Pachyna stella, Prozorov & Saldaitis & Volkova & Prozorova & Revay & Yakovlev & Sulak & Petrányi & Müller, 2023

Prozorov, Alexey M., Saldaitis, Aidas, Volkova, Julia S., Prozorova, Tatiana A., Revay, Edita E., Yakovlev, Roman V., Sulak, Harald, Petrányi, Gergely & Müller, Günter C., 2023, Two new species close to Pachyna satanas from the Congolian forests (Lepidoptera, Lasiocampidae, Lasiocampinae), Ecologica Montenegrina 69, pp. 107-116 : 112-114

Pachyna stella sp. n.

https://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:3DD9BD75-20DB-48CF-A9E5-3986C61ABBB3

( Figs 8–9 , 15–16, 17 )

Holotype: ♂, DRC, Mai-Ndombe, Ekongo camp, 2.75613S, 20.31538E, 350 m, I.2018, leg. A. Prozorov, T. Prozorova et al., GS 0794 ( CGM / USTTB) . Paratypes. DRC: 10♂, same data as holotype, GS 0795 ( CGM / USTTB) . Gabon: ♂, Ogooué-Ivindo Province, Lastoursville , 0.81832 S, 12.725 E, 300 m, leg. P. Rougeot ( MNHN) .

Description. Male ( Figs 7–8 ). Flagellum covered with speckled brown and dark brown scales. Head, thorax and abdomen dark brown. Forewing. Forewing length: 24–26 mm. Long, semilanceolate with bunt apex. Background color dark brown. Pattern consists of diagonal contrasting lines. Fringe dark brown. Hindwing. Somewhat trapezoid with concave outer margin. Background color and fringe dark brown. Genitalia ( Figs 14–15 ). Vinculum a narrow band slightly widening medially. Socii papilla-shaped, sclerotized and covered with setae. Cucullus finger-like, c-shaped, with bent and blunt apex, covered with setae. Sacculus about the same length with cucullus, trapezoid, densely covered with setae, apically bears small dents. Juxta very small, medioventrally fused with aedeagus. Aedeagus c-shaped with ventroapical spur. Vesica small, semispherical. Vinculum ventrally elongated, bears cubile. Cubile clearly divided medially into a pair of somewhat triangle processes with mediodistal spur. Eighth sternite somewhat pentagonal with distal margin covered with setae. Eight tergite somewhat heptagonal, elongated with elongated basal apodemes. Female remains unknown.

Diagnosis. Adult males of P. stella sp. n. are very dark brown with concave external margin of hindwings ( Figs 6–7 ), have overall small genitalia, short cucullus and sacculus, fully split lobes of cubile, very small vesica, proportional ventroapical spur of aedeagus ( Figs 14–15 ), while adult males of P. subfascia are brown with convex dentated external margin of hindwings ( Fig. 1 ), have overall large genitalia, long cucullus and sacculus, fused lobes of cubile, proportional vesica, barely pronounced ventroapical spur of aedeagus ( Fig. 10 ).

Adult males of P. stella sp. n. are very dark brown with concave external margin of hindwings ( Figs 6–7 ), have overall small genitalia, short cucullus and sacculus, fully split lobes of cubile, very small vesica, proportional ventroapical spur of aedeagus ( Figs 14–15 ), while adult males of P. bogema are brown with convex external margin of hindwings ( Fig. 2 ), have overall large genitalia, long cucullus and sacculus, half-fused lobes of cubile, proportional vesica, and very small ventroapical spur of aedeagus ( Fig. 12 ).

Adult males of P. stella sp. n. are very dark brown with concave external margin of hindwings ( Figs 6–7 ), have overall small genitalia, short cucullus and sacculus, fully split lobes of cubile, very small vesica, proportional ventroapical spur of aedeagus ( Figs 14–15 ), while adult males of P. crabik are brown with convex external margin of hindwings ( Fig. 3 ), have overall large genitalia, long cucullus and sacculus, fused lobes of cubile, proportional vesica, and very small ventroapical spur of aedeagus ( Fig. 11 ).

Adult males of P. stella sp. n. have overall small genitalia, short cucullus and sacculus, fully split lobes of cubile, very small vesica, proportional ventroapical spur of aedeagus ( Figs 14–15 ), while adult males of P. satanas have overall large genitalia, long cucullus and sacculus, nearly split lobes of cubile, proportional vesica, and very small ventroapical spur of aedeagus ( Fig. 11 ).

Adult males of P. stella sp. n. have overall smaller genitalia, bent apex of cucullus, short sacculus, small vesica, and proportional spur in aedeagus ( Figs 15–16 ), while adult males of P. arienne sp. n. have overall larger genitalia, straight apex of cucullus, long sacculus, large vesica, and large ventroapical spur in aedeagus ( Figs 14 , 17 ).

Distribution ( Fig. 17 ). Central Congolian lowland forests in DRC and Northwest Congolian lowland forests in Gabon.

Biology. Adults were collected in January from an altitude of 350 meters a.s.l. Preimaginal stages unknown.

Etymology. The species is named in honor of Stella Margiotta (Nesconset, USA).

Figures

Figures 1–9. Adult ♂ of Pachyna spp. 1. P. subfascia, Equatorial Guinea, Mbini (MfNB). 2. P. bogema, HT, Cameroon, Ebogo, GS 2006-25 (RMCA). 3. P. crabik, HT, unknown location (NHML). 4–5. P. satanas, DRC, Isiro (RMCA). 4. HT, GS 2006-46. 5. PT. 6–7. P. stella sp. n., DRC. 6. HT, island Mbiye, GS 0185 (CGM/USTTB). 7. PT, Luki Nature Reserve, GS 000005056 (RMCA). 8–9. P. arienne sp. n., DRC, Ekongo camp (CGM/USTTB). 8. HT, GS 0794. 9. PT, GS 0795. Scale bar – 1 cm.

Figures 15–17. ♂ genitalia of Pachyna spp., DRC (USTTB). 15–16. P. arienne sp. n., Ekongo camp. 14. HT, GS 0794. 15. PT, GS 0795. 17. P. stella sp. n., island Mbiye, GS 0185. Scale bar – 1 mm.

Figures 10–14. ♂ genitalia of Pachyna spp. 10. P. subfascia, Burundi, Gitega, GS 2006-70 (RMCA). 11. P. crabik, HT, unknown location, GS 1408 (NHMUK). 12. P. bogema, Cameroon, Nkolmetet, GS 2013-087 (ZSM). 13. P. satanas, HT, GS 2006-46 (RMCA). 14. P. stella sp. n., DRC, Luki Nature Reserve, GS 000005056 (RMCA). Scale bar – 1 mm.