Yponomeuta morbillosa Zeller, 1877

Agassiz, David J. L., 2019, The Yponomeutidae of the Afrotropical region (Lepidoptera: Yponomeutoidea), Zootaxa 4600 (1), pp. 1-69 : 17

17. Yponomeuta morbillosa Zeller, 1877

Hyponomeuta morbillosa Zeller, 1877: 222–223

Type locality: Tanzania : Zanzibar

Redescription of adult ( Plate 3). Wingspan 21–33 mm. Head white with two black dots on dorsum; antenna with scape white, followed by a black ring, then finely annulated grey/whitish, over half length of forewing; labial palpus white, black between each segment. Thorax greyish white with five black spots, tegula white with one black spot. Forewing smooth pale grey with a scattering of white dots, three rows of black dots along length of wing, further black dots in terminal area, a darker grey suffusion in disc, terminal area slightly paler, terminal fringe grey. Hindwing uniform grey. Legs pale grey with black spots on joints. Abdomen grey dorsally, paler ventrally.

Male genitalia ( Plate 11 ). Uncus saddle-shaped, socius long, each bearing a spine at apex; valva with costa straight, almost forming a D-shape, saccus fairly long with end clubbed. Aedeagus of length equal to that from socius to saccus, with two long, slender cornuti. Sternum 7 with central pointed protrusion.

Female genitalia ( Plate 21 ). Lamella postvaginalis broad, with narrow excavation to ostium, ostial chamber conical; ductus bursae with some spiculation; corpus bursae almost spherical bearing a long signum with spines forming a central pattern.

Biology. Bred from Elaeodendron . Birnie & Noad (2011) state that ’’trees are sometimes covered in webs made by black-banded caterpillars’’ which clearly refers to this species. Gardner (1957) states ’’Defoliates Elaeodendron sp., large trees may be completely shrouded by whitish webbing; pupae aggregated in thick mats at base of tree; in July 1951 there was 30% parasitism by a species of Tachinidae .’’Adults taken in every month except February and May, probably all year round.

Distribution. Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe.

Type material. 3 syntypes ( MfN) not examined .

Material examined: KENYA: 3 ♂ 1 ♀ Nairobi xi.1923 , 1 ♀ 11.vi.1919 Dr van Someren; 2 ♂ R.H. Deakin 1913; 2 ♂ 1 ♀ 1950 J.M.C. Gardner, larvae on Elaeodendron ; 1 ♀ xi–xii.1932, 1 ♂ iv.1932 E. Pinhey; 1 ♀ vii.1950 R. Carcasson; 1 ♀ vii. 1950 J.C.M. Gardner; 1 without abdomen i.1926; 1 ♂ Muguga 28.vi.1971 E.S. Brown ; 5 ♂ 8 ♀ Escarpment , 7500–8500 ft, Kikuyu: Ibea ix–x.1900 Doherty ; 3 ♀ Kabete 1920 H.E. Box ; 1 ♀ 20.xi.1918 T.J. Anderson; 1 ♂ Kabele.1920 FWD; 1 ♂ 4 ♀ Kitale 1.v.1924 G.W. Jeffery ; 1 ♀ 13.viii.1932 G.W. Jeffery; 2 ♂ 4 ♀ E. Africa 1950 ex Dono J.C.M. Gardner; 1 without abdomen Mt Elgon S.E. 18 m SE of Kitale viii.1932 T.J.E. Jackson; NAL Kenya 19.i.1982 Wdenesil ( NHMUK) ; 1 ♂ Central, Aberdares Country Club 0°20ʼS 36°53ʼE 6000 ft, 27.iv.2003, D.J.L. Agassiz DJLA slide 1186 ♂; Aberdares Country Club, 2 ♂ 19.vi.1999, 1 ♂ 2 ♀ 1.vi.2000; 1 ♂ Nairobi, Oluloa Forest , 6000 ft, 20.xii.1999 ; 2 ♂ 15.viii.1999 ( DJLA) ; 8 specimens Townsend , Nakuru, bred. Nos. 429, 430, 440–443, 448 – 938 specimens from Nairobi, Karen, Dagoretti ; 1 Loretto Ridge (Nbi), 2 Kathile River , Meruk (193A). ( NMK) ; 1 specimen, Nairobi ( MNHNP) ; 1 ♀ Laikipia Plateau, Mpala Research Centre 0.293°N 36.890°E 1650 m 15–20.vi.2007 S.E. Miller ( USNM 00719408 ) ; Aberdares Nat. Park 6.iv.2000 Saliend Camping site 2073 m 0°22’S 36°54’E Ugo Dall’Asta MRAC ENT 000006435 ; TANZANIA : 1 ♀ Amani iii.1964, 1 without abdomen xi. 1962 G. Pringle coll. ( NHMUK) ; ZIMBABWE: Mana P. N.P, Jesse Bush , 15°46.155’S 29°22.979’E 18.i.2007 Jürgen Lenz legit. ( TMSA) .

Figures

PLATE 11.

PLATE 21.