Sonitha adedapo, Friend & Prozorov & Yakovlev & Prozorova & Saldaitis & Sulak & Volkova & Lamah & Revay & Müller, 2024

Friend, Herman L., Prozorov, Alexey M., Yakovlev, Roman V., Prozorova, Tatiana A., Saldaitis, Aidas, Sulak, Harald, Volkova, Julia S., Lamah, Simon Pierre, Revay, Edita E. & Müller, Günter C., 2024, Four new species close to Sonitha libera and Sonitha myoctona from the Congolian lowland forests (Lepidoptera, Lasiocampidae), Ecologica Montenegrina 72, pp. 99-116 : 103-106

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.37828/em.2024.72.9
publication LSID	urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:AB290AD0-D4A1-4656-A0AF-45B646D930A3
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/E113787C-3F9C-435F-9290-03F9DBB21992
taxon LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:act:E113787C-3F9C-435F-9290-03F9DBB21992
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Sonitha adedapo
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Sonitha adedapo View in CoL sp. n.

https://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:E113787C-3F9C-435F-9290-03F9DBB21992

( Figs 4–6 View Figures 2–8 , 9 View Figures 9–16 , 20 View Figures 17–22 , 26 View Figures 23–31 , 33 View Figures 32–35 )

Holotype: ♂, DRC, Mai- Ndombe , Ekongo camp, 2.75613 S, 20.31538 E, 350 m, XI.2017, leg. A. Prozorov, T. Prozorova et al., GS 1414 ( CGM / USTTB) GoogleMaps . Paratypes: ♂, same data, but I.2017, leg. V. Kravchenko ( CGM / USTTB) GoogleMaps ; 3♂, same data, but XI.2017, III.2018, V.2018 ( CGM / USTTB) GoogleMaps ; ♂, DRC, Mambasa, Ituri , [1.87545 N, 29.04599 E, 895 m], IV.1970, leg. V. Allard ( RMCA) GoogleMaps ; ♂, DRC, Kibali- Ituri, Nia-Nia , [1.40732 N, 27.61023 E, 580 m], 20.IX.1955, leg. Dr. M. Fontaine ( RMCA) GoogleMaps ; ♂, Gabon, Kango – Ekouk , 28.01.1990, leg. P. Basquin ( CAC) ; 3♂, Gabon, Ipassa , 6.XII.1967, leg. G. Bernardi, GS 2005-01, 2005-23 ( MNHN) ; 2♂, Cameroon, Ebodje Akok , 22/ 23.XII.1992 ( RMCA) ; 2♂, Nigeria, Cross River State, Onya , [6.48827 N, 8.93146 E], 130 m, XI.1998 ( CGM / USTTB) GoogleMaps .

Description. Male ( Fig. 3–5 View Figures 2–8 ). Flagellum covered with speckled straw and brown scales. Head and thorax pinkish straw. Abdomen straw. Forewing. Forewing length: 23–24 mm. Somewhat oval with rounded apex and smooth outer margin. Costa dark pinkish brown, costal area brown, subcostal and submarginal areas pinkish straw, medial and submarginal areas with tornal spot orangish brown, mediobasal spot straw or pinkish brown. Medial lines vague brown, discal dot black with white contour. Fringe orangish brown. Hindwing. Somewhat trapezoid with pronounced apices on Rs and CuA 2 and slightly wavy outer margin. Medial area brown, anal area straw, marginal area speckled with light pinkish, pinkish and brown scales; veins partially covered with pale scales. Medial lines dark brown, blurred; discal dot black. Genitalia ( Figs 20 View Figures 17–22 , 26 View Figures 23–31 ). Tegumen a narrow band, dorsally and laterally bears two pairs of socii. Dorsal socii semioval, lateral socii knob-like, both covered with setae. Cucullus elongated, finger-shaped, slightly bent; apex blunt. Sacculus compact, semispherical, covered with setae. Vinculum a narrow band, ventromedially bears saccus. Saccus elongated, somewhat trapezoid with two distolateral round apices. Juxta basally fused with aedeagus. Lobes of juxta elongated, claw-like, c-shaped, medially expanded, apically rather pointed. Aedeagus cylinder-like. Vesica divided into two equal cone-like diverticula, each bears two-three big cornuti distally and over 20 small-sized cornuti between the extensions. Eight sternite somewhat trapezoid, laterodistally bears a pair of claw-like dents. Female remains unknown.

Diagnosis. Adult males S. adedapo sp. n. are larger ( Figs 4–6 View Figures 2–8 ), have small dorsal and membranous lateral socii, widened c-shaped lobes of juxta, two elongated diverticula of vesica, and dorsolateral dents of eight sternite sitting closer to the sides in genitalia ( Figs 20 View Figures 17–22 , 26 View Figures 23–31 ), and spread east of the Dahomey Gap ( Fig. 33 View Figures 32–35 ); whereas adult males of S. libera are smaller ( Fig. 1 View Figure 1 ), have dorsal socii forming joint extension, thin claw-like lobes of juxta, short diverticula of vesica, and dorsolateral dents of eight sternite sitting closer to the middle of sternite in genitalia ( Figs 17–18 View Figures 17–22 , 23–24 View Figures 23–31 ), and spread west of the Dahomey Gap ( Fig. 32 View Figures 32–35 ).

Adult males of S. adedapo sp. n. are larger with pinkish tint ( Figs 4–6 View Figures 2–8 ), have wider and shorter dorsal socii, narrower cucullus, larger lobes of juxta, wider saccus, and longer diverticula of vesica in genitalia ( Figs 20 View Figures 17–22 , 26 View Figures 23–31 ); whereas adult males of S. bekombo sp. n. are smaller without pinkish tint ( Fig. 7 View Figures 2–8 ), have narrower and longer dorsal socii, wider cucullus, smaller lobes of juxta, narrower saccus, and shorter diverticula of vesica in genitalia ( Figs 21 View Figures 17–22 , 27 View Figures 23–31 ).

Adult males of S. adedapo sp. n. are larger with pinkish tint ( Figs 4–6 View Figures 2–8 ), have slightly larger dorsal socii, longer cucullus, larger lobes of juxta, and smaller dents on eight sternite in genitalia ( Figs 20 View Figures 17–22 , 26 View Figures 23–31 ); whereas adult male of S. ekongo sp. n. is smaller yellowish brown ( Fig. 8 View Figures 2–8 ), has slightly smaller dorsal socii, shorter cucullus, smaller lobes of juxta, and larger dents on eight sternite in genitalia ( Figs 22 View Figures 17–22 , 28 View Figures 23–31 ).

Adult males of S. adedapo sp. n. are larger and lighter colored, have black discal dot ( Figs 4– 6 View Figures 2–8 ), have finger-shaped cucullus, larger c-shaped lobes of juxta, and slender dents on eight sternite in genitalia ( Figs 20 View Figures 17–22 , 26 View Figures 23–31 ); whereas adult males of S. myoctona are smaller and darker, have white discal dot ( Figs 11–12 View Figures 9–16 ), have cone-shaped cucullus, narrower lobes of juxta, and larger dents on eight sternite in genitalia ( Fig. 29 View Figures 23–31 ).

Adult males of S. adedapo sp. n. are larger with pinkish tint and black discal dot ( Figs 4–6 View Figures 2–8 ), have better developed dorsal socii, finger-shaped cucullus, “swollen” lobes of juxta, and dents of eight sternite sitting closer to the middle in genitalia ( Figs 20 View Figures 17–22 , 26 View Figures 23–31 ); whereas adult males of S. olanrewaju sp. n. are smaller with white discal dot ( Figs 14–15 View Figures 9–16 ), have less pronounced dorsal socii, cone-shaped cucullus, claw like lobes of juxta without medial swelling, and sickle-shaped eight sternite with dents sitting on lateral edges in genitalia ( Figs 30–31 View Figures 23–31 ).

Distribution ( Fig. 33 View Figures 32–35 ). Cross-Sanaga-Bioko coastal forests in Nigeria and Cameroon, Congolian coastal forests in Cameroon and Gabon, northwest Congolian lowland forests in Gabon, central and northeast Congolian lowland forests in DRC.

Biology. Adults were collected in I, III, IV, V, IX, XI, XII from altitudes up to 895 meters a.s.l. Preimaginal stages unknown.

Etymology. The species is named in honor of King Dr. Adedapo Tejuoso, Osile Oke-Ona Egba, Abeokuta, Ogun State Nigeria. He has focused his life on the study of medicine and public health and providing quality health care to Nigeria. A graduate of Trinity College, Cambridge in Medicine and the Arts, with a post graduate diploma in Tropical Medicine at the University of Liverpool and Public Health at Bristol University, he founded Teju Hospital, the first industrial hospital in Nigeria. As an accomplished businessman, he established Tejufoam, the first indigenous foam making factory in Nigeria.