Elhamma roepkei (Viette, 1952)

Simonsen, Thomas J., 2015, Elhamma Walker (Lepidoptera: Hepialidae) revisited: adult morphology, assessment of recently proposed synonyms and descriptions of two species, Zootaxa 3955 (3), pp. 301-328 : 315-316

Elhamma roepkei (Viette, 1952)

( Figs 6 , 36–38 , 77 )

Theaxieus roebkei Viette, 1952

Type data: Holotype Male, Naturalis, Type locality: Mist Camp, New Guinea

Material examined. Holotype, male ( RMNH INS 910273, Viette genital slide no. 2491, FW: 26.6 mm), Mist Camp, 1800 m, New Guinea Exp., Neth. Ind.-Amer., I 1939, L. J. Toxopeus leg.

Distribution ( Fig. 77 ): Known only from the type locality. The locality is in the Rouffaer Area at the northern edge of the central highlands at 139°05'E and 3°30'S (de Vos 2013).

Diagnosis. Similar to E. diakonoffi , but larger, darker and an indistinct pattern of darker spots along the HW Rs veins.

Redescription male. Medium size (FW: 26.6 mm); Head with a rough vestiture of golden-orange scales dorsally and pronounced, rough grey-brown vestiture on frontoclypeus; with dark-golden antenna scale tufts, and a broad circle of coffee-brown scales around the base of the antenna; scape scaled, antennae otherwise naked; more than half the width of the thorax, not serrate, each flagellomere keel-shape; eyes as in genus; labial palpus large; maxillary palpus just discernible. FW cinnamon beige ground colour with a mottled pattern of dark coffee-brown scales, and a series of well-defined dark spots along the costal margin. Wing venation: Generally similar to E. australasiae , but HW with M1-M3, M3-CuA1 and CuA1-CuA2 cross veins present. Wing vestiture similar to E. diakonoffi . Pro- and mesothorax golden-orange dorsally; prothorax coffee-brown ventrally; mesothorax goldenorange ventrally; metathorax yellow-beige; legs normally developed, hind legs without tibial scale tuft; claws short and thick with pronounced basal corner; pulvilli short U-shape. Abdomen uniformly yellow-beige without large, anterior ventro-lateral paired dark spots. Postrior edge of S3-6 smooth.

Genitalia: Sternum 8 ( Fig. 38 ) slightly higher than broad, with strongly sclerotised posterior margin; overall similar to E. diakonoffi , but central projection broader and flatter; central hook apparently missing, but preparation appears damaged, so the structure may well be present. Tergal lobe clearly bilobed and setose. Pseudoteguminal lobes very broad, not as high as in E. diakonoffi ; pseudoteguminal arms strongly sclerotised, both dorsal and ventral arms present; dorsal arms very long and broad at base, curved strongly outwards (likely recurved towards the tergal lobe in non-mounted specimens); ventral arms overall similar to E. diakonoffi , long and slender with a well-defined outer margin, arms synclerotised ventrally terminating in two small, sclerotised tips. Valva long, relatively broad; sacculus short; a strong, sclerotised, outwards-downwards curved tooth present disto-dorsally on sacculus. Juxta deeply cup-shaped. Vinculum and saccus broad U-shape with a dorsal V- shaped cross-ridge and a U-shaped sulcus separating vinculum proper from the apodemal vinculum (sensu Nielsen & Kristensen 1989).

Female: Unknown.

Figures

FIGURE 77. Distribution of New Guinea Elhamma species based on specimen records. Filled circle, E. viettei; open circle, E. grehani; filled square, E. toxopeusi; open square, E. diakonoffi; crossed square, E. roebkei.

FIGURES 1 – 12. Exemplars of all Elhamma species: 1 – 4, E. australasiae; 1 — female, 2 – 4 — males (2 is E. inconcluso Holotype); 5, E. diakonoffi male (Holotype); 6, E. roebkei male (Holotype); 7 – 8, E. grehani males (7 is Holotype, 8 is paratype RMNH INS 910279); 9 – 10, E. viettei males (9 is Holotype, 10 is paratype RMNH INS 910276); 11 – 12, E. toxopeusi males (11 is Holotype, 12 is the non-type RMNH INS 910272).

FIGURES 36 – 38. E. roebkei, male wings and genitalia morphology. 36: Wings; 37: Genitalia, ' classic' slide preparation; 38: Sternum 8, posterior view.