Malgassesia Le Cerf, 1922

Bartsch, Daniel, 2018, Taxonomic changes in Synanthedonini from Madagascar, with description of two new genera and species (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae), Zootaxa 4433 (1), pp. 174-186 : 177

Malgassesia Le Cerf, 1922

Type species: Malgassesia rufescens Le Cerf, 1922 , by original designation.

In the original description of Malgassesia by Le Cerf (1922) only a single species, M. rufescens , was included. Later, Viette ([1955], 1957, 1982) assigned five more species to the genus. Two of them, M. biedermanni and M. pauliani , are discussed in detail below. The remaining three, M. ankaratralis , M. milloti and M. seyrigi , appear exceptionally heterogeneous and a close relationship with M. rufescens is questionable. The following striking differences are noted in comparison to the type species M. rufescens : M. seyrigi has the male antenna slightly clavate, distally gradually broadened, dorsally with white subapical spot (narrower, less distinctly clubbed, without white spot in M. rufescens ); the body long and slender (shorter and stronger in M. rufescens ); the forewing discal spot and apical area broad (narrow in M. rufescens ); the hindwing discal spot very small (largest of the group in M. rufescens ). The holotype of M. milloti misses the antennae; it has the body long and slender; the forewing discal spot and apical area very narrow; the hindwing discal spot absent; the wings, particularly the hindwing tornus, and the transparent areas broadest of the group. M. ankaratralis has the male antenna long and narrow, very slightly clavate, without white spot; the body long and very slender; the forewing discal spot and apical area broad; the hindwing discal spot very small. It is further the only nocturnal Synanthedonini of Madagascar ( Viette 1982). The male genitalia in M. ankaratralis with valva very long, narrow, apically pointed, without crista sacculi (not elongated, apically rounded, crista sacculi well developed in M. rufescens ). The genitalia of M. seyrigi and M. milloti are not known. The relationship of three further species, which were originally described in Chamaesphecia and later excluded from this genus as “incertae sedis” ( Pühringer & Kallies 2004), could not yet be clarified. These species are here transferred to Malgassesia : M. andrianony ( Viette, 1982) comb. nov. ( Figs 6–7 ); M. lemur ( Le Cerf, 1957) comb. nov. ( Figs 13–14 ); and M. ferdinandi nom. nov., (in honour of Ferdinand Le Cerf), a replacement name for Chamaesphecia seyrigi Le Cerf, 1957 ( Figs 15–16 ). M. ferdinandi differs considerably from all other African Synanthedonini , in particular by the coloration of abdomen and forewings, and may well belong to a separate genus.

In its current form Malgassesia is certainly paraphyletic and represents the melting pot of Madagascan Synanthedonini , which could not be assigned to genus. However, detailed examination of Malgassesia is beyond the scope of this study and will have to await a broader phylogenetic analysis of the African Synanthedonini .

Figures

FIGURES 1–12. Adult specimens of Madagascan Synanthedonini: 1–5. Rodolphia hombergi Le Cerf, 1911. (1–2) male, Madagascar, Bekily, Region sud de l’Ile. (4–5) female, same data. (3) male, holotype of Malgassesia pauliani Viette, 1955, ventral view. 6–7. Malgassesia andrianony (Viette, 1982) comb. nov., male holotype. 8–12. Malgassesia rufescens Le Cerf, 1922. (8–9) male, Madagascar, Ihosy, Region sud de l’Ile. (10–11) female, Madagascar, Bekily, Region sud de l’Ile. (12) female, holotype of Malgassesia biedermanni Viette, 1982. Scale bars 10 mm, ventral view right.

FIGURES 13–24. Adult specimens of Madagascan Synanthedonini: 13–14. Malgassesia lemur (Le Cerf, 1957) comb. nov., male holotype. 15–16. Malgassesia ferdinandi nom. nov., male holotype. 17–19. Epitarsipus rufithorax Le Cerf, 1922 comb. rev. (17–18) male, Madagascar, Bekily, Region sud de l’Ile. (19) female, same data. 20–22. Cinctosesia polistiformis sp. nov. (20–21) male holotype (freshly emerged specimen). (22) male paratype (older specimen). 23–24. Nesosphecia mystica sp. nov., male holotype. Scale bars 10 mm, ventral view right.