Camaegeria lychnitis, Bartsch, Daniel & Berg, Jutta, 2012

Bartsch, Daniel & Berg, Jutta, 2012, New species and review of the Afrotropical clearwing moth genus Camaegeria Strand, 1914 (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae: Synanthedonini), Zootaxa 3181, pp. 28-46 : 37

Camaegeria lychnitis n. sp.

Figs. 25–26 , 36

Holotype 3 ( Fig. 25–26 ): Madagascar Est: Moramanga, Andasibe, vic. Anevoka, Foret Pluviale de Maromiza NR., disturbed primary forest, 1000 m, 18°58’57.7’’S, 48°27’51.8’’E, 22.XI.2004, J. Berg & D. Bartsch leg. ( SMNS). Paratypes (17): 1 3, same data as holotype, 18°57,7–9’S, 48°27,1–3’E, 1100–1120 m, 17.XI.2004; 2 3, id., 18°58’33’’S, 48°27’45’’E, 1150 m, 6.XII.2006; 1 3, id., 11.XII.2006 (Bartsch gen. prep. 2007–15) ( Fig. 36 ); 1 3, id., 15.XII.2006; 1 3, id., 17.XII.2006; 3 3, 18 °58,2–3’S, 48°27,3–9’E, 1100–1150 m, 7.XII.2006; 3 3, id., 8.XII.2006; 1 3, id., 12.XII.2006; 1 3, id., 13.XII.2006; 1 3, id., 17.XII.2006; 2 3, id., 18°58’26.5’’S, 48°27.57.8’’E, 1110 m, 10.XII.2006, J. Berg & D. Bartsch leg. ( SMNS, MNHP). All specimens were attracted by artificial pheromones during late morning hours.

Etymology. From ancient Greek lychnites (= ruby), referring to the bright red anal tuft.

Description. Alar expanse 15.0–17.5 mm, forewing 7–8 mm, antenna 5.5–6, body 7–10 mm. Head with labial palp dark grey, first palpomere ventro-basaly, other palpomeres ventrally and mesally white; frons smooth, laterally white, medially dark grey with blue-metallic gloss; vertex dark grey with blue-metallic sheen, a small white spot between antenna and ocellus; antenna with scape dorsally black, ventrally white; flagellum rather short and slightly clavate, dorsally black with bluish-green gloss, ventro-basally brown, ventro-distally black, reverse-side with a distinct, pale yellow longitudinal stripe, pericephalic scales dorsally dark grey to black, laterally white. Thorax and abdomen black with blue-green metallic gloss, most intensive near forewing base; pro- and mesothorax laterally white; metathorax dorso-laterally with some orange hair-like scales; abdominal tergite 7 and anterior part of 8 bright glossy golden; posterior margin of tergite 2 narrow white and of tergite 7 with some white scales; sternites anteriorly white, posteriorly yellow to orange, sternites 3–6 laterally black, medial part of sternite 7 and anal tuft ruby-red, the latter dorso-medially white, with some black lateral scales. Legs black with blue metallic gloss. Foreleg with coxa proximally white; femur dorsally, tibia ventro-proximally and tarsomere 1 ventrally whitish; foretibia laterally rough-scaled. Midleg with tibia latero-proximally and tarsus ventrally white; white scales of tibia somewhat rough; femur, tibia and first tarsomere of nearly the same length. Hindleg with tibia and first tarsomere covered with rather short and rough distad pointing scales; tibia and tarsus ventrally white, distally with some pale yellow scales, about twice as long as femur plus first tarsomere. Spurs greyish-black, laterally white. Wings with large transparent areas; longitudinal transparent area extending to discal spot; external transparent area six-partite; apical area absent; discal spot narrow; hindwings with discal spot narrow, extending somewhat above origin of M2; costal margin of forewing to discal cell and vein R3, discal spot, veins and margins of all wings black, except for costal margins which are ventrally interspersed with some yellow. Male genitalia ( Fig. 36 ) with bald area of valva distinctly longer than 1/3 of its total length; saccus very short and broad, apically truncated and slightly bilobed; phallus as long as valva with distinct distal tooth. The female is unknown.

Diagnosis. This species is unmistakable, in particular due to the red sternites and anal tuft distinctly contrasting with the otherwise black body. The male genitalia have the dorsal margin distinctly angled, resulting in the basal part being twice as long as the distal one (congeners with dorsal margin less distinctly angled, and basal and distal parts being of roughly equal length), and the saccus extremely short.

Figures

FIGURES 25 – 30. Specimens of Camaegeria Strand, 1914, Episannina perlucida (Le Cerf, 1911) and Tipulamima haugi (Le Cerf, 1917). Scale bar: 10 mm. 25 – 26. C. lychnitis n. sp., 3 holotype, upperside (25), underside (26). 27. Episannina perlucida (Le Cerf, 1911), 3 lectotype. 28 – 29. C. viettei n. sp., 3 holotype, upperside (28), underside (29). 30. Tipulamima haugi (Le Cerf, 1917), 3 syntype.

FIGURES 36 – 37. Male genitalia of Camaegeria Strand, 1914. 36. Camaegeria lychnitis n. sp. 37. Camaegeria viettei n. sp.