Yponomeuta nephella, Agassiz, 2019

Agassiz, David J. L., 2019, The Yponomeutidae of the Afrotropical region (Lepidoptera: Yponomeutoidea), Zootaxa 4600 (1), pp. 1-69 : 9-10

5. Yponomeuta nephella sp. nov.

Description of adult ( Plate 1 ): Wingspan 16–17 mm. Head whitish, labial palpus slender, dark fuscous beneath, whitish above especially on segment 2; flagellum grey, very slightly annulate, scape paler. Thorax white with four black spots, tegula white with a black spot anteriorly. Forewing white, some greyish suffusion in outer half of costa and dorsum, a generous scattering of blackish spots across wing, a greyish patch towards termen in middle of wing and at apex, terminal fringe grey. Hindwing grey, fringe concolorous with wing.

Male genitalia ( Plate 8). Uncus with slight excavation interrupted by central point; socius long and curved with two spines at apex; gnathos comprising long arms each drawn to a blunt point; valva broad and rounded, sacculus broad at base tapering until it reaches dorsum of valva at about ⅔ of its length, with small spines; saccus moderately long, swollen centrally. Aedeagus 1.5 x length of valva, slender and curved, one or two weak cornuti. (BMNH Microlep 33638, 34192).

Female genitalia ( Plate 17 ). Papilla analis wide, lamella postvaginalis gently emarginate, ostium wide, ostial chamber conical, ductus bursae heavily scobinate throughout its length, ¾ length of abdomen, corpus bursae ovoid, signum spined, more or less cruciform. (BMNH Microlep 33639).

Diagnosis. The black clouding on the forewing is distinctive, in the male genitalia the aedeagus contains an obtuse angle, in the female the signum is distinctive like a spiny mushroom.

Biology. Not known, adults recorded in February, May and October.

Derivation of the name. From the Greek nephos for a cloud indicating the forewing markings.

Distribution. West Africa: recorded from Rwanda, Ivory Coast and Angola.

Type material. Holotype ♂ Lake Tshohoa , Ruanda Dist, Centr. Afr. viii.1919 T.A. Barns genitalia slide BMNH Microlep 34346 NHMUK 010919526.

Other material examined: ANGOLA: N’Dalla Tando, N. Angola 2700ft 3.x.1908 Dr W.S. Ansorge; Angola (A26) Salazar I.I.A.A. 9–15.iii.1972; 3 ♂ 1 ♀ IVORY COAST: Lahou 9.ii.1908 & 28.v.1908 (2) Mayer including BMNH Microlep 33636 and (21.v.1908) 33637 ( NHMUK) .

Figures

PLATE 1. Yponomeuta species. The bar denotes wingspan.

PLATE 17. Female genitalia