Yponomeuta gnophera, Agassiz, 2019

Agassiz, David J. L., 2019, The Yponomeutidae of the Afrotropical region (Lepidoptera: Yponomeutoidea), Zootaxa 4600 (1), pp. 1-69 : 25

25. Yponomeuta gnophera sp. nov.

Description of adult ( Plate 4). Wingspan 27 mm. Head whitish, labial palpus porrect, segment 2 longer than segment 3, whitish but blackish brown on base of each segment. Thorax brownish white, three blackish spots, tegula of the same colour, with one black spot. Forewing whitish brown, a subbasal black partial fascia in costal half of wing, further rows of irregular blackish spots (a little elongated in a direction across wing), terminal area paler. Hindwing pale grey, fringe concolorous.

Male genitalia ( Plate 13). Uncus deeply cleft, socius long and slender, valva ovate with a costal projection, dense hairs especially near the dorsum, sacculus weakly defined, saccus tapered ending with a pronounced knob. Aedeagus long, about three times length of valva, doubly curved with a cornutus about one quarter of its length.

Female genitalia. Not known.

Diagnosis: Somewhat similar to malagasella but larger and with very distinct male genitalia with rounded valvae, see Plate 13.

Biology. Not known.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality, Betroka, Madagascar.

Derivation of the name. From the Greek gnophos meaning dark, from the ground colour of the forewing.

Type material. Holotype male: Madagascar, Betroka , xi/ xii. 1953 E. Diehl. BMNH Microlep slide 34191, NHMUK 010919522.