Rhynchobombyx madisonellafriend Prozorov, Saldaitis & Müller, 2021

Prozorov, Alexey M., Prozorova, Tatiana A., Mapilanga, Jean Joseph, Volkova, Julia S., Yakovlev, Roman V., Traore, Mohamed M., Saldaitis, Aidas & Müller, Günter C., 2021, Seven new species of Rhynchobombyx Aurivillius, 1909 from Congolian lowland forests (Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae), Ecologica Montenegrina 49, pp. 35-53 : 49-50

Rhynchobombyx madisonellafriend Prozorov, Saldaitis & Müller sp. n.

http://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:811929C3-6546-46C9-87D0-71133845E04E

( Figs 45–46 , 51 )

Type material: HOLOTYPE ♀, DRC, [Kasaï Prov.] Kasaï- Occidental Prov. , NE Ilebo and Kasai River, XI.1997, genitalia slide 0630 ( CGM / BUM).

Diagnosis. Externally the species differs from the others by dark smooth blurred medial lines.

Description. Female habitus ( Fig. 45 ). Head, thorax and abdomen brown. Thorax dorsally bears triangular dark brown spot with pale center. Forewing length: 15 mm; wingspan: 31 mm. Wing oval-shaped, apex obtuse, external margin slightly waved. Background color reddish brown, darkens between medial lines around lighter eye with blackish discal dot, external field darker too. Pattern consists of dark brown smooth blurred antemedial and postmedial lines, dark brown fragmented external line. Cilia brown. Hindwing oval-shaped, external margin rounded, waved. Main color brown, darkens caudally; pronounced darker blurred medial line. Cilia brown. Female genitalia ( Fig. 46 ). Papillae anales oval, densely covered with chaetae. Posterior apophyses little longer than anterior. Lamella antevaginalis membranous, lamella postvaginalis sclerotized, laterally thinned. Ductus bursae about one third size of corpus bursae, wrinkled, laterally sclerotized. Corpus bursae elongated, membranous, wrinkled. Male remains unknown, expected to be smaller and lighter than female.

Etymology. The species is named in honour of Madison Ella Friend (Merrick, New York, USA). Madison Ella is nature lover and talented dancer and gymnast. She is creative and makes own clothes and jewelry.

Distribution. The species is found in DRC, Kasaï Province ( Fig. 51 ).

Biology. Adult was collected in November. The only known habitat is tropical moist broadleaf forests with rare mosaic grassland patches ( Figs 53–55 ), the elevation is around 100 m above sea-level. The larval foodplant remains unknown.

Figures

Figure 45. Adult of Rh. madisonellafriend, female holotype, DRC, Kasaï Prov., genitalia slide 0630 (CGM/BUM).

Figure 46. Genitalia of Rh. madisonellafriend, female holotype, DRC, Kasaï Prov., genitalia slide 0630 (CGM/BUM).

Figures 47–52. Collecting areas of Rhynchobombyx spp. 47. Congo, Cuvette-Ouest Dept., Odzala-Kakoua Nat. Park, 400–500 m, 0°23’N, 14°50’E. 48. DRC, Haut-Uele Prov., Isiro. 49. DRC, Tshuapa Prov., Lomela River, Gombe- Isongo. 50. DRC, Mai-Ndombe Prov., Ekongo camp, 02°45’23.09”S, 20°18’55.37”E. 51. DRC, Kasaï Prov., NE Ilebo and Kasai River. 52. Angola, Benguela Prov., rd. Londengo–Sumbe, ca. 80 km S Sumbe, 10 km rd. to Bumba, 280 m, 11°47’33.1”S, 14°02’17.4”E. Available from: https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1meQVkKsMY8Qvp5cJBC2dwi_clX6l-cOD&usp=sharing [Accessed 10.XII.2021].

Figures 53–55. View on the one hectare grassland patch (53) surrounded by forest (54) near the Ekongo camp, Mai- Ndombe Prov., DRC (55).