Trisophista doctissima Meyrick, 1924

Agassiz, David J. L., 2019, The Yponomeutidae of the Afrotropical region (Lepidoptera: Yponomeutoidea), Zootaxa 4600 (1), pp. 1-69 : 29-30

33. Trisophista doctissima Meyrick, 1924

Trisophista doctissima Meyrick, 1924: 118

Type locality: Rwanda: Lake Tshohoa .

Redescription of adult ( Plate 5 ). Wingspan 22–25 mm. Head metallic blue-green with some paler reflections, labial palpus drooping, black, segment 3 longer than segment 2, antenna black with a few paler scales on flagellum. Thorax and tegula metallic blue. Forewing metallic blue, a black subbasal spot near costa, 5–7 large black spots distributed in middle of wing, a further one towards apex, terminal fringe concolorous with wing. Hindwing dark grey, basal hyaline patch very distinct, venation illustrated by Clark (1965). Abdomen and legs black with bluish metallic scales above.

Male genitalia ( Plate 15). Socius long, digitate and blunt; valva almost circular, costa strong, termen clothed with strong spines; saccus long and slender ending in a knob. Aedeagus almost straight except for a curve near base, dentate beyond halfway with small spines near apex, an ill-defined mass of cornuti.

Female genitalia ( Plate 25 ). Lamella postvaginalis with double lobes, ostium wide, antrum lightly sclerotised, ductus bursae heavily scobinate for most of its length, corpus bursae ovate, signum a symmetrical plate with small spines.

Diagnosis. An unmistakable species on account of its deep blue colour and large black spots.

Biology. Not known, often taken on the edge of forest. Specimens have been recorded in May, June, July, August, September, November and December.

Distribution. Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan.

Type material. Lectotype RWANDA: Tshahoa , Ruwanda Dist, Belgian Congo JAB viii.1899 Meyrick coll. slide JFGC 8753 of wing venation and ♀ genitalia ( NHMUK). 2 ♂ paralectotypes with same data as lectotype, a further paralectotype ♀ Entebbe, Uganda Capt. Fraser ( NHMUK).

Other material examined: 1 ♂ 1 ♀ Jackson , including slide 34344 ♀; 1 ♀ Toro v.1938; 2 ♀ + 1 without abdo- men E. of Mbale, Mt Kokanjero 6400 ft 8.viii.1911 ; 1 ♀ N. Navirondo, Nyangori 4800ft. 19.v.1911 S.A. Neave; 1 ♂ Kavirondo 18.xii.1896 Dr Ansorge ; 1 ♀ Entebbe 1905 E.A. Minchin; 1 ♀ Entebbe 2 m . N.E. of, 4000 ft, forest out- skirts & slope, Kitatabi Hill , 11.vii.1909 C.A. Wiggins; 1 ♀ Burunga 23.v.1926 G.L.R. Hancock; 1 ♂ Jinja xii.1928 Dr van Someren ; 1 ♀ Mt Elgon viii.1932 T.H.E. Jackson ( NHMUK); 1 Kegere River, Musaka , Aug. 1976 T.H.E. Jackson; 1 ♂ Kampala, 1929 B. Hargreaves; ( NMK); KENYA : 1 ♀ Kitale, v-vi. 1932 van Someren; 1 without ab- domen 2.ix.1928 G.W. Jeffery; 1 ♀ Kakamega Forest viii.1965 T.H.E. Jackson; 1 ♂ without abdomen Kakamega xi.1976 & 2 ♀ i.1972 M.P. Clifton; 1 ♀ ix.1955 P. Matesby; 1.xii.1956 R. Carcasson; 1 specimen Malowa Fore. Kabras K.C. v.51 T. Jackson ( NMK); SOUTH SUDAN : 4 ♂ 1 ♀ Eastern Equatoria, Gilo 4.02N 32.51E 10.ii.1950 C.E. Wilson; including slide BMNH Microlep No. 34349; Eastern Equatoria, Kagela 4.50N 39.336 E 16.viii.1948 C.E. Wilson. ( NHMUK) .

Figures

PLATE 5. The codes Y1 to Y4 refer to presently undescribed species, and are used to identify the specimens, and are also used in the museums where they are deposited.

PLATE 25.