Anaphosia smithi, Volynkin & Takano, 2024

Volynkin, Anton V. & Takano, Hitoshi, 2024, Taxonomic review of the Afrotropical genus Anaphosia Hampson with description of a new species (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae: Lithosiini: Lithosiina), Ecologica Montenegrina 73, pp. 391-403 : 397-398

Anaphosia smithi sp. n.

https://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:74138013-E64A-484F-BA00-4F0A530C9184

( Figs 4–6 , 10 , 13 )

Type material. Holotype ( Figs 4 , 10 ): male, “ Zambia 1437m | Kapishya Hot Springs , | Shiwa N'gandu Estate | 11°10'13''S, 31°36'00''E | 22.xi.–8.xii.2015 Light Trap | Smith, R., Takano, H., | Oram, D. Leg. | ANHRT:2017.15” / “ANHRTUK | 00160321” / “Slide | AV7260 ♂ | A. Volynkin ” ( ANHRT).

Paratypes (19 males, 19 females). DRC : 1 male, 1 female, Zaire River exped., Fungurume nr. Kolwezi , 26°15'E, 10°37'S, x.1974, S.L. Sutton, B.M. 1975-229 / Brachystegia savannah woodland, unique IDs: NHMUK010914660 , NHMUK010914661 , gen. prep. Nos. : NHMUK010313113 (male) , NHMUK010313114 (female) (prepared by Krüger) ( NHMUK) ; TANZANIA: 1 male, 1 female, Région de M’Pala , Tanganika, R . P. Guíllemé / Ex Oberthür Coll., Brit. Mus. 1927-4, unique IDs: NHMUK010916172 , NHMUK010916173 , gen. prep. Nos. : NHMUK010317583 (male) , NHMUK010317584 (female) (prepared by Volynkin) ( NHMUK) ; 1 male, Rukwa Region, Mbizi Mts, Kalambazite , 1610m, 31°58.698'S, 08°18.925'E, 12.xi.2005, Ph. Darge leg. ( ZSM) ; 1 female, Rukwa Region, 14 km W Namanyere , 1290m, 07°27.289'S, 30°54.498'E, 14.xi.2005, Ph. Darge leg. ( ZSM) ; ZAMBIA: 2 males, 7 females, same data as holotype ( ANHRT) ; 2 females, same locality as previous but xii.[20]14, M. T . Harvey coll., leg. Smith, R. & Takano , H. ( ANHRT) ; 1 male, 1420m, Chilambwe Falls, Kafubu River , 09°50'13''S, 30°43'35''E, 8–9.xi.[20]14, light trap, Smith [ R.], Takano [H.] & Oram [D.] leg. ( ANHRT) ; 1 female, 1080m, Mayukuyuku , Kafue NP, 14°54'55''S, 26°03'47''E, 21– 26.xi.[20]13, light trap, Smith [ R.], Takano [H.] & Oram [D.] leg. ( ANHRT) ; 1 male, 1166m, Ntumbachushi Falls, Ngona River , Luapula Prov., 09°51'12''S, 28°56'40''E, 3–4.xi.[20]14, light trap, Smith [ R.], Takano [H.] & Oram [D.] leg. ( ANHRT) ; 1 female, 1140m, Kalene Hill ( Miombo woodland), 11°11'11''S, 24°12'05''E, 27.xi.–3.xii.2020, MV light trap, Chizuwa , D., Choongo, W. leg. ( ANHRT) ; 3 males, 1 female, same locality as previous but 6.xi.2018, Aristophanous, M., Dérozier, V ., László , G., Oram, D. leg. ( ANHRT) ; 3 males, 1 female, 1440m, Muchinga Prov., Kahbaira Hill , 10°40'37''S 33°28'11''E, 09–11.xii.2023, actinic light trap, László, G., Morgan, L., Volynkin, A. leg. ( ANHRT) ; 1 male, 1250m, Muchinga Prov., Benyanga village , 10°40'41''S, 33°27'45''E, 07– 12.xii.2023, MV light trap, László, G., Morgan , L., Volynkin, A. leg., gen. prep. No.: AV8588 ♂ ( ANHRT) ; 1 female, 1970m, Muchinga Province, Makutu Mountains , upper end of gully, 10°27'30.32''S, 33°12'00.25''E, 03–04.xii.2023, actinic light trap, Bashford, M., László, G., Morgan, L., Volynkin, A. leg., gen. prep. No.: AV8589 ♀ ( ANHRT) ; 1 male, 2030m, Muchinga Province, Makutu Mountains , ridge, 10°27'26''S, 33°11'55''E, 03–04.xii.2023, actinic light trap, Bashford, M., László, G., Morgan, L., Volynkin, A. leg. ( ANHRT) ; 1 female, 1790m, Muchinga Province, Makutu Mountains , eastern slope, 10°27'29''S, 33°12'21''E, 03–04.xii.2023, actinic light trap, Bashford, M., László, G., Morgan, L., Volynkin, A. leg. ( ANHRT) ; 1 male, 1460m, Muchinga Prov., Mutinondo Wilderness Area , 12°27'06''S, 31°17'30''E, 15–17.xii.2023, MV light trap, László, G., Morgan , L., Volynkin, A. leg. ( ANHRT) ; 1 male, Nyika Plateau , 10°35'17''S, 33°39'16''E, 2064m, 21.xi.2011 ( MWM / ZSM) ; 1 female, Danger Hill, pk 20, north of Mpika , 11°35'50''S, 31°34'24''E, 1703m, 26.xi.2011 ( MWM / ZSM) ; MALAWI: 1 female, 1925 Dec. 10, Maiwale, 12 m . E of Fort Johnston, Nyasa l., 3200 ft., rather thick bush. W.A. Lamborn, dd. 1925 ( OUMNH) ; 1 male, the same data as previous but 1925 Dec. 12 ( OUMNH) ; 1 male, the same data as previous but 1925 Dec. 7, on leaf: conspicuous, 110m ( OUMNH) .

