Hyponomeuta octocentra Meyrick, 1921: 117

Agassiz, David J. L., 2019, The Yponomeutidae of the Afrotropical region (Lepidoptera: Yponomeutoidea), Zootaxa 4600 (1), pp. 1-69 : 27-28

Hyponomeuta octocentra Meyrick, 1921: 117

Hyponomeuta effeta Meyrick, 1924: 117

Type locality: Zimbabwe: Emageni .

Redescription of adult ( Plate 4). Wingspan 24–25 mm. Head and appendages pale greyish ochreous. Thorax and tegula concolorous with head. Forewing with ground colour as head and thorax, a series of three or four black dots beneath costa, a further black dot in fold, series of up to three dots beneath fold, fringe concolorous with wing. Hindwing pale grey.

Male genitalia ( Plate 14 ). Uncus slightly concave, socius long and blunt; valva more or less ovate, densely covered with setae, a flange against basal half of costa, sacculus very strongly sclerotised and projecting at 90° to valva, curved digitate process near base of valva; saccus ending with a strong knob.

Female genitalia. Not studied.

Diagnosis. Differs from all other Yponomeuta spp. in the ochreous tint of the forewing with no more than eight spots. The male genitalia are distinguished by the strong sacculus which can be seen without dissection, apparently holding the valvae apart.

Biology. Not known. Adults recorded in January, April, May and December.

Distribution. Zimbabwe, Botswana. Type material. Holotype ZIMBABWE Emageni 18.i.1918 A.J.T. Janse. Holotype of effeta [ ZIMBABWE] Bulawayo 15–23.xii.1919 A.J.T. Janse (TMSA). Other material examined: 1 ♂ [ BOTSWANA, Muchidu Prov. Bakgatla, Sebele 24 26 AB 28.v.1940 (TMSA).

ZIMBABWE 2 ♂ Victoria Falls Nat’l Park 3–6.iv.1968 Paul Spangler ( USNM) ; 1 ♂ Victoria Falls 3.x.1993 N.J .

Duke (TMSA).

Figures

PLATE 14.