Endotera nodi, Agassiz, 2011

Agassiz, David J. L., 2011, The Lepidoptera of Acacia domatia in Kenya, with description of two new genera and six new species, Journal of Natural History 45 (29 - 30), pp. 1867-1893 : 1887-1889

Endotera nodi sp. nov.

Description of adult ( Figure 3B ).

Wingspan 12–20 mm. Head clothed with pale-tipped brownish scales, labial palpus densely scaled with whitish-tipped dark fuscous scales, segment 3 pointing downwards, much shorter than segment 2; antenna blackish with scales on each segment white-tipped, giving an annulated appearance. Thorax and tegulae dark fuscous with blotches of whitish. Fore wing blackish fuscous irregularly irrorate pale grey, a conspicuous double white fascia arising from dorsum just beyond half of its length, extending halfway across wing, ocellus poorly defined containing ochreous, black and shining grey scales, terminal cilia grey, irregularly interrupted with whitish and some inner scales with white tips. Hind wing pale fuscous, darker towards termen, cilia pale fuscous, inner band darker. Abdomen mixed pale fulvous and dark fuscous, legs blackish, whitish on joints, hind tibia clothed with long, pale fuscous scales.

Although a white dorsal blotch is common in Olethreutinae, this species is distinguished by its straight costa, and valva of the male genitalia having the “flap” described below.

Male genitalia ( Figure 14 ). Uncus gently arched, valva shaped like a parallelogram with rounded apex, extra “flap” of membrane arising from two-thirds along costa to near tornus, bearing a blunt spine at tornus; aedeagus simple without cornuti.

Female genitalia ( Figure 15). Ovipositor long and narrow, ostium small, at base of large emargination, ductus bursae narrow, of equal length to corpus bursae which is ovate, bearing an unequal pair of blunt, corniform cornuti. Sternite 7 with lateral sclerotization.

Larva

Whitish, head and thoracic plate slightly darker, within a domatium of Acacia drepanolobium . Pupa within the domatium, projecting on emergence.

Distribution

Kenya.

Derivation

From the Latin nodus meaning the swelling or gall in which the larva lives.

Material examined

Holotype ♂ KENYA: Central | 10 km S of Naro Moru | 2060 m 0 ◦ 16 Ɩ 53 ƖƖ S| 37 ◦ 0 Ɩ 39 ƖƖ E| l. in domatium of| A. drepanolobium | em. 18.i.2010 | D.J.L. Agassiz, 7 paratypes: same locality, ♂ em. 2.i.2020, ♀♀ em. 4.i. & 20.ii.2010 ( NMK), ♂♂ em. 8.i. & 18.i.2010, ♀♀ em. 4.i.2010 ( BMNH).

Also 21 ♂♂ + 34 ♀♀ same data em. i.–ii.2010; 7 ♂♂ + 8 ♀♀ KENYA: Rift Valley | Naivasha 1800 m | l. in domatium of| A. drepanolobium | em. xii.2003, xii.2004 and v.2010 | D.J.L. Agassiz; and 2 ♂♂, 2♀♀ Naro Moru | 1.xii.2006, 1 ♂ Sweetwaters| Nanyuki 6000 ft | 5.4.2000, 1 ♀ Gilgil 2100 m | 27.xi.2005 | all D.J.L. Agassiz ( DJLA) .

Figures

Figure 3. (A) Phthoropoea chalcomochla; (B) Endotera nodi; (C) Kenyatta iodes; (D) Hystrichophora vittana; (E) Hystrichophora bopprei; (F) Hystrichophora griseana;

Figure 14. Male genitalia of Endotera nodi.