Diagnosis. The forewing length is 20.0–21.0 mm in males and 21.5–24.5 mm in females. Anaphosia smithi sp. n. is externally reminiscent of A. cyanogramma , from which, however, it can easily be distinguished by its medial transverse line of the forewing, which is more or less parallel with the postmedial line whereas in A. cyanogramma those lines are convergent near the anal margin forming a trapezium with the blackish costal and anal forewing margins. The male genital capsules of the two species are very similar but in A. smithi sp. n., the juxta is larger, the valva is slightly narrower and has a narrower apex, and the lamella centralis is more dorsally dilated than in A. cyanogramma . The phalli of the two species are alike but compared to A. cyanogramma , the vesica of the new species is longer and broader, has a broader and longer medial cluster of graniculi, and a markedly longer and distally narrower utricular dorsal diverticulum. In the female genitalia, A. smithi sp. n. differs from A. cyanogramma in the somewhat longer apophyses anteriores, the longer and broader postvaginal plate having a medial posterior protrusion (vs. an incision in the congener), the broader ductus bursae, and the slightly shorter signa bursae. The detailed comparison with A. majori is provided below in the diagnosis of the latter species.

Note. This species displays some variability in the width of the area between the medial and postmedial lines of the forewing ( Figs 4, 5 ) even within the same population, with the form having a broader area being more common in Tanzania, north-eastern Zambia and north-eastern DRC. They, however, display no recognisable differences in their genitalia structures.

Distribution. The new species is currently known from Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania, and north-eastern DRC.

Etymology. The new species is dedicated to Mr Richard Smith, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, ANHRT, who, through organising and undertaking numerous entomological expeditions to Sub-Saharan Africa has enabled the discovery of numerous species new to science including this one, of which Mr Smith is one of the collectors of the holotype and a part of the paratypes. The name is a noun in the genitive case.

Figures

Figures 1–8. Anaphosia spp.: adults. Depositories of the specimens: 1 and 5 in NHMUK (©The Trustees of NHMUK); 2–4 and 6–8 in ANHRT.

Figures 9–11. Anaphosia spp.: male genitalia. The specimens dissected are deposited in ANHRT.

Figures 12–14. Anaphosia spp.: female genitalia and their postvaginal plates magnified (below). The specimens dissected are deposited in ANHRT.