in CoL

( Figs. 13–16 View FIGURES 9–16 , 21, 22 View FIGURES 21–23 , 28, 29 View FIGURES 24–30 )

Miltochrista hieroglyphica Bethune-Baker, 1911 View in CoL , The Annals and magazine of natural history (8) 7: 537 (Type locality: [ Angola] “N’Dalla Tando”).

= Asura thomensis Rothschild, 1913 View in CoL , Novitates Zoologicae 20 (1): 211 (Type locality: “Island of St. Tomé, West Africa”), syn. nov.

Type material examined. Holotype of Miltochrista hieroglyphica ( Fig. 14 View FIGURES 9–16 ): ♂, “N’Dalla Tando, N. Angola, 2700 feet, 30.XI.1908, Dr. W.J. Ansorge ” (upper side) | “ Miltochrista hieroglyphica B-B. Type” (under side) / green and white round label “Type” / “G.T. B.-Baker Coll., Brit. Mus. 1927-360” / “ Arctiidae genitalia slide No. 3” / label with QR-code “ NHMUK010914355 View Materials ” (Coll. NHMUK); syntype of Asura thomensis ( Fig. 13 View FIGURES 9–16 ): ♀, “ St. Tomé , X. XI. 99 (Mocquerys)” / “Rothschild Bequest B.M. 1939-I. ” / red label “ Asura thomensis Type Rothsch.” / label with QR-code “ NHMUK010914356 View Materials ” (Coll. NHMUK).

Additional material examined. THE REPUBLIC OF GUINEA : 1 ♀, W Africa, Guinea, Konakri , Macenta Prefecture , Ziama Forest , 550 m, 250 watt, IX.2016, leg. Pétranyi G., Müller G.C., Kravchenko V.D. et al., slide MWM 33762 Volynkin (coll. MWM/ZSM); SIERRA LEONE: 1 ♂, 80m, Kalainkay, nr. Kamabai Northern Prov. 3–6.XI.2015, 09°10’52”N, 11°56’44”W, Light Trap R. Goff coll. Leg. Smith, R. & Takano, H., slide No.: AV 2986 GoogleMaps ♂ (coll. ANHRT) ; 1 ♂, 420m, Loma Mountains farmland/forest mosaic, 09°07’47”N, 11°05’24”W, 11– 15.VI.2016 Light Trap leg. Takano, Miles & Goff, ANHRT GoogleMaps :2017.18, slide No.: AV 4504 ♂ (coll. ANHRT) ; LIBERIA: 1 ♀, 530m, Lofa County, Foya Proposed Protected Area , 7°56’36”N, 10°16’36”W, 10–19.XI.2017 MV Light Trap (125W), Aristophanous, M., Safian, Sz., Simonics, G., & Smith, L. leg. ANHRT GoogleMaps :2017.33, slide No.: AV 4531 ♀ (coll. ANHRT) ; SÃO TOMÉ: 22 ♂, 17 ♀, 264m, Guadalupe, Antenna , 0°22’49.9”N, 6°38’47.4”E, 31.X.2016, MV, Dry coastal forest and scrub, C. R. Turner & T. Tasane leg., ANHRT GoogleMaps :2017.21 (coll. ANHRT); 11 ♂, 7 ♀, 174m, Guadalupe , 0°23’12.8”N, 6°37’6.9”E, 22.X.2016, savanna dry mosaic: grassland/forest scrub/ plantation, MV, C. R. Turner & T. Tasane leg., ANHRT GoogleMaps :2017.21 (coll. ANHRT); 1 ♂, 1 ♀, 60m, Mucumbli Lodge, Praia das Furnas, Neves , 0°26’56.1”N, 6°32’22.7”E, 16–17.X.2016, MV, plantation with remnant native dry scrub forest, C. R. Turner & T. Tasane leg., ANHRT GoogleMaps :2017.21 (coll. ANHRT); 2 ♂, same site and collectors, but collected at 30.X.2016, ANHRT :2017.21 (coll. ANHRT); 28 ♂, 4 ♀, 254m, Guadalupe, Antenna , (dry coastal scrub forest) 0°22’49.8”N, 6°38’47.4”E, 31.I.–2.II.2018, MV/ Actinic light trap, Aristophanous, M., Miles, W. leg., ANHRT GoogleMaps : 2018.1, slide Nos : AV 4502 ♂, AV 4503 ♂, AV 4505 ♀ (coll. ANHRT) ; ANGOLA: 1 ♀, Quicolungo, 120 km N of Lucala, Angola , IV. 1936, 800 m (R. Braun), slide NHMUK 010314043 Volynkin (coll. NHMUK) .

Remark. In his revision of Afrasura species, Durante (2009) did not examine Asura thomensis Rothschild, 1913 . The study of the genitalia of both sexes of this taxon demonstrated its conspecificity to Afrasura hieroglyphica ( Bethune-Baker, 1911) , which is widespread in West Africa ( Figs. 21, 22 View FIGURES 21–23 , 28, 29 View FIGURES 24–30 ). Thus, the new synonymy is established here: Afrasura hieroglyphica ( Bethune-Baker, 1911) = Asura thomensis Rothschild, 1913 , syn. nov.

Diagnosis. Forewing length is 7–9 mm in males and 8–10 mm in females. Externally rather variable species: the width of transverse lines may widely vary within the same population. A. hieroglyphica differs clearly from the other two Afrasura species found on São Tomé Island by its external appearance and configuration of male and female genitalia. In the male genitalia, the bilobate distal saccular process is very characteristic for A. hieroglyphica .

Distribution. The species is known from the Republic of Guinea, Sierra leone, Liberia, Nigeria, Cameroon, Angola, Uganda ( Durante 2009), and São Tomé Island.

NHMUK

Natural History Museum, London

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Lepidoptera

Family

Erebidae

Genus

Afrasura

Loc

Afrasura hieroglyphica ( Bethune-Baker, 1911 )

Volynkin, Anton V. & László, Gyula M. 2018
2018
Loc

Asura thomensis

Rothschild 1913
1913
Loc

Miltochrista hieroglyphica

Bethune-Baker 1911
1911
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