Asuroides retromaculata Durante

Durante, Antonio, 2008, Asuroides, a new genus of lithosiine moths (Lepidoptera, Arctiidae, Lithosiinae), Zootaxa 1713, pp. 53-68 : 61-63

Asuroides retromaculata Durante , new species

(Figs. 9, 27)

Material analyzed: Ψ holotype, Macenta, French Guinea [ Republic of Guinea], 2/10, 19/ 21-5-1926, g. sl. Arct. 5864 BMNH. in BMNH; Ψ paratype, same data as holotype, g. sl. Arct. 5863 BMNH, in BMNH.

Forewing: wingspan 25–28 mm; upperside ground color ochreous yellow, paler than in A. sagenaria ; pattern brown-grey; basal area with large roundish patch composed of subcostal dot, set further back in comparison to A. sagenaria , and with rounded patch instead of longitudinal patch as in A. sagenaria ; dark costal dusting extending to form distinct costal patch; basal band with slight distal concavity in median portion; median band similar that in A. dimidiata , but somewhat less thick and stocky; postmedian band arising on costa, well separated from median band and repeating same pattern as postmedian band in A. sagenaria , but more irregularly; postmedian band meeting median band at anal vein; submarginal band comprising eight fairly rounded streaks; the first five (anterior) streaks joined by transverse line, last three (posterior) free or joined; discal C-shaped patch with distal concavity; costa ochreous yellow except in basal area, limited to a patch as described above, in relation to bands and from submarginal band to apex, where it is brown-grey; underside color same as upperside; only anterior portions of median, postmedian and submarginal bands visible; fringes brown-grey.

PLATE 2. Figures 9–15. Asuroides species, adults. 9, Asuroides retromaculata Durante , Ψ holotype, French Guinea [ Republic of Guinea]; 10, Asuroides rosea Durante , Ψ holotype, Nyassaland [ Republic of Malawi]; 11, Asuroides rubea Durante , ♂ holotype, Johannesburg [ Republic of South Africa]; 12, Asuroides rubea Durante , Ψ paratype, South Africa; 13, Asuroides rubea Durante , ♂ paratype, South Africa; 14, Asuroides similis , Ψ holotype, Kibwezi [ Republic of Kenya]; 15, Asuroides similis Durante , ♂ paratype, Nyassaland [ Republic of Malawi].

Hindwing: upperside diaphanous straw-yellow, more intense along termen, with sequence of five evanescent submarginal streaks and large dot at tornus, all light grey; undersides like upperside, but with submarginal streaks more prominently marked; fringes brown-grey.

Body: head, thorax and abdomen same color as forewing ground; grey dot on vertex of head; antennae filiform yellow; labial palpi yellow, porrect, not extending beyond frons; two dark dots on tegulae; thorax with two dots on mesoscutum and one on mesoscutellum; legs yellow with dark scales on distal portion of femur and distal and proximal portions of tibia, this being more apparent on forelegs; tibial spurs 0-2-2; abdomen VII sternum slightly longer than VI; small pleural pouch between VI and VII segments; VII tergum trapezoidal, two times longer than VI; VIII abdominal segment slight greater than one third of VI; dorsal pheromone gland bilobate, almost twice as long as posterior apophyses; ventral pheromone gland bilobate, about half as long as posterior apophyses.

Genitalia: Ψ: ostium circular, with slightly bell-shaped edges; lamella postvaginalis small, membranous; ductus bursae cylindrical, well sclerotized, as long as sternum VII, dividing at its anterior end into two stems, one about two times longer than the other; arch arising from between stems, from which cervix bursae arises dorsally; ductus seminalis membranous, vaguely pear-shaped, arising from cervix bursae; corpus bursae suboval, membranous; signa absent; longer axis of entire cervix-corpus displaced perpendicularly to ductus bursae.

Etymology: the name is a combination of retro (behind) and maculata (spotted), referring to the large dot at the hindwing tornus.

Remarks: the most similar species to A. retromaculata are A. atricraspeda and A. dimidiata , but it is separable from both by the unique hndwing pattern. The two-stemmed ductus bursae is distinctive. The male is unknown.

PLATE 3. Figures 16–17. Asuroides species, adult wing venation. 16, Asuroides rosea Durante , Ψ holotype, forewing venation; 17, Asuroides similis Durante , Ψ paratype, hindwing venation.