Strigocossus elephas Yakovlev

Yakovlev, Roman V. & Murphy, Raymond J., 2013, The Cossidae (Lepidoptera) of Malawi with descriptions of two new species, Zootaxa 3709 (4), pp. 371-393 : 381

Strigocossus elephas Yakovlev sp. nov.

( Figs. 24–25 , 53 )

Material. Holotype, male, Ouganda [ Uganda], Gulu distr., Ajulu, 1035 m, 10.04.2010, leg. P. Schmit (MWM). Paratypes: 1 male, Ruo Riv., Mt. Mulanje, S. Malawi, 1000 m, 28.10.2004, leg. R.J. Murphy (RMM); 2 males, Malawi, Zomba distr., Mt. Zomba, 1720 m, 26.10.2003, leg. P. Schmit (RYB); 1 male, Malawi, Kosungo distr., 80 km N Kosungo, 1315 m, 14.01.2009, leg. A. Sochivko (RYB); 4 males, S. Africa Rep., KwaZulu Natal Prov., Pongolapoort N.R., S27°21’54’’; E 31°59’09’’, 610 m, 17.10.2009, leg. Kovtunovich & Ustjuzhanin (RYB); 1 male, S. Africa Rep., KwaZulu Natal Prov., Ithala G.R., S27°31’13’’; E 31°12’18’’, 610 m, 18– 19.10.2009, leg. Kovtunovich & Ustjuzhanin (RYB); 1 male, Swaziland, Mlawula N.R., S 26°12’37’’ E 32°00’04’’, h 150 m, 14– 15.10 .2009 leg. Kovtunovich V. & P. Ustjuzhanin (RYB).

Description. Male large. Forewing length 60 – 72 mm, elongated, brownish-ochreous with complicated brown pattern; brown field is situated on costal edge of wing; wide dabs in medial part of forewing and thin reticulate pattern in lateral part; hindwing brown with thin reticulate pattern and light-ochreous dab on costal edge.

Genitalia configuration is typical of the genus; uncus elongated, with bill-pointed apex, branches of gnathos completely reduced; tegumen small-sized; valva leaf-like with smooth edges and small hollow near basal part of costal edge; juxta broad, saddle-like with two very long relatively well-sclerotized oar-like processes; saccus very stout, semispherical, aedeagus very large, much longer than valva length, slightly arched, with developed lengthwise folding along length; aperture of large vesica complicated, with long strongly sclerotized lorade cornutus in lateral wall.

Female unknown.

Diagnosis. The new species differs clearly from three “large” member of the genus: S. crassa ( Fig. 26–29 ), S. moderata , S. capensis as its juxta has very long oar-like lateral processes and by its distinct brown fuzzy pattern.

Etymology. “ Elephas ” (Latin) means elephant.

Figures

FIGURES 24 – 26. 24, Strigocossus elephas Yakovlev sp. nov., holotype. 25, Strigocossus elephas Yakovlev sp. nov., paratype. 26, Strigocossus crassa (Drury), type from Drury (1782).

FIGURES 51 – 53. 51, Genitalia of male Macrocossus grebennikovi Yakovlev, sp. nov. 52, Genitalia of female Macrocossus grebennikovi Yakovlev, sp. nov. 53, Genitalia of male Strigocossus elephas Yakovlev sp. nov.

FIGURES 27 – 29. 27, Strigocossus crassa (Drury, 1782), type of Duomitus lunifera Hampson. 28, Strigocossus crassa (Drury), type of D. polioplaga Hampson. 29, Strigocossus crassa (Drury), type of Xyleutes speciosus Houlbert, 1916.