Parapoynx fluctuosalis (Zeller, 1852)

Agassiz, David J. L., 2012, The Acentropinae (Lepidoptera: Pyraloidea: Crambidae) of Africa, Zootaxa 3494, pp. 1-73 : 12-13

Parapoynx fluctuosalis (Zeller, 1852)

Nymphula fluctuosalis Zeller, 1852: 27

Paraponyx [sic] linealis Guenée, 1854: 271 .

Oligostigma chrysippusalis Walker, 1859: 432 .

Oligostigma obitalis Walker, 1859: 432 .

Nymphula circealis Walker, 1859: 460 . syn. n.

Oligostigma curta Butler, 1879: 270 .

Paraponyx [sic] oryzalis Wood-Mason, 1885 .

Paraponyx [sic] rugosalis Möschler, 1890: 318 .

Type locality: South Africa.

Described and illustrated by Agassiz (1978), Yoshiyasu (1985), Speidel (1984), Goater (1986) and Speidel (2005).

Imago (Figs 5, 6): Wingspan ♂ 13–16mm ♀ 18–24mm. Head white, labial palpus with segment 3 short and slender, segment 2 thickened with fuscous scales laterally; antennae weakly ringed white and pale fuscous. Thorax banded white and dark fuscous. Forewing whitish; costa suffused ochreous and irrorate dark fuscous; a series of four oblique dark fuscous fasciae, the third curved below a white area below and beyond a small blackish discal spot, dull orange between third and fourth fasciae; a fine dark fuscous subterminal line; termen a narrow band of orange-yellow; terminal cilia with a dark fuscous basal line, then whitish becoming darker. Hindwing white with markings as forewing, but lines generally straighter and more regular. Abdomen banded white and fuscous.

A very variable species, but distinguished from others by the straight lines, especially of the hindwing.

The form circealis Walker (Fig. 6), hitherto known as a distinct species, is common in southern Africa and Madagascar. It has the lines of the hindwing conjoined to make a broad band; the forewing, especially of the female, can be almost uniform brownish.

Asian populations have been referred to ssp. linealis (Moore) , and the African and European populations to the nominate subspecies. However the species is very variable in all the places it occurs, and there seems to be no basis for retaining separate subspecies.

Male genitalia (Fig. 85): Uncus long and slender, curved towards venter especially in middle, some lateral setae near base only, gnathos 4/5 length of uncus, spatulate, apically with small upward pointing serrations around the tip. Valva with costa very slightly concave in middle, sides almost parallel, dorsal edge more strongly bent, process arising near base of valva very small; juxta parallel sided; aedeagus with a broad patch of very small spines in vesica. The valvae in situ are curved inwards, especially the outer part of the costa, a feature which is not apparent in slides and illustrations.

Female genitalia (Fig. 135): Ostium small, ¼ width of abdomen, colliculum immediately behind ostium, ductus bursae very long and narrow, widening only slightly into corpus bursae; signa comprising a pair of small patches of blunt spines. Overall length of bursae 0.9 x length of abdomen.

Tympanal organs: Venulae almost straight and parallel, tympani typical of the genus.

Diagnosis: This species is distinguished from others in the genus by the nearly straight lines along both forewing and hindwing.

Biology: The larva feeds in a case on a number of aquatic plants including rice ( Oryza ), continuously brooded, adults in every month of the year.

Distribution: Throughout tropical and sub-tropical parts of the Old World. In Africa recorded from Morocco, Tunisia, Ethiopia, Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Botswana, Mozambique, South Africa, Namibia, Congo, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Sierra Leone, Guinea; also Madagascar, Comores and Mauritius.

Material examined: Lectotype ♀ det Speidel (1984), Natal .

KENYA: 2♂ 1♀ Thika , 1♀ Rumuruti , 1♀ Diani , 2♀ Turi , 1♀ Kangema , 4♀ Sagana ( DJLA), 1♀ Gazi , 1♀ Nairobi ( BMNH), 7 ♀ Laikipia ( USNM); ZIMBABWE: 1♀ Harare, 1♀ Gokwe Distr ., 1♀ Hwange , 1♀ Mazowe ( DJLA); SOUTH AFRICA: 2♂ 9♀ Olifants River , 2♀ Natal, 3♂ 2♀ Fish Hook , 1♂ 2♀ Wilderness , 1♀ Durban, 3♀ Gankeshoek , 3♂ Holt Holl Mts , 2♀ Pretoria , 1♂ 1♀ Point St ( BMNH); ETHIOPIA: 2♀ Addis Ababa ( BMNH); D.R. CONGO: 2♀ Dungu , 2♀ Quirimbo ( BMNH); BOTSWANA: 4♀ R. Thamalaka ( BMNH); SENEGAL: 4♂ 33♀ Sédhiou ( BMNH); ZAMBIA: 3♀ Mbala ( BMNH); TANZANIA: 2♂ 2♀ Tanga, 1♀ Amani ; SUDAN: 5♀ Tambura ( BMNH); BURKINA FASO 1♀ ( BMNH); TUNISIA: Aim Draham 1♀ ( BMNH); MOZAMBIQUE: 1♀ at sea off Beira ( BMNH); SIERRA LEONE: 1♀ Bo ( BMNH); NAMIBIA: 1♀ Khorivas Dist. ( USNM).

Nomenclatorial note: Speidel (2005) lists luteivittalis (Mabille, 1880) in the synonymy of fluctuosalis . This is incorrect: luteivittalis is a distinct Madagascan species, the type species of Argyrophorodes Marion.