Yponomeuta orocola, Agassiz, 2019

Agassiz, David J. L., 2019, The Yponomeutidae of the Afrotropical region (Lepidoptera: Yponomeutoidea), Zootaxa 4600 (1), pp. 1-69 : 24

24. Yponomeuta orocola sp. nov.

Description of adult ( Plate 4). Wingspan 21–23 mm. Head rough scaled, whitish or greyish with a pair of blackish tufts on dorsum; labial palpus curved upwards, whitish, black towards base of each segment; scape whitish followed by a dark ring, flagellum grey. Thorax whitish with two pairs of black spots, tegula with one black spot on anterior edge. Forewing pale grey, a darker suffusion making an oblique fascia; four irregular longitudinal rows of black dots, sometimes some white scales linking the dots; terminal fringe grey; underside grey, costa narrowly edged whitish. Hindwing grey. Legs fuscous. Abdomen grey, sternal segments with a scattering of microtrichia and minute spines.

Male genitalia ( Plate 12 ). Socius cleft, uncus a broad indented plate; valva narrow and curved with costa concave, terminal third narrower; saccus bent downwards; aedeagus simple and straight 1.5x length of valva, with sheath at basal end. Sternum 7 with a central pointed protrusion.

Female genitalia ( Plate 22). Lobes of lamella postvaginalis rounded, ostium strong, ductus at first tapering, slightly scelerotised, continuing until patch of sclerotisation near corpus bursae, corpus bursae ovate with a large signum; ductus and corpus bursae longer than abdomen.

Diagnosis: Distinguished from other species in the genus especially by the shape of the valva in the male genitalia, having the terminal third narrower.

Biology. Not known.

Derivation of the name. From the Greek oros meaning a mountain, living in mountains.

Distribution. Kenya and Tanzania, above 1500 m.

Type material. Holotype ♂ KENYA: Rift Valley, Turi 8000 ft, 10.iii.1999, D.J.L. Agassiz. 17 paratypes: 5 from same locality as holotype: ♂ 11.i.1999, ♂ 14.i.1999, ♂ 17.iii.1999, ♂ 5.vi.2000, 1 ♀ 18.iii.1999, D.J.L. Agassiz ( DJLA); 1 ♂ in ( NMK); Nairobi , Oluloa Forest , NMK PRI Compound , 1°21’49ʼʼS, 36°42’47ʼʼE, 1822 m MV light 1 ♂ 1 ♀ 15.vii.1999; 1 ♂ 1 ♀ 20.vii.1999 (3) D.J.L. Agassiz per K. Maes; 2 ♂ Central, Naro Moru 1960 m, 0°9’5ʼʼS 37°0’40ʼʼE 1 & 4.xii.2008, D. Agassiz, L. Aarvik & A. Kingston; 1 ♀ Central, Aberdares Country Club, 6500 ft, 19.v.1999, D.J.L. Agassiz; 2 ♂ Rift Valley , Gilgil 2100 m, 0°37’S 36°22’E, 22.xi.2008 inc. DJLA ♂ slide No. 1184, D. Agassiz, L. Aarvik & A. Kingston ( DJLA); 1 ♂ 27.xi.2010, L. Aarvik & T. Gilligan 1 ♂ ( NHMO); R. Murin- datl, Hall’s Rd. 4.i.1983 BMNH microlep slide 34343 ( NHMUK); TANZANIA: 1 ♀ Arusha, Ngorongoro 7500 ft. 3°14ʼ17ʼʼS 35°30’41ʼʼE 8.v.2001, D.J.L. Agassiz DJLA slide No. 1290 ♀ ( DJLA).

Figures

PLATE 12.