Afroracotis (Herbuloracotis) argillacea argillacea ( Warren, 1900 ) László & Hausmann & Karisch, 2023

László, Gyula M., Hausmann, Axel & Karisch, Timm, 2023, Integrative taxonomic revision of the African taxa of the Racotis Moore, 1887 generic complex (Lepidoptera, Geometridae, Ennominae, Boarmiini), Zootaxa 5308 (1), pp. 1-109 : 38-39

Afroracotis (Herbuloracotis) argillacea argillacea ( Warren, 1900) comb. n.

( Figs 51–54 , 157–158 , 238–239 )

Alcis argillacea Warren, 1900 , Novitates Zoologicae 7: 95. Holotype male (NHMUK). Type locality: Congo, Kassai country.

Type material examined

Holotype, male (missing abdomen), red ring label “Type” / “Kassai country, 98” / [with handwritten] “ Alcis argillacea Type ♁ Warren ”/ [printed] “Rothschild Bequest B.M. 1939-1”, QR code label with unique id.: NHMUK 010598482 ( NHMUK).

Additional material examined

Cameroon. 1 male, Mt Cameroon ( SW slope), Bamboo camp, 4.0879152°N, 9.0505144°E, 350m asl, 21, 23.iv.2015, leg. V. Maicher, Sz. Sáfián, S. Janecek, R. Tropek, gen. slide Nos: LG 4404, LG 4405 ; 1 male, same site and collectors, but 12.xii.2014, gen. slide No.: LG 4406, DNA barcode/BOLD process id.: BC ZSM Lep 94800/GWOTS744-17; 9 undissected males from the same site ; 1 male, Mt Cameroon ( SW slope), Planty camp, 4.117500°N, 9.070944°E, 1100m asl, 12.v.2015, leg. V. Maicher, Sz. Sáfián, S. Janecek, R. Tropek, gen. slide No.: LG 4407; 5 undissected males from the same site ; 1 male, Mt Cameroon ( SW slope), Drinking Gari camp, 4.101447°N, 9.061000°E, 650m asl, 10.ii.2016 ; 1 male, 8 km N d’Edea , 7.iv.1970, C. Herbulot leg. ; 1 male, same site and collector, but 30.iii.– 1.iv.1970; 1 male, Mont Kala , 18 km W de Yaounde, 900 a 1100m, 22.ix.1973, Ph. Darge leg. ; 1 male, Savanes d’Akak , 14 km NNE Yaounde, 9.ix.1971, Ph. Darge leg. ; 1 male, Route Buea, V.H.F., Alt. 900m, 27.x.1970, Ph. Darge leg ; 1 male, Foret de Dzeng, Ngoulmiranga , 20.ii.1977, Ph. Darge leg. ( ZSM) ; 1 male, SW Province, Mount Kupe, Nyasoso , 846m, 4°50’5.4”N, 9°40’52.9”E, 22.v.2009, Light Trap, leg. M. Ochse, gen. slide No.: LG 5096, DNA barcode/BOLD process id.: BC ZSM Lep 38712/GWOSH376-10 ; 1 male, SW Province, Mount Kupe , 1 km E Nyasoso, 912m, 4°49’24.4”N, 9°41’15.4”E, 17.v.2009, leg. M. Ochse ; 1 male, SW Province, Mt. Cameroon, NE side, 14 km NE Buea, Ekona Lelu , 895m, 4°16’23.4”N, 9°18’5.6”E, 14.v.2009, Light Trap, leg. M. Ochse ( RCMO) ; 1 male, Mount Cameroon, Bonenza , 9°5.6’E, 4°4.9’N, 22.i.1989, 10m ; 2 males, same site, 20.i.1989; 2 males, Mount Cameroon, Bonenza , 9°5.1’E, 4°3.2’N, 18.i.1989, 65m ; 1 male, Mount Cameroon, Bonjongo , 9°11.0’E, 4°3.8’N, 30.i. 1989, 460m ( RMCA) . DRC. 1 male, Congo, 93.21. Kondolola District, Lindi valley , 1600–1700 ft, May 1921, T.A. Barns, gen. slide No.: NHMUK 010315180 ; 1 male, Upper Congo, Bapoto (Kenred Smith), gen. slide No.: NHMUK 010314260 ; 1 male, Sankuru, Lusambo , 7.ix.1950, Dr. Fontaine, gen. slide No.: NHMUK 010316164 (slides prepared by László) ( NHMUK) ; 1 male, Mamove, Nord-Kivu , 950m, 0°49’N, 29°27’E, v.2017, ex A. Colley, ANHRT : 2018.22, gen. slide No. : LG 5016 ( ANHRT) ; 1 male, Bamania [Mbandaka], 7.i.1964, leg. E.P. Hulstaert, gen. slide No.: LG 5845 ; 2 males, Uele, Paulis [Isiro], 24, 31.v.1960, leg. Dr. M. Fontaine, gen. slide Nos: LG 5847, LG 5848 ( RMCA) . Gabon. 1 male, Makokou, Colline, Mission biologique, 8.iii.1962, G. Bernardi leg. ( ZSM). Republic of Central Africa . 1 male, Prefecture de la Lobaye, Mbata , 1–17.viii.1969, J. Plante leg. ( ZSM) ; 1 male, Sebokélé , 20.iii.1977 ( RCPB) . Republic of the Congo. 2 males, Odzala National Park , 400– 500m, 0°23’N, 14°50’E, 29.i.–03.iii.1997, leg. S. Murzin & V. Siniaev, gen. slide Nos: GU TK 3208, GU TK 3635 ( SDEI) ; 2 males, 20 km WSW Ouesso , 27.vi.1984, Cl. Herbulot leg., gen. slide No.: LG 4613, DNA barcode/BOLD process id.: BC ZSM Lep 74430/GWORK1358-15 ; 1 male, 6 km SW Ouesso , 23.vi.1984, Cl. Herbulot leg., gen. slide No.: LG 5046 ( ZSM G 20996 ) ( ZSM) ; 2 males, Sangha Prov., Nouabale-Ndoki National Park, Mbeli camp, ( Gilbertiodendron forest ), 372m, 02°14’23.8”N, 16°23’52.1”E, 1–10.x.2022, MV Light Trap, Dérozier, V., Fouka, B., Kirk-Spriggs, A., Takano, H. leg., ANHRT :2022.14; 1 male, Sangha Prov., Nouabale-Ndoki National Park, Bomassa forest , ( Secondary forest ), 358m, 02°11’58.1”N, 16°11’16.9”E, 17–23.ix.2022, LepiLED L.T., Dérozier, V., Fouka, B., Kirk-Spriggs, A., Takano, H. leg., ANHRT : 2022.14, gen. slide No. : LG 5999 ( ANHRT) . Uganda. 1 male, Kibale Forest 12km SO Fort Portal, Research Station , 1500 m, 0°33.8’N, 30°21.4’E, 19.x.2014, leg. T. Karisch, gen. slide No.: TK 3874 ( SDEI) .

Taxonomic note. The species was assigned to the genus Cleora in Scoble (1999). As the holotype ( Fig. 51 ) is missing its abdomen, an externally identical and nearly topotypical male specimen ( Fig. 52 ) has been dissected in order to establish the generic assignment of the species. Further, externally similar specimens examined from other regions have confirmed the consistency of the genitalia characters, resolving the identity and placement of argillacea in the genus Afroracotis .

Diagnosis. Forewing length 20–25 mm. The species is distinguished from other Afroracotis taxa by the combination of the ochreous-yellow ground colour, the indistinct, brownish-grey transverse fasciae and the large, diffuse brownish-grey postmedial patch of the forewing. In the male genitalia, A. argillacea has clasping apparatus typical for all species of the subgenus characterized by the simple, narrow triangular, apically rounded uncus, the very weakly sclerotised valva costa and the medium long vinculum tapered only in the posterior half. The distinctive features of the species are expressed in the configuration of the aedeagus-vesica complex: the aedeagus of A. argillacea is rather thick and medium long, slightly curved medially, the vesica is tubular, even thicker than the aedeagus, rugose, armed with a stout, basally very wide, subapically abruptedly tapered, horizontally flattened cornutus the basal two-thirds of which are conspicuously striate longitudinally, while its apical third is a heavily sclerotised, acute pin-like process. The shape of the cornutus allows easy distinction between the species of the group and it is discussed in details under the diagnoses of each taxa. The female genitalia of A. argillacea which is unknown in the nominotypical subspecies, are distinguished by the most elongate, curved sclerotised distal section of the corpus bursae-cervix bursae complex in comparison to the other taxa of the species-group.

Genetic information. The species has been assigned the BIN URI: BOLD:AEK7604. The infraspecific divergence of Afroracotis argillacea is in the range of 0.00–0.46%. The nearest neighbour is its West African subspecies described below as A. argillacea morettoi ssp. n. differing by 1.39–1.54%. The genetically closest species to A. argillacea are A. dargei and A. apodosima at a pairwise distance of 3.60–4.25% and 4.07–4.23%, respectively.

Distribution ( Map 4 ). The nominotypical A. argillacea has a central African equatorial distribution in and around the Congolian Basin with confirmed records from Cameroon, Central African Republic (new record), DRC, Gabon (new record), Republic of the Congo, and the western part of Uganda (new record).

Figures

MAP 4. Distribution of the Afroracotis (Herbuloracotis) argillacea species-group.

FIGURES 41–60. Adults, dorsal view. 41. Afroracotis apodosima, HT of Racotis apodosima, ♁, Mozambique (NHMUK); 42. Ibidem, ♁, Tanzania (ZSM); 43. Ibidem, ♁, Zambia (ANHRT); 44. Ibidem, ♀, Mozambique (ANHRT); 45. A. dargei sp. n., HT, ♁, Cameroon (ZSM); 46. Ibidem, PT, ♁, Cameroon (ZSM); 47. Ibidem, PT, ♀, Cameroon (ZSM); 48. A. deportata, ♁, Madagascar (RCHS); 49. Ibidem, HT of Racotis deportata, ♁, Madagascar (MNHN); 50. Ibidem, ♀, Comoros (NHMUK); 51. A. argillacea argillacea, HT of Alcis argillacea, ♁, DRC (NHMUK); 52. Ibidem, ♁, DRC (NHMUK); 53. Ibidem, ♁, DRC (ZSM); 54. Ibidem, ♁, Cameroon (RCMO); 55. A. argillacea cedrici, HT of Racotis cedrici, ♀, Bioko (ZSM); 56. Ibidem, PT, ♀, Bioko (ZSM); 57. Ibidem, ♀, Bioko (RCTK); 58. A. argillacea morettoi ssp. n., HT, ♁, Ivory Coast (ANHRT); 59. Ibidem, PT, ♀, Ivory Coast (ANHRT); 60. Ibidem, PT, ♀, Ivory Coast (ZSM).

FIGURES 151–170. Adults, ventral view. 151. Afroracotis apodosima, ♁, Zambia (ANHRT); 152. Ibidem, ♀, Mozambique (ANHRT); 153. A. dargei sp. n., PT, ♁, Cameroon (ZSM); 154. Ibidem, ♀, Cameroon (ZSM); 155. A. deportata, ♁, Madagascar (RCHS); 156. Ibidem, ♀, Comoros (NHMUK); 157. A. argillacea argillacea, ♁, Cameroon (ZSM); 158. Ibidem, ♁, Cameroon (ZSM); 159. A. argillacea cedrici, HT of Racotis cedrici, ♀, Bioko (ZSM); 160. A. argillacea morettoi ssp. n., HT, ♁, Ivory Coast (ANHRT); 161. Ibidem, PT, ♀, Ivory Coast (ANHRT); 162. A. longicornuta sp. n., HT, ♁, Liberia (ANHRT); 163. Ibidem, PT, ♁, Guinea (ZSM); 164. A. l. congolana ssp. n., PT, ♁, Cameroon (ZSM); 165. Ibidem, PT, ♀, Cameroon (ZSM); 166. A. l. ugandana ssp. n., PT, ♀, Uganda (RCHS); 167. A. aristophanousi sp. n., HT, ♁, Liberia (ANHRT); 168. Ibidem, PT, ♀, Cameroon (ZSM); 169. A. muscivirens sp. n., HT, ♁, Liberia (ZSM); 170. Ibidem, PT, ♀, Liberia (ANHRT).

FIGURES 233–238. Male genitalia, a: clasping apparatus, b: aedeagus.; 233. Afroracotis apodosima, Zambia, slide No. LG 4930 (ANHRT); 234. Ibidem, Gabon, slide No. LG 4770 (ZSM); 235. A. dargei sp. n., HT, Cameroon, slide No. LG 4615 (ZSM); 236. Ibidem, PT, Cameroon, slide No. LG 5041 (ZSM); 237. A. deportata, Madagascar, slide No. LG 4067 (ANHRT); 238. A. argillacea argillacea, DRC, slide No. NHMUK 010315180 (NHMUK).

FIGURES 239–244. Male genitalia, a: clasping apparatus, b: aedeagus. 239. Afroracotis argillacea argillacea, Cameroon, slide No. LG 4405 (ZSM); 240. A. a. morettoi ssp. n., HT, Ivory Coast, slide No. LG 5416 (ANHRT); 241. A. longicornuta longicornuta sp. n., HT, Liberia, slide No. LG 5064 (ANHRT); 242. Ibidem, Guinea, slide No. LG 4424 (ZSM); 243. A. l. congolana ssp. n., HT Cameroon, slide No. LG 4088 (RCMO); 244. Ibidem, PT, Cameroon, slide No. LG 5043 (ZSM).