Amerila francesae Ignatev & László, 2022

Ignatev, Nikolai, László, Gyula M., Fric, Zdeněk Faltýnek & Przybyłowicz, Łukasz, 2022, A new species of the genus Amerila Walker, 1855 from Tanzania (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae: Amerilini), Ecologica Montenegrina 52, pp. 1-11 : 3-7

Amerila francesae Ignatev & László , sp. n.

http://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:BFC3933A-50F0-401B-9871-321462F445F3

( Figs 1, 2 , 6, 7 , 10 , 12 , 13 )

Holotype. ♂, “ Tanzania Tanga, Usambara Mountains , 17km NW Lushoto, Magamba 28. II. – 1.III. 2003, 1900m. leg. M. Fibiger, H. Hacker, K. Larsen, H.-P. Schreier. ”, Gen. slide No. 33.477, DNA process id. NI141 ( MWW) .

Paratypes (9 ♂, 2 ♀ in total). 5 ♂ and 2 ♀, with the same data as in the holotype, Gen. slide No. 36.320 (♀) ( MWW); 1 ♂, same data, (coll. Günter Müller, Freising, Germany / Bamako, Mali); 1 ♂, Iringa region, S Njombe, Nundu Forest , 2045m, 09°26.048’S, 034°49.846’E, 6-IV-2007, (Ph. Darge), Gen. slide No. 36.318 ( ZSM); 1 ♂, Tegetero , Uluguru Mountains , 1100m, S06°55’03”, E37°43’16”, 30.VI-3.VII.2010, Light trap, leg. Smith, R. & Takano, H., Gen. slide No. LG 4522, unique id. ANHRTUK 00194266 , DNA barcode/BOLD process id. ANHRTUK-00194266/ ANLMN3427 -21; 1 ♂, Maskati , Nguru Mountains , 1759m, S06°03’29.3”, E37°29’08.4”, 4-7.VII.2010 Light trap, leg. Smith, R. & Takano, H., Gen. slide No. LG 5488, unique id. ANHRTUK 00194065 ( ANHRT) .

Diagnosis. The new species is confusingly similar to A. mulleri Häuser & Boppré, 1997 ( Figs 3, 4 , 8 , 11 ) but distinguished in the shape of the forewing, where the apex in A. francesae sp. n. is narrower and more pointed ( Figs 1, 2, 3, 4 ). The configuration of the male genitalia of the two species differs in the following features: A. francesae has a somewhat narrower uncus, markedly shorter and broader tegumen, more elongate valva and much longer and narrower harpe. The aedeagus and the vesica of the new species is considerably thicker, with much larger, rod-like cornutus bearing two short longitudinal lobes, which is a small, round, scobinated bulge in the allied species ( Figs 6, 7, 8, 9 ). The structure of female genitalia ( Figs 10, 11 ) should be used for safe identification, where signum bursae represented by a tight band of sclerotized patches and dashes, is specific for A. francesae sp. n. and is absent in A. mulleri .

Description. Male ( Fig. 1 ). Wingspan: 48-54 mm (holotype 52 mm); forewing length: 24-26 mm (holotype 25 mm). Head. Antenna filiform, dark blackish-brown; scapus and pedicellus barrel-shaped, brownish-red; flagellum with very thin and short ciliation, first 10-11 segments of flagellum covered in brownish-red scales dorsally. Frons lightly bulged, white, with belt of black scales basally; vertex thickly covered by white scales, with large black sub-quadrate central mark posteriorly. Compound eye very large, globular; ocellus distinct; proboscis well developed. Labial palp upcurved, rounded apically, covered by red and white scales, distally bearing a belt of dark brown scales; mid segment slightly longer than basal segment; distal segment half as long as mid segment, with blackish-brown apex. Thorax. Patagium, tegula, mesoscutum, mesoscutellum white; patagium with a small, dark brown lateral dot, tegula with a similar posterior dot, size and intensity of dots may vary. Foreleg. Coxa white, with dark brown blotch subbasally; femur pale red, with narrow field of white scales in inner side, distally with a blotch of dark brown scales; tibia white with narrow field of pale red scales in inner side; tarsus covered by white, red and pale brown scales. Mid- and hindlegs similar in coloration. Forewing. Uniformly snow-white, relatively narrow, triangular, apically rounded, costal margin straight in its proximal two-thirds, then gently arcuate; ventral margin straight. Underside as upperside. Hindwing. Uniformly white, triangular, with rounded apex; costal margin slightly curved; outer margin slightly concave medially; ventral margin almost straight. Abdomen. Both sides of segments 1-4 covered in long white scales; segments 5-8 dorsally covered in short red scales, ventral side of all segments white with an admixture of pale yellow scales; lateral side bearing two lines of black blotches, one along the lateral margin of tergites and another subspiracular.

Male genitalia ( Figs 6, 7 ). Uncus long, narrow, distally slightly tapered, apically pointed. Tegumen short, rather broad, dome-shaped, deeply notched antero-medially; vinculum short, broadly rounded; saccus well developed, rounded. Valva broad, ovoid, dorsal margin gently arcuate, ventral margin almost straight, apex broadly rounded; valva surface with long, thin setae along ventral and dorsal margins. Harpe long, slim, gradually tapered distally, curved ventrally, pointed apically, reaching outer margin of valva. Corema small, spherical, covered in fine, long setae. Juxta membranous, unmodified. Aedeagus very short, strongly dilating posteriorly, weakly sclerotized; vesica relatively short, very thick, with a large, inflated basal diverticulum; cornutus situated distally, heavily sclerotized, elongate, thick, rod-like with two short, longitudinal lobes.

Description. Female ( Fig. 2 ). Wingspan: 51-57 mm; forewing length: 25-28 mm. Head. Antenna filiform, dark blackish-brown; scapus and pedicellus barrel-shaped and brownish-red; flagellum with very thin and short ciliation, first 6-8 segments of flagellum covered by brownish-red scales, with white scales in inner side. Frons slightly bulged, white, with a belt of black scales basally; vertex thickly covered in white scales, with large black sub-quadrate central marking posteriorly. Compound eye very large, globular; ocellus distinct; proboscis well developed. Labial palp, upcurved, rounded apically, covered by red and white scales, distally bearing a belt of dark brown scales; mid segment slightly longer than basal segment; distal segment half as long as mid segment, with blackish-brown apex. Thorax. Patagium, tegula, mesoscutum, mesoscutellum white; patagium laterally with a blotch of black scales; mesoscutum with two round black blotches. Foreleg. Coxa white, with dark brown blotch subbasally; femur pale red, with narrow field of white scales in inner side, distally with a blotch of dark brown scales; tibia white with narrow field of pale red scales in inner side; tarsus covered by white, red and pale brown scales. Mid- and hindlegs similar in coloration. Forewing. Uniformly snow-white with a black basal spot, relatively narrow and elongate, apically pointed; costal margin gently arcuate; ventral margin slightly curved in its basal third. Underside as upperside. Hindwing. Uniformly white, triangular, with rounded apex; costal margin slightly curved; outer margin slightly concave; ventral margin almost straight.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 10 ). Papilla analis short and narrow, apically rounded and covered sparsely with short, fine setae. Posterior apophysis moderately long and rather thin. Eighth tergite short, broad-based trapezoidal, weakly sclerotized; anterior apophysis nearly three times shorter than posterior one, wedgeshaped. Ostium bursae very broad, antrum short, funnel-like, weakly sclerotized. Ductus bursae short, conspicuously swollen, membranous. Corpus bursae nearly spherical, membranous, weakly rugose in distal half; signum bursae represented by a narrow, interrupted band of heavily sclerotized, spinulose patches and dashes.

Etymology. It is with great pleasure to dedicate this new species to Ms Frances Witt, daughter of Dr Alessa Witt (one of the co-founders of the world-famous research museum – “Museum WITT”).

Figures

Figure 12. Distribution of the A. magnifica species complex.

Figure 13. Bayesian phylogenetic tree of the A. magnifica species complex based on sequences of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI-5P).

Figures 1-5. Adults of Amerila magnifica Rtsch. 1910 species complex. 1 – holotype ♂ of A. francesae sp. n. dorsal view (a), ventral view (b) Tanzania (MWW); 2 – paratype ♀ of A. francesae sp. n. dorsal view (a), ventral view (b) Tanzania (MWW); 3 – ♂ of A. mulleri dorsal view (a), ventral view (b) Tanzania (ANHRT); 4 – ♀ of A. mulleri dorsal view Cameroon (NECJU); 5 – ♂ of A. magnifica dorsal view (a), ventral view (b) Mozambique (ANHRT).

Figures 6-9. Male genitalia of Amerila magnifica species complex. 6 – A. francesae sp. n. holotype ventral view (a), aedeagus (b) Gen. slide No. 33.477, Tanzania (MWW); 7 – A. francesae sp. n. paratype ventral view (a), aedeagus (b) Gen. slide No. LG 4522, Tanzania (ANHRT); 8 – A. mulleri ventral view (a), aedeagus (b) Gen. slide No. LG 4521, Tanzania (ANHRT); 9 – A. magnifica ventral view (a), aedeagus (b) Gen. slide No. LG 5500, Mozambique (ANHRT).

Figures 10-11. Female genitalia of Amerila magnifica species complex. 10 – A. francesae sp. n. paratype ventral view. Gen. slide No. 36.320, Tanzania (MWW); 11 – A. mulleri ventral view, Cameroon (NECJU)