Pseudoradiarctia pallida Haynes

Haynes, Patrick G., 2011, A review of some of the Binna- like species of Afrotropical Spilosoma Curtis (1825) listed by Goodger & Watson (1995) and including the genus Radiarctia Dubatolov (2006) (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae, Arctiinae), Zootaxa 2811, pp. 22-36 : 27-28

Pseudoradiarctia pallida Haynes sp. n.

Figures 11 , 26 .

Diagnosis. Similar to lentifasciata except facies pale orange-yellow. Interneural patches present but faint, and the dorsal patches on the abdomen are replaced by small black dots. Unlike lentifasciata , the valvae are swollen basally and lack dorsolateral processes. The finely pointed terminal extensions of the juxta are lightly curved and reach the base of the uncus.

Range. Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Eastern Zimbabwe.

Material examined. Holotype ɗ, Tanganyika Territory [ Tanzania], Kilosa, 19.xii.25, N.C.E. Miller, at light / Arctiidae genitalia slide 134 / pres. by Imp. Bur. Ent. Brit. Mus. 1927-503 ( BMNH). Paratypes: Kenya: Kikambala, 1 ɗ ( BMNH); 1 ɗ / genitalia slide S163 (PGH). Tanzania: Pemba Island, 2km S. of Mandani, 1 ɗ, 1 ɗ / Arctiidae genitalia slide 6284; Nachingwea, 1 ɗ; Dar es Salaam, 1 ɗ; Ilonga Kilosa, 1 ɗ ( BMNH); 3 ɗɗ, 1 ɗ / genitalia slide S10, legs & antenna slide S202 (PGH). Malawi: Neno District, 90km west of Blantyre, Mpatamanga Forest, 1 ɗ ( SZMN); Mt. Mlanje, 1 ɗ / Arctiidae genitalia slide 137 ( BMNH). Zimbabwe: Chimanimani, 1 ɗ / Arctiidae genitalia slide 6278 ( BMNH); 1 ɗ / genitalia slide S112 (PGH).

Description. Male. Forewing ɗ 18–22mm. Facies overall pale orange-yellow. The abdomen is paler bufforange ventrally and the bands or patches are replaced with black spots. Pale buff-grey interneural patches are present between most veins but occasionally much less expressed between R4 and R 5, M1 and CuA1 and frequently absent between R3 and R4. Between CuA2 and 1A+2A the patch is divided longitudinally and sometimes faint in the lower half. Coremata present. On the genitalia, the valvae are lightly setose, distinctly swollen basally, and without dorsolateral processes. The juxta is wide and partially incised basally, and divided terminally into two lightly curved pointed extensions reaching the base of the uncus. Zimbabwe specimens are generally larger with more distinctly marked forewings. Female. Unknown.

Comments. This species is difficult to separate from the herein described P. parva (see below).

Figures

FIGURES 9 – 16. Pseudoradiarctia spp. 9. P. lentifasciata, ♂, Zimbabwe, Harare (BMNH). 10. P. lentifasciata, Ψ, Zimbabwe, Harare (BMNH). 11. P. pallida, paratype ♂, Tanzania, Ilonga Kilosa (PGH). 12. P. p a r v a, paratype ♂, Tanzania, Rukwa Region (ZSM). 13. P. p a r v a, paratype Ψ, Zambia, Mwenga (BMNH). 14. P. tanzanica, paratype ♂, Tanzania, Bukoba (ZSM). 15. P. affinis, lectotype ♂, Tanzania, Uhehe, Iringa (ZMB). 16. P. scita, ♂, South Africa, Natal (BMNH).

FIGURES 25 – 32. Pseudoradiarctia spp. genitalia. 25. P. lentifasciata, Ψ genitalia, Zimbabwe, Harare, slide S 262 (PGH). 26. P. pallida, paratype ♂ genitalia, Zimbabwe, Chimanimani, slide 6278 (BMNH). 27. P. p a r v a, holotype ♂ genitalia, Zambia, Mwenga, slide 139 (BMNH). 28. P. tanzanica, paratype ♂ genitalia, Tanzania, Bukoba (ZSM). 29. P. affinis, lectotype ♂ genitalia, Tanzania, Uhehe, slide 41295 (ZMB). 30. P. scita, ♂ genitalia, South Africa, Natal, slide 6279 (BMNH). 31. P. scita, ♂ abdomen, South Africa, Natal, slide 6279 (BMNH). 32. P. scita, Ψ genitalia, South Africa, Natal, slide 6277 (BMNH).