Meganaclia josephi Ignatev, Paśnik & Sulak, 2023

Ignatev, Nikolai, László, Gyula M., Paśnik, Anna, Fric, Zděnek Faltýnek, Sulak, Harald & Müller, Günter C., 2023, Five new species of the genus Meganaclia Aurivillius, 1892 (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae: Syntomini), Zootaxa 5296 (3), pp. 457-474 : 465-468

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.5296.3.8
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:BEB15724-28FC-4D5B-9030-EFEFF797DB94
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7984177
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03D887F9-BE1D-165F-FF53-F9F8FD77FDC0
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Meganaclia josephi Ignatev, Paśnik & Sulak
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Meganaclia josephi Ignatev, Paśnik & Sulak , sp. n.

Zoobank.org

( Figs 6, 7 View FIGURES 1–11 , 18, 24, 29, 35, 38, 39)

Holotype. ♁, “ Guinea Konakri , Macenta prefecture, Ziama forest 550 m., Mt. Nimba, April, 2017; Leg. GC Muller, VD Kravchenko & G Petranyi”, gen. slide No. GP 34.764 ( MWW).

Paratypes (20J, 12♀ in total).

Mali. 1♁, SE of Sikasso , River gallery near Kadiolo village, xi.2010: G.C. Muller & M.M. Traore, gen. slide No. GP 34.765 ( CHS) .

Ivory Coast. 1♁, Côte d’Ivoire , San Pedro, 22.4.79, leg. Dr. Politzar ( ZSM) . 2♁, 3♀, Tai NP., Tai Research Station, ( SRET), 174m, 05°50′00″N, 07°20′32″W, 25.iii.–17.iv.2017, MV Light Trap, Aristophanous, A., Aristophanous, M., Geiser, M., Moretto, P. leg., ANHRT GoogleMaps : 2017.25, gen. slide No. LG 6001(♀); 1♁, Mt. Nimba Camp , 823m, 07°35′15″N, 08°25′05″W, 28.iv.–8.v.2016, Light Trap, Aristophanous, M., Geiser, M., Moretto, P., ANHRT GoogleMaps :2017.17 ( ANHRT).

Nigeria. 1♀, S. Nigeria, Ore, 27.12.1970, leg. Dr. Politzar, gen. slide No. GP 34.685 ( ZSM). 1♁, Anambra State, Nsukka F. Res., 12–25.iii.1983, leg. J. Wojtusiak, gen. slide No. S 456; 1♁, Anambra State, Nsukka, 11.v.1982, leg. J. Wojtusiak, gen. slide No. S 462; 1♁, Bendel State, Okomu Forest Res., 20.x.1984, leg. J. Wojtusiak, gen. slide No. S 463; 1♁, Omo Forest , Erin Camp, 7–10.x.2010, leg. Szabolcs Sáfián & Ágnes Horváth, gen. slide No. S 465 ( ISEA PAS) .

Liberia. 1♁, Lofa County, Wologizi Mts, Elephant Ridge , 1002m, 8°07′1.46″N, 9°55′24.18″W, 23–26.xi.2018, LepiLED Light Trap, Sáfián, Sz., Simonics, G. leg., ANHRT:2018.43; 1♀ GoogleMaps , Lofa County, Wologizi Mts, Ridge camp, 865m, 8°07′10″N, 9°57′11″W, 24–29.xi.2017, Light Trap (blended bulb 250W), Aristophanous, M., Sáfián, Sz., Simonics, G. & Smith, L., leg., ANHRT: 2017.33, gen. slide No. LG 6000; 3♀ GoogleMaps , Lofa county, Wologizi Mts, Ridge Camp 2, 883m, 8°07′20.79″N, 9°56′50.75″W, 22–30.xi.2018, Cold Cathode UV Light Trap (8W) & Blended Bulb (250W), Sáfián, Sz., Simonics, G. leg. ANHRT:2018.43; 1♀ GoogleMaps , Nimba Mts., ENNR, Cellcom Rd , 1000–1100m, 7°32′45.9″N, 8°31′21″W, 12–16.iii.2017, Light Trap (250W blended bulb) & cold cathode UV light bucket trap (8W), Sáfián, Sz., Simonics, G. leg., ANHRT:2017.36; 2♀ GoogleMaps , Sinoe County, 6.5km NW of Jacksonville, Forest near Solve Problem Village , 5°26′25″N, 9°7′39.9″W, 23–27.i.2018, MV Light Trap, Geiser, M., Sáfián, Sz., Simonics, G. leg., ANHRT:2017.33 ( ANHRT). 1 GoogleMaps ♁, Nimba Mountains, Mount Gangra summit, 7°32′45.82″N. 8°38′9.36″W, 17– 25.iii.2017, leg. Sáfián, Sz., Simonics, G., gen. slide No. S 461 ( ISEA PAS). 3 GoogleMaps ♁, Nimba County, Yekepa , Camp 4, East Nimba NR, Cellcom Road , 1150 m, 20.xi.2022, 7°31′44.2”N 8°31′38.4”W, at light, D. Bartsch leg. ( SMNS) GoogleMaps .

Guinea. 1♀, Geipa Camp , Foret de Diecke, 435m, 7°26′7.06″N, 8°50′47.87″W, 5–14.iv.2019, Cold Cathode UV Light Trap (8W), Sáfián, Sz., Koivogui, S, leg., ANHRT GoogleMaps : 2019.7 ( ANHRT); 1♁ Nzerekore Region , Mt. Nimba, Ziela, 550 m, 7,716°N, 8,36°W, April 2017, leg Petranyi G, Müller G.C. & V.D. Kravchenko ( CHS) GoogleMaps .

DRC. 1♁, Zaire , 180km W of Bukavu, rainforest, light trap 160 W, No 330 MV lamp, Hung. Sci. Africa, Exp. “Teleki”, 16 May 1988, leg. A. Vojnits, gen. slide No. S 457 ( ISEA PAS) ; 1♁, Equateur , Bikoro, 18.vii.1991, leg. Ph. Oremans, gen. slide No. S 459 ( ISEA PAS) ; 1♁, Kinshasa , Bombo, 07.iii.1996, leg. Ph. Oremans, gen. slide No. S 460 ( ISEA PAS) ; 1♁, Kinshasa , Zone de Pimete, 20.v.1982, leg. Ph. Oremans, gen. slide No. S 464 ( ISEA PAS) ; 1 ♁ (illegible label), gen. slide No. S458 ( ISEA PAS) .

Diagnosis. The new species resembles the sympatric M. johannae sp. n. ( Figs 8, 9 View FIGURES 1–11 ) but differs from it in the markedly darker wing coloration of males ( Figs 6–9 View FIGURES 1–11 ) and antennae and the considerably smaller hindwing dots. In contrast to M. johannae sp. n., and M. gaerberfesti sp. n., the forewing of M. josephi sp. n. is more pointed apically with outer margin lacking a tiny subapical notch ( Fig. 38 View FIGURE 38 ); in addition, the m2 spot of the forewing is distinctly larger and rounded in comparison with the narrow dash-like, blurred m2 spots of M. johannae sp. n. and M. gaerberfesti sp. n., ( Figs 6–11 View FIGURES 1–11 ). It is important to note, that the colouration of adults from Mali and Nigeria tends to be of paler shade. The reliable identification requires the examination of the male genitalia configuration where M. josephi posseses a pair of well-developed, moderately sclerotized, C-shaped, distally slightly divaricate dorsal appendages of the uncus which are absent in M. sippia , M. grehani and M. smithi . Dorsal appendages of the uncus are present in M. johannae sp. n. and M. gaerberfesti sp. n., but those are more heavily sclerotized and largely different in shape ( Figs 15 View FIGURES 15–17 –20).

Description. Male ( Fig. 6 View FIGURES 1–11 ). Wingspan: 44–48 mm; FW length: 22 mm, width: 10 mm, ratio 2.2: 1; HW length: 14 mm, width: 8 mm, ratio 1.7: 1. Antenna bipectinate, dark brown. Head and patagia pale orange. Tegula dark brown. Thorax covered by pale brown and greyish-orange scales with two black spots near patagia. Abdomen dorsally rusty-brown, with a black rounded spot on each segment, ventrally pale yellow. Forewing dark brown slightly transparent, all forewing spots whitish-grey; m1 very small, triangular, blurred, m2, m3, m4, m5 rounded, m3 and m5 markedly smaller than m2 and m4. Forewing base with small black dot. Hindwing dark brown, slightly transparent basal half with a admixture of pale brown scales; all hindwing spots are pale grey; m1 absent; m2, m3 rounded and slightly blurred; m4 sharply defined, round.

Male genitalia (Figs 18, 24, 29). Uncus dorso-ventrally C-shaped with well-developed dorsal appendages; dorsal process tapered distally, pointed apically, slightly curved, basal part covered by moderately long setae; ventral process of uncus gently curved, slightly tapered distally, pointed apically, shorter than dorsal process; dorsal appendage of uncus divided into two, distally diverging C-shaped elongate lobes. Tegumen short and broad, dome-shaped. Valva rather narrow at base, slightly dilated ventro-medially, pointed apically; valva costa heavily sclerotized, somewhat S-shaped, ventro-medially dilated, costal margin gently concave in basal half, distal half strongly convex. Ventral margin straight in basal half, gently arched in distal half. Sacculus very narrow, medially slightly constricted, distally dilated into a narrow-triangular setose plate reaching the center of valva. Juxta well developed, broad tubular. Saccus extremely long and thin, thread-like, distal part slightly dilated. Aedeagus extremely long and thin, needle-like, proximally slightly dilated with short, rounded coecum penis, tapered distally, pointed apically; vesica without cornuti ( Fig. 29 View FIGURES 27–32 ).

Description. Female ( Fig. 7 View FIGURES 1–11 ). Wingspan: 48–52 mm; FW length: 25 mm, width: 12 mm, ratio 2.1: 1; HW length: 15 mm, width: 11 mm, ratio 1.4: 1. Antenna bipectinate, pale brown. Head rusty-brown, tegula and patagia brownish-yellow. Thorax covered by pale brown scales with two black blotches near patagia. Abdomen dorsally pale rusty-brown, with admixture of yellow scales and black round spot on each segment. Forewing pale brown, slightly transparent in ventral half, with a tiny black dot basally. Spot m1 very small, poorly detectable, elongate; m2, m3, m4, m5 rounded, whitish-grey, m3 and m5 markedly smaller than m2 and m4. Hindwing pale brown, slightly transparent; spot m1 absent or strongly blurred; m2, m3 and m4 oval shaped, m2 noticeably smaller than m3 and m4.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 35 View FIGURES 33–37 ). Papilla analis rounded trapezoidal, covered in short, sparse setae; apophysis posterioris short, thin, slightly dilated subapically, rounded apically. Eighth sternite short, well-sclerotized, proximal margin slightly convex; apophysis anterioris well developed, broad basally, gradually tapered, apically pointed, as long as apophysis posterioris. Lamella postvaginalis rather large and heavily sclerotized, with two humps distal margin. Ostium bursae narrow, infundibular. Ductus bursae narrow and extremely long, heavily sclerotized, medially slightly constricted, distal three-quarters straight, proximal quarter curved; cervix bursae moderately sclerotized, elongate sack-like. Corpus bursae membranous, ovoid; signum bursae large elongate ribbon-like, finely scobinate, covering two-thirds of bursa copulatrix.

Etymology. This new species is dedicated to the fond memories of the late Joseph Sulak (Weiden in der Oberpfalz, Germany), adored father of Harald Sulak